Good Afternoon!

We had a fabulous breakfast this morning that we all took a hand in preparing! I mixed up my fabulous Kale & Banana smoothie to show everyone. My sis Kerrie took a sip and said “You are right, it isn’t very sweet!” hehe. Not sure if she was sold on it yet or not.

I made pancakes from scratch and Kerrie made scrambled eggs. We also had toast and heated up a cheese & onion pie that Kerrie brought from home.

Me whizzing around the kitchen:

Scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes, pancakes, and toast. (We had the pancakes and toast warming in the oven til we were ready!)

The cheese & Onion pie:

Everyone around the table (I took the pic): Starting with Eric at the bottom, my future sister in law Nicole, my sister Kerrie, my brother Chris (he and Nicole are engaged and getting married in September), and brother in law Steve (Kerrie’s husband)!!

I had my Kale & Banana smoothie, 2 pieces of Ezekiel toast with hummus, cherry tomatoes and a tiny bit of egg. I also took a pancake but I was not in the mood for it, so I gave it to Eric. I have to be in the mood for sweet things in the AM!

The recipe  for the pancakes I got from All Recipes. Good Old Fashioned Pancakes rated 4.5 stars out of 1,900 votes!!! I love this recipe. So quick and delicious.

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And now for the next installment of Beating The Freshman 15- finally!

Beating the Freshman 15: Part 4

Missed these?

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 

How to fix the weight gain traps (continued)…

6) Dieting, Eating Disorders, and Social Comparison:

For those of us who have been to college or university, we know that dieting and eating disorders are rampant on campuses. You see it in the dorms, the cafeterias, and in classes. Young women are terrified to gain weight. It is nothing new to see women obsessing about their weight, but on college campuses it seems to be taken to the extreme, at least that was my experience at my university. I’d see other girls eating nothing but lettuce and a few bites of this for dinner and then I would see others with bowls of icecream, chocolate, and candy to take back to their room at midnight. Now I am not saying that this suddenly means someone had a problem with food, but more often than not I think that tended to be the case. I was no stranger to my own struggles with food throughout university. Stress seemed to come from every which way from heavy course loads to tight fitting pants. I would often eat through my emotions by either overeating or undereating, depending on how I was feeling. It creates a horrible cycle that is really hard to break out of. I would often get by during the day on virtually nothing, and then binge at night if I was having a particularly stressful day. It was all too easy to sneak down to the vending machine at night and get a chocolate bar or bag of candy. Then there was the relationship stress too. Eric and I have been together since highschool and being at university was really tough on our relationship at times. There are new people, new girls (my campus had a ratio of 7 girls for every 3 guys!!!! Try to avoid these campuses haha), new hangouts, new classes, new experiences, etc. University was a really trying time for our relationship to say the least. Often I would use food as a way to deal with all of these stressors. And of course weight gain would make me even more depressed, and that would lead to more overeating and a desire to drop the pounds fast by undereating.

The social comparison was tough for me while at school. Being on a campus that was predominantly female, I struggled with social comparison and not feeling good enough or skinny enough compared to other girls. When I first moved into the dorm, I was on a floor with about 5 stick thin, gorgeous model types and this really increased my own negative feelings about my body. No one wants to be the odd one out, especially when you are feeling vulnerable and trying to find yourself. However, what I realized, very slowly albeit, was that the problem wasn’t with my body! Yes, I did gain weight and needed to lose some in a healthy manner so that my body could function at its’ best, BUT…my problem was mainly with my own self-esteem and perception more than anything. Even at a normal weight, entering university, I still didn’t feel like I measured up. I realized that I needed to deal with these issues before I would ever feel good enough. But it was a while before I started going to see a fabulous and caring counsellor on campus. I only wish I had done it sooner. She helped show me that my mind was what needed changing much more than my body. Along with her help, I gradually started down a long and winding road toward accepting myself and trying to be at peace with my body.

I learned to write down my feelings instead of feeding them.

I think if I had taken a sensible approach to health rather than a ‘quick-fix’ approach to losing weight, I would have been much better off while in university. Instead I counted calories and obsessed with the scale, when I should have been thinking in terms of food groups and portion sizes. When you undereat and are trying to study and go to classes, something will give, and for me it was late night eating. Your body can only take the abuse for so long before your instincts kick in and before you know it you are downing 2 chocolate bars and a bag of candy.

My advice is simple. Stop the social comparisons with other friends or strangers. We are given 1 body and whether we like it or not, it’s the one we will always have. Not everyone is meant to be a size 4. You have to work with your body in your path to health. Once I found my groove (and I didn’t find this until half way through my 1 year in my Master’s degree!) you will know it. You will be able to maintain your weight easily and your body will be in a good place. I always say that if you are struggling and giving 110% just to maintain the weight you are at now, it is too low for you. This kind of battle is not something that you are going to be happy doing long-term. Be sensible. Find a healthy weight for yourself and take small steps each day to achieve it. Once I realized that health was way more than a number on the scale, I didn’t feel as strong a need to fit into a pair of jeans by Friday. The need wasn’t as immediate when you know that you are in this for the long haul.

Change takes time. I started taking healthier steps gradually over the 5 years I was in my undergraduate program, and things JUST started clicking for me in the past 2 years. Things take time so don’t let yourself get discouraged. Habits can take months and sometimes years to break. For a while I thought I would never be able to break away from the undereating/binging cycles, but I did. It is amazing when you give your body the food it needs, binges become almost obsolete. When you deal with the feelings and emotions at hand, you realize that maybe a bag of chips won’t solve anything after all.

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And finally, an Oh She Glows VIDEO Fashion show that I put together for you this afternoon! Enjoy

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JUUCTHs34ec]

Don’t forget- all proceeds until May 10, 2009 from the Fit Gear Shop go toward The Canadian Cancer Society!

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Don’t forget to submit your afternoon power snack photo for the Oh She Glows Contest giveaway! I have only received 3 entries so your odds of winning are looking REALLY GOOD!!!!!! lol. Contest ends Thursday!

Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat.
~Caroline Schoeder

 Good evening!

Wow, so much has been going on tonight since I got home!! I just now have a chance to sit down and write! I feel like my blogging has been off kilter this week. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because I knew it was a crazy week going into it! I am glad today is almost over and it should be downhill from here.

Let me just say that I have HUGE huge huge things coming up on Oh She Glows!!! Let’s just say I got 3 packages in the mail today and I am soooo excited to post about it all. But more on that, later!!

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First up, a food product review:

Neal Brothers Organic Cheese Twists

These are wheat free and gluten free organic cheese twists!!!

The taste?

These. blew. my. mind.

To be honest, I am typically not a cheese twist kinda girl. They have always tasted a bit artificial to me.

Let me tell you- these were like no cheese twist I have ever tried!! They actually taste like a real cheese. The cheese tastes sharp and delicious. It was hard not to gobble down the whole bag, but I must say I put a big dent in it!

This is definitely an indulgent treat for me, but I can certainly see myself buying these for weekend fun with friends and company. The best part of it is- no trans fats! Yay!

Did anyone else notice how low the sodium is??? Rockin.

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Beating the Freshman 15: Part 3

Missed these?

Part 1

Part 2

How to fix the weight gain traps (continued)…

 4) Lack of a sleep schedule. If I could do it again, I would have put myself on a sleep schedule. Now of course, this doesn’t mean that you will be going to bed every night at 9pm. Trust me, I know that typically doesn’t jive with most college students. What I mean by a sleep schedule is something that will work for you, one that you will be consistent with and be able to stick to. The top sleep researchers say that you need to go to bed at approximately the same time each night and get up around the same time each morning for the best sleep. When I do this, I do feel my best. Sometimes it can seem impossible to even attempt this while away at school. You might ask: What do I do if I go out drinking Saturday night and I’m up til 3am??? Won’t it mess me up? The answer is yes, it will mess you up the next day, but research says that if you still get up around the same time the next day, your body clock will readjust better. I know easier said than done! For example, if you typically go to bed at midnight and get up at 8am, and you go out on night and are up until 3am, try to still get up close to your normal waking time (8-9am). This way you won’t throw your sleep clock all out of wack. Yes, you will be tired, but I guarantee you will be more likely to fall back into your normal routine than if you slept until 1pm.

My best advice is to get a calendar and literally write down your entire schedule. When your classes are, what time you need to get up and go to bed to ensure 8 hour’s sleep, when you will be working out, when your meals will generally be, etc. The more you plan, the less likely you will fall off the wagon.

Now that isn’t to say that this plan will be set in stone by any means. I am the first to admit that I don’t always stick to my game plans (and sometimes I don’t even have one or even care!!), and that is ok. Life happens. We shouldn’t expect ourselves to be rigid robots adhering to a strict schedule. I am a firm believer that the more flexible you are in life, the better off and happier you will be. It was a huge challenge for me to give up the rigidity of calorie counting and obsessing about my weight. I realized that being flexible in my approach to health was much more difficult than the opposite. When you have a game plan, but you still realize that this might not always work out, you will be happier overall. Don’t stress it, no matter what you do. Stress leads to over eating and over eating leads to weight gain and weight gain leads to a cycle that is hard to break out of. But it can be done! I never thought that I would be able to break out of my vicious cycle when I hit my highest weight, but I did.

5) Comfort eating at home. Im sure I wasn’t the only one who would go home on certain weekends and over eat. I did this for 2 reasons: 1) I was stressed from school and being ‘away’ made me feel like I was on a mini-vacation or holiday. And we all know how we tend to eat when its’ the holidays! Not great, right? and 2) I wanted to taste all of the wonderful food that I didn’t have access to while at school. Let’s face it, college/university food can get real boring! My taste buds wanted a party-in-my-mouth when I went home on the weekends.

How to fight it? I think if I would have gone home with a game plan, I would have done much better. Tell yourself that you will have one ‘fun’ or indulgent meal per day, but keep the rest of it healthy. Planning on going out for dinner? Eat a good breakfast, a healthy lunch, and then indulge a bit at dinner time. Having pancakes and eggs with the ‘rents on Sunday morning? Keep the rest of the day light and healthy. Getting together with girlfriends for movies and pizza? Ditto. You catch my drift. Everything is managable if you break it down into baby steps. It always helps to keep yourself busy on the weekends so that you aren’t boredom eating!

The best thing to keep reminding yourself is that you are not alone in this. I have been there, I have struggled, and I have overcome it. So can you. If you are feeling low, reach out and talk to someone. You would be surprised to know how many women are feeling the exact same way as you. Call your mom, email ME (ohsheglows@gmail.com), or see a school counsellor if you just need to vent.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of Beating the Freshman 15 on DIETING, Eating Disorders, and Social Comparison!

[polldaddy poll=1298000]

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Did anyone else watch the President and First lady’s first dance and tear up????? Oh my gosh…what an emotional first dance! The love those two have in their eyes is incredible. It was like a fairy tale. And Beyonce blew my socks off!!! Yes, I know I am late commenting on this, but it has been a couple busy days! I saw only bits and pieces of the Inauguration, but it left me with lots of hope for not only the United States, but the world.

Stay tuned tomorrow:
The Contest #2 video draw!! Keep those entries coming in til tomorrow 8pm EST!
A Special Fit Gear photography special
The next giveaway box

“ Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I may not forget you.”
~William Arthur

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a healthy start to your week!

My day at work was pretty good. I finished up my presentation and did some other non-exciting domestic stuff. Another day another dollar! lol.

I got lots of questions and comments about my Green Monster drink this morning, lol.

First off, I must apologize for not putting a warning before that post- especially being so early in the morning! How dare I? Next time, you will know in advance.

Secondly, yes I did drink the WHOLE drink. I am a champ! I actually had the other half last night, but I didn’t have time to post about it.

And being the sucker for punishment that I am, I made another green monster before I left for work! I had it in the afternoon. Luckily, it stayed nice and fresh because it was FREEZING in our office today! Actually, I think I saw tiny ice crystals forming, hehe.

My concoction today involved:

• 2 leafs of Kale
• 1 peeled cucumber
• 1 handful of grape tomatoes

Again, it was not pleasant! This green monster is not for the faint of heart. If you don’t like horror films, this one probably ain’t for you! whahaha.

I said to Eric on the way home tonight, “You know my green monster drinks are a bit like exercise. It isn’t always fun, but when it’s over you feel like a champ!!!”

I really do feel amazing when I am done drinking one of those drinks. It is hard to describe, but my body feels ‘happy’ and ‘content’. I feel energized.

Three cheers for K-A-L-E!

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Ok, so I didn’t have time to make the kale soup when I got home from work tonight as it was late. I searched in the freezer and was so excited to find a box of Amy’s California Veggie Burgers- that I hadn’t tried yet!

I have heard how good they are so I was really excited to try them. I even cooked up Eric one too.

These babies pack a wicked nutitional punch:

Cooked in the pan 5-7 mins. per side on medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil:

His and Hers bread:

I was excited to use my Neal Brother’s salsa on this burger!

Well that salsa didn’t last long!!! Thanks Neal Brothers!

With hummus, romaine, and a tomato slice:

Now for the review:

Angela says, “These burgers are sooooo good!!! They don’t even taste like a typical veggie burger! They have a very meat like texture. Yum yum yum gobble gobble gobble”

Eric’s turn…

Now let me qualify this. When Eric and I first met he used to not eat any veggies. Ok, maybe 1. Since my persuasion, he now eats tons of veggies and even enjoys them. However, veggie products, he has always been quite resistant to. Especially products that try to come in the way of his MEAT.

Eric Says, “Wow these are good. I like them…they don’t taste like veggie burgers. For a veggie burger I give this an A+!”

My jaw almost hit the floor!!! weeeeee.

I will certainly be buying these every week from now on!

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How To Fix College/University Weight Gain Traps

Missed Part 1?

1) 24 hour access to junk food

Well, there really isn’t anything you can do to completely get away from the 24 hour access to junk food, unless you live off campus. Once I moved off campus in my second year I found it so much easier to stay healthy! It was like night and day.

Looking back, I probably wouldn’t have purchased a pre-paid food swipe card. It was just too easy to buy food. And the universities/colleges know this- that is why they create them! It is very easy to load up on junk when buying with these swipe cards because you really don’t see where your money is going. I think I would have been much better off had I used cash. I would have realized how much money I was pouring down the drain. Those $2 chunky Kit Kats may not have been so appealing if I was putting the money in the machine myself.

I think it is also important to have set meal times and create a schedule for yourself. This was something I didn’t do and I think would have helped me tremendously. I would sometimes skip breakfast to rush to a class, or have lunch at 3 or 4pm. I was all over the map! The problem is when you have classes that fall over meal times. I used to have a class that was from 11:30-2pm, and it made it difficult to have a regular sized lunch. I would suggest bringing along a filling and nutritious snack that you can eat at break. I would print your schedule for the week and literally pencil in what time you will be eating your meals. This will help prevent you from mindless eating at 4pm, if you know dinner is before your 6pm class at 5:15pm.

I bought a mini fridge to have in my dorm room when I started getting healthier, and this helped me a lot because I could store healthy grab and go snacks in there.

Great snack ideas:

• Yogurt
• Part Skim Cheese strings
• Apple and PB or AB
• Granola bars (I like Kashi and Larabars- but I probably couldn’t have afforded them when I was in school)
• Cereal (Try to find something with at least 5 grams of protein and fibre, and less than 10 grams of sugar per cup)
• Crackers (again I like Kashi, but regular whole wheat crackers will do)
• Lean meat slices, tuna/salmon, or Veggie slices like Tofurkey
• Veggies and Dip (Find a low-fat salad dressing like reduced fat Ranch)
• Nuts & seeds, trail mix, etc.

For a pick me up snack during class you could have a handful of raw almonds, a yogurt, and a healthy granola bar or crackers and cheese or peanut butter. All of these foods are fairly quiet to eat so you don’t have to worry about disturbing the class or offending anyone with a strong smelling food odour.

2) Alcohol

Oh man, this one is tough.  I didn’t drink as much as most people in university, but I still had my fare share of alcoholic calories over the years. Remember just 2,000-3,500 alcohol calories each month can contribute to a 7-12 pound weight gain over a year!

I don’t suggest that you have to stop going out and having fun! You only go away to school once! Here are some lower calorie drinks that won’t ‘break the caloric bank’ so to speak:

• Light beer (Under 110 calories)
• Wine (85 kcals for 3.5 fl. oz.)
• Vodka and Diet Tonic (~100 kcals- this is what all the models drink, according to the Hollywood Book of Diet Secrets by Kim Douglas)

When I drink now, it is in moderation and I stick to light beer and wine. I am also getting older (lol), but I definitely remember what it was like to go overboard on drinks when I was in school.

I think if you are struggling with weight gain from alcohol, it is a good idea to plan ahead when you will be going out. If you go out every Saturday night, try to ease up on your calories a couple days prior. I’m not saying by much though- maybe 200-300 (so maybe eliminating one snack) calories at the most. It isn’t a lot, but it will help if you do consume 1,000 alcohol calories on Saturday night.

3) Emotional Stress Eating

Talk to people! My biggest mistake was isolating myself when I was feeling down. I tended to stay in my dorm room when I was having a tough time. That is the worst thing you can do. Don’t close your dorm room door when you are feeling low. I know you may not want to speak to anyone, but having someone pop in and say hello just might turn your whole day around. Who knows, it could be a cute guy that is crushin on you too.

Stop telling yourself that you ‘need’ to eat to be able to stay focused when studying! Yes, sometimes you do, and sometimes those 4 hour study sessions do make you insanely hungry, but for myself I just ate out of habit mostly. Stop and ask yourself before reaching for a snack. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being famished, how hungry are you? If it is anything less than a 6 you probably are eating out of boredom and not actual hunger. As a rule, don’t let your hunger get over an 8 or 9. That will lead to over eating and binges.

If you are feeling really low and can’t shake it, consider seeing a professional. A couple times during my university career I utilized the free counselling services at my school. I saw a therapist and it was amazing how much it helped just to have a 1 hour venting session each week. I could discuss anything I wanted to, no strings attached. They are trained to handle any type of problems, from food/self-esteem issues to school stress. Whatever it is, if you think you need some outside help don’t be ashamed in seeking it out. That is what they are there for and partly why your tuition costs so much! These services tend to be included. My therapist would give me some homework assignments that really put things into perspective for me. Don’t worry it is fun homework!

Did you fall into one of these three traps at college/university? Were you able to find ways to get out of them?

[polldaddy poll=1290511]

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Stay tuned for Part 3 of Beating the Freshman 15!

Up tomorrow….more fun, fun, fun- food product reviews, latest research news, how I am doing with my injury break, and much more…

Keep those awesome contest entries coming in!!! Don’t forget the big draw is only 2 days away! You could be the winner of an amazing box of Honest Foods or Neal Brothers products!

PS- Check out the awesome Ashley over at Daily Goods who made my Flax & Oat Breakfast Power Muffins!!!

We all say it won’t happen, but then it does. The Freshman 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30…etc. Going away to school presents all kinds of new challenges, most of which are unseen. I remember before I set off to university, I told myself, I certainly won’t be part of the Freshman 15 statistic. But, barely 2 terms into my schooling, I most certainly was.

I hit my highest weight in university, I remember the day. I was at the doctor’s office complaining about the birth control pill that I was on. I was convinced that it had made me gain all this horrible weight. I stepped on the scale and it read 147 pounds. I was shocked, embarrassed, and wondered how this all happened. Just 6 months ago, I was fairly fit at 130 pounds and entering university, unbeknown what challenges lay before me.

I asked the doctor what he thought, and if switching to a new pill might magically help me shed this weight that I carried from class to class.

His reply was honest and blunt.

“The birth control pill you have been on is actually marketed for being one of the only birth control pills that doesn’t lead to weight gain…..” He paused. 

“Often, in university, it is very easy to consume extra calories without even knowing it…”

He trailed off.

Oh. I thought. Shit.

I was mad at him. What a prick, I thought. How the hell does he know if I have been overeating!

But the truth was, I was mad at myself. I knew that my habits weren’t the best in recent months and I knew I only had myself to blame.

Seeing my weight hit 147 pounds was a huge wake up call for me. I realized that committing to lose the weight would incur many challenges and obstacles.

Sure, I had a great life.

Eric and I met in grade 12 and we were happy in love. I was doing well with my course work and meeting new people.

But I knew something was missing.

I knew that I was cheating myself out of living life to the fullest.

I was often self-conscious of my appearance and seeing other skinny girls on campus made me feel even worse. I would often comfort my feelings and insecurities with food.

I worried that Eric would leave me for one of these girls even though I had already found my golden ticket.

Eric was the best thing that has ever happened to me and I guess I was afraid of losing him. Little did I know that he felt the same way about me.

Feeling unhappy in your skin can cause many irrational thoughts! Now, looking back at my pictures from different weights, I realized that he didn’t care about any of that. He loved me at all of them. Just like I loved him through his various weights (No, he wasn’t immune to weight gain either!).

However, as we all know, no matter what anyone else says to you, if YOU aren’t happy in your skin, there is nothing anyone else can say to you to make you think otherwise.

I knew I had to get healthier, and slowly, I did. But boy was it a long journey filled with ups and downs. I sometimes feel that if I knew then what I know now…..

Well, you know how it goes anyways.

It is just my hope that by sharing my own experiences, I can help others that may be going down a similar path.

So in my first installment of Beating The Freshman 15, I am going to analyze and discuss what exactly it was that made me gain the weight.

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What contributed to my weight gain in university?

Virtually 24 hour access to junk food (dining halls, vending machine down the hall). We had a swipe card to our food, so all we had to do is swipe the card in the vending machine- we didn’t even need money! Food was way too accessible. For a while I was in a habit of getting a Chunky Kit Kat bar from the vending machine every single night! Why? Because I could. It was steps away from my dorm room. *Swwwwipe*

Alcohol. I didn’t drink too often, but when I did it was always a lot. If I drank 2-3x a month, that probably would have been an extra 2,000-3,500 calories per month. Over the course of a year, alcohol calories could contribute to a 7-12 pound weight gain!

Emotional Stress eating. It was quite stressful in university for many reasons. Being away from home and family is not as easy as one anticipates. The challenges of an increased workload and stress over grades make emotional eating very easy. It is also very accepted in university to eat junk food late at night to ‘help’ stay awake and study. Looking back, I don’t think it was necessary. Eating junk while studying was more of a crutch and a bad habit after a while- not something that helped me study. In fact, I usually felt worse after eating junk while I studied.

Lack of sleep schedule. My body was not on a great sleep schedule while I was in university. I tended to stay up late and I would either sleep in or I would have to get up early for class. My body was constantly being pulled in both directions. Eventually, something has to give! Looking back, I probably would have benefited a lot if I had stuck to a sleep schedule. Going to bed around the same time each night and getting up around the same time each day will do wonders for your energy levels. Of course, there will be nights that you go out and stay up late, but try the best you can on those nights where you aren’t out with friends.

Comfort eating at home. When Eric and I would go home on some weekends, I tended to comfort eat. I felt safe at home and content to be away from the stress at school. So I gave myself a free pass to sort of eat whatever I wanted when I went home. My palate was often hungry for new foods, as the monotony of university food can get really boring!

Dieting. In a desperate attempt to lose the weight I had gained, I would try to slash my food intake. This always backfired and led to binges and it created a vicious cycle of restricting and bingeing that was very hard to break away from. I might lose a couple pounds from cutting my intake drastically, but I would gain it all back, and more, from a binge, usually on the weekend.

Add all of this up and the odds were stacked against me big time- and most college students.

Looking back, I didn’t have a chance.

But I would have if I implemented some key strategies…

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Stay tuned for Beating The Freshman 15: Part 2, where I will talk about how to fix these weight gain traps!

See you tomorrow for my Goddess breakfast!

Have a great night everyone!

It is with disease of the mind, as with those of the body; we are half dead before we understand our disorder, and half cured when we do.~Clergy Caleb Cotton