Healthy and HAPPY For The Holidays

A good friend and follower of my blog suggested that I do an article highlighting how traumatic the Holiday season can be for those individuals suffering from a debilitating eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa.  This remarkable young woman has battled bulimia for years and years, yet through immeasurable amounts of hard work, countless doctors’ appointments, and the support of her family, friends, and other loved ones she now has a grip on her future and has been able to regain control over this disease.  I have immense admiration for her for many reasons, but the lengths to which she has gone to tackle this disorder is astounding and truly one of the most inspirational aspects about her! Her road to recovery has been unquestionably difficult and her perseverance through every single daily battle is unreal.  She is inspiring in so many ways and I am so thankful that I have gotten to know this beautiful, intelligent, articulate, and amazing woman.  That being said I just really wanted to seize all of the encouragement and inspiration that I have received from her, and pass it on to ANYONE out there who reads this article who happens to be suffering from an eating disorder of any sort.  Please know that you have options!  I’m definitely no expert on the issue but from what I’ve heard the road to recovery will be difficult and you may have to utilize several different avenues of support and treatment.  That being said, it is of dire importance that you take that first, tough step of admitting that there is a problem at hand and get the help and treatment that you need.  I would be happy to speak with anyone who is struggling yet doesn’t know exactly where to start.  Even if all you want is someone to talk to, I will be right there to offer my love, support, and prayers!

I would be lying if I told you that the constant pressures I am faced with every day to look a certain way didn’t bother me.  The messages from the both the media and our peers, make it extremely difficult to stay truly “healthy” in every aspect of the word. The young woman that I referred to earlier sent me this article. I thought it was really eye opening and I think anyone who has ever thought about, been involved in, or experienced an eating disorder in some shape can benefit from reading this article published on the Center for Change website.  You can visit the website and read the entire article (which I highly recommend) at http://centerforchange.com/articles/holidays.php?c=91.  This particular article shares Holiday eating stories from the perspective of actual eating disorder sufferers.  I’ve picked out a couple of points that I found especially encouraging that I wanted to share with you all.  Again, I found this information from the Center for Change’s website; it is not my own content. 

Here are a few ways suggested on the site that YOU can help a family member or friend who may be suffering from an eating disorder this Holiday season.  I found number six especially interesting and I think it should be applied to ALL family get-togethers this year, not only to those who are dealing with a family member who is in the midst of an eating disorder.  It’s easy to make meals the centralized focus of each holiday, but try this year to make other things as important as the meals.  Maybe plan a game night, or family-wide volunteering opportunity, or go play out in the snow together!  Rather than making Christmas about food, try to make it more meaningful than that.  Focus on the importance of spending time together and remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON! Anyway, here are the suggestions from Center for Change. Enjoy!

1. If your loved one is a child or adolescent in treatment, and/or if you are involved in Maudsley/Family Based Treatment, then continue with your regular outlined treatment plan through the Holidays
2. If your loved ones is a child or adolescent with anorexia, then learn about the Maudsley/ Family Based Treatment approach. It is important to give this approach consideration.
3. If your loved one is an acute medical or self harm risk then arrange for intensive medical/psychiatric care immediately.
4. Get professional help for your loved one with those who have experience and expertise with eating disorder treatment.
5. It is important for everyone to be honest and up front with each other. 
6. It is important to emphasize the purpose for the celebration of the holiday and focus less on food or meals
7. It is important for family and friends not to feel responsible and guilty for the eating disorder
8. It can be helpful during the holiday season to break activities into smaller numbers of people, when possible.
9.   Encourage your family member or friend to gather extra support around themselves during the holidays
10. It is important for family and friends to remove any unreasonable behavior expectations or pressures of performance
11. It is important to offer care "giving" and not care "taking.” Being a self declared nurse, dietitian, therapist, or detective takes you out of your most important role – "loved one"

Hardman, Randy K. PhD and Berrett, Michael E. PhD. "Coping With a Loved Ones' Eating

Disorder During the Holidays." Center for Change.  2 December 2010. http://centerforchange.com/articles/holidays.php?c=91 .

I hope you all have gained new knowledge on this issue and are encouraged to inspire as well as support those in your life who you feel may be suffering from a disorder.  Happy December!

God bless and Stay HEALTHY!

Emily

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful day full of food, family, and fellowship.  I want to apologize for the long wait between my last post and now.  Even though it is no excuse, I have been extremely busy with school, work, and life in general!  I hope you all have been continuing to work on your own personal health, wellness, and fitness goals during my hiatus.

For this post, I just wanted to share a few post Thanksgiving eating tips that I have found helpful! Here they are:

1. Don't get too down on yourself, it's only ONE day!  I find myself sometimes struggling with the problem of getting frustrated with myself after a large meal or a "splurge" day, so to speak.  I want to stress, however, that it is just fine to eat and enjoy your Thanksgiving day meal.  It's just not worth it to ruin a wonderful day with family and friends by stressing about what you ate or didn't eat.  Instead, simply remind yourself that Thanksgiving is one day out of the year where it is expected that you will consume more calories, and you shouldn't deprive yourself of that fun treat! With that in mind...

2. Try to get back on the healthy track starting Friday!  As soon as possible, go back to your regular eating habits.  For me, I think this is especially hard to do because we always have delicious leftovers in our refrigerator in the days following Thanksgiving.  The sooner I get back to my regular eating habits, however, the sooner I feel healthier and more energetic!  I'm not saying you have to throw out all of your leftovers or not eat anything from Thanksgiving on Friday, but I do encourage you not to have a repeat of Thanksgiving dinner every day for the next week!

3. Keep exercising and stay active!  Much like number two, don't fall off the exercise wagon after Thanksgiving.  I know sometimes we feel sluggish because we eat more than average, but try not to let that affect your exercise schedule.  You will likely feel much better and more energized once you get back to your normal routine.  I went for a run on our treadmill tonight after feeling quite "stuffed" (get it?)  from a day of eating, and I felt much better after.  If you don't feel ready to hop right back on a treadmill or elliptical, go walk your dog or take a stroll around the block!  I guarantee that even that tiny bit of exercise will help.

4. Plan ahead for Christmas!  While this may seem kind of dorky to some, I love finding (or creating) healthier options of my favorite treats!  Christmas, like Thanksgiving, is a time for lots of fellowship that takes place primarily around dinner tables overflowing with food.  While I absolutely encourage you to participate and enjoy the Holiday season, just remember to treat your body with respect and don't gorge on a regular basis!  Something fun you can try for this Christmas is baking your favorite Christmas cookies in the healthiest way possible.  Substitute Truvia (or another zero-calorie sweetener, if you prefer...Truvia is a bit expensive but NATURAL! Which is totally worth it!) for sugar and find low-fat or fat-free options of ingredients or mixes.  I am planning on doing this this year and I hope you guys let me know if you find or know of any fun, healthier options for Christmas treat essentials!

Thanks for being patient with my slow posting! I hope you really enjoyed this one, and I promise LOTS more to come!  Make sure you message me with questions, comments, or suggestions on future posts!

God Bless and, once again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Stay Healthy!

Emily

Eating Healthy On A Budget

Eating Healthy On a Budget!


I know this sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be done! Starting college has taught me that money is not something that can be thrown every which way. After only the second week of classes, my computer, car, and camera have all given me troubles and unexpected expenses have come up! It has taught me that I really need to be living as frugally as possible.  I know I am not the only person in the world who is trying to balance a healthy lifestyle and a small budget, so I figured this would be a good way to share some of my thoughts on the subject with anyone who is trying to do the same thing.

Even though many people believe that eating healthy is the equivalent to eating expensively, this is not always the case. I’ve compiled a few tips for anyone who is interested in saving a little extra money while eating right. While this list is absolutely for any and everyone, I will warn you that it is probably geared more directly at college students than anyone else.



Enjoy!

1. Hydrate…with water, of course! It is so important that we stay hydrated at all times, and water is the most inexpensive way to accomplish that goal! I recently had to retire my 2.2 liter reusable water bottle at the first football game because they didn’t allow any sort of beverage into the stadium! However, I quickly upgraded to a $.99 3 LITER WATER BOTTLE from a grocery store! Mind you, it sometimes can be a little awkward carrying a 3 liter water bottle around campus all day, but it motivates me to drink more than I would if I just had a .5 liter, that’s for sure! I would definitely recommend getting a large water bottle that can be refilled and carrying it with you where ever you go! A lot of times when we think we are hungry our bodies are really just thirsty. One extra tip to save even more cash…Don’t buy a huge pack of water bottles. 1) You are wasting a lot of plastic, and 2) you are wasting cash when you could just be refilling and reusing ONE bottle.

2. Use up your meal plan…but stick to the healthy options. Going into college, I figured I wouldn’t be utilizing the cafeteria food that often, and since I was living in the dorms, it was required that I bought a meal plan. So, I purchased the lowest meal plan with the highest amount of “flex dollars” (we can use our flex dollars at any of the on campus restaurants, I’m not exactly sure how other schools work their food plans, but this is how it works at my school). I know that I am not alone when I say that the temptation to eat out at different, exciting, and fun restaurants is definitely present when you are living in a fresh new city. However, I cannot stress enough how much money you will be saving if you just eat the cafeteria food. I speak from experience when I say this because just last week I went out with a few friends to an amazing little sushi bar, and ended up spending a fortune on food that wasn’t even that good for me! My wallet is still in shock, trust me! You can still have fun with friends, however you don’t ALWAYS need to go out to eat or spend a fortune. Eat at the cafeteria, they have healthy options and you are already paying for them so you might as well get your money’s worth!

3. When you do go out to eat, because I know it will happen, try to pick the meal with the fewest calories and the smallest price tag. This is really self explanatory, but I think it needs to be said. Why would you want to spend your money on food that will only add inches to your waist? This is what I think about whenever I go out to eat. The way I see it is if I’m spending my money on over priced food, I might as well be getting something in return right? Try to pick low calorie, high protein meals that will literally give you more bang for your buck!

4. Walk! EASIEST TIP EVER! Walking, rather than taking public transportation or driving, will not only save you a load of money, it will increase your overall physical activity for the day which will in turn burn up a few of those extra calories we all sometimes splurge on! Mind you, we can’t ALWAYS walk to our destination, but when the option is there, definitely jump on it! Why be more sedentary than you have to be, right?

5. When you shop, buy bulkier items rather than the more expensive, pre-packaged foods. Buy the foods that can be in bulk, I guarantee you will save a lot of money! Especially if it is something that you eat a lot of! Almonds and dried fruit are good to buy in bulk (just be careful that you are watching the serving sizes of both of these items as they are both very high in calories)! When you buy small, pre-packaged items you are paying for the packaging as well as the product. You can make your own “pre-packaged” snacks by taking just a little extra time in the morning to portion out snacks into plastic bags or Tupperware containers!



I know it’s a bit intimidating eating healthy on a budget, however it CAN be done! I am in the process of doing it right now and so far so good!



I would love to hear about any other ideas you have for my blog! Facebook me, email me, call me, comment on my blog, whatever way you prefer to get a hold of me! I need some ideas to research and I want to hear what you, my readers, want to know about!



Until next time!

Stay Healthy!



Emily

Emily's 6 Tips for Healthy Habits at Restaurants

I’m sorry it has been so long since I last updated!! I have been keeping busy with traveling, practice, and appearances. I hope you enjoy this little article I put together about healthy eating at restaurants…enjoy!




Emily’s 6 Tips for Healthy Habits at Restaurants!

So you want to socialize with friends and family at restaurants and still be able to stick to your diet? Well, guess what…It’s definitely not impossible! I’ve compiled a list of the 6 tips that I follow when I go out to eat and although they may be hard at times, once you get used to and live by these rules, it’ll be a piece of cake to keep unwanted pounds off and keep a lively social life!

1. Order a to-go box right away. Restaurants serve platters like plates which gives you the impression that you aren’t consuming as much as you really are. As soon as you order your meal, ask for a to-go box to come out with your meal, that way you can cut your meal in half and only eat one half at the restaurant. You’ll have some yummy leftovers for lunch the next day, and you’ll be saving yourself a bunch of calories. Both my mom and dad swear by this rule, and I know you will too once you try it.

2. Skip the dressings, sauces, and creams. If you notice “creamy” in the title of the food you want to eat, STAY AWAY! These dishes are usually extremely calorie laden, and high in fat and sodium. If you absolutely cannot resist, ask your server if you can order the dish without the sauce. You’d be surprised what cooks can do! If you order a salad, ask first if they have a low fat or low calorie version of the dressing you desire, then ask if you can get it on the side rather than tossed in with the salad. If they don’t have a light dressing, you might try having your salad “naked”. I used to douse my salads with pounds of fatty dressing, essentially cancelling out any benefits that I may have gotten from the vegetables in the salad. However, after seeing someone order a salad without dressing, I decided to order my salad “naked” too. I fell in love. My entire “salad experience” has been totally changed, I’ve figured out different, more exciting ways to spice up my salads. Anything from berries, almonds, and seeds to pepper and lemon juice have graced my salad plate, and trust me any combination is wonderful!

3. When you are finished eating, put a piece of gum in and stick your napkin on your plate. This way you won’t be tempted to “nibble” when you’re full. I’ve actually heard of people dumping their drinks on their plates when they reached their limit, and while I’ve never tried it, I’m sure this option would work as well. When I go out to eat, my dinner date/s and I usually end up talking long after we are actually finished eating, if food is still in front of me I am always tempted to eat it! So, if you are like me and you often get tempted to “nibble” while waiting for your table to be cleared, try one of these options to curb your desire!

4. Order water with your meal rather than soda or liquor. Water is amazing for you, and, if you are like most people, you don’t get enough of it in your day. Aside from saving yourself unnecessary calories, you are saving yourself some money too, as both soda and liquor are more expensive and very high in calories.

5. Ask your server to take the bread basket back to the kitchen. Many restaurants serve rolls, breadsticks, or a small loaf of bread at the beginning of a meal, however, by skipping out on the bread you are saving yourself a load of calories and you also have more room for the delicious meal that you went there for in the first place! If you are with a larger group of people, and you don’t feel like you can just send the entire platter back, pop in some gum to give yourself something to do. This is the perfect time to practice your willpower skills!

6. Skip out on dessert. I am definitely the type of person who NEEDS something sweet at the end of a meal. It’s the natural order of things, right? However, the desserts served at restaurants are generally above or right around the 1000 calorie mark! If you need something sweet, either stock your purse (or pockets, for you guys out there) with fruity gum, or go home and create your own lower calorie version of the dessert you are craving. With a little research and planning you can make some pretty amazing desserts, while saving yourself a lot of calories (and guilt!)

Just for fun…sort of as a seventh tip…I want everyone to go to any restaurant chain’s website and look at their nutrition information listing. Check out the calories in some of the foods you usually eat. Surprised at the high calorie count? Just keep that in mind the next time you eat out! Remember that even if something looks “healthy”, it could be causing you to hold on to the unnecessary pounds that you are looking to get rid of!



Stay Healthy,

Emily

Serving sizes...they may not be what you would think!

I think that the United States as a whole has a serious misconception about serving sizes. I found these helpful images from Reader's Digest, and I just HAD to share them with you guys!  Hopefully the next time you eat any of these, you will remember to check serving sizes and remember that you don't need to eat everything put in front of you.  Leftovers are okay! Whether you are eating at a restaurant, a friend's house, or in the kitchen of your apartment don't feel obligated to eat everything that is served to you....usually you are getting more than you need!  Listen to your body, and stop when you are full!

Stay Healthy,

Emily

Left and Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

A 3-ounce (85 gram) serving of fish is the size of a checkbook.

Left and Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

An ounce (30 gram) of cubed cheese is the size of four dice.

 Left: © Eising/Photodisc/Thinkstock; Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

An ounce (30 gram) of sliced cheese is the diameter of a CD.

Left: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock; Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

A half cup of pasta or rice is the size of a HALF of a baseball. I seriously doubt whether anyone really eats only a half cup of pasta! This proves the importance of understanding serving sizes.

Left: © Stockbyte/Thinkstock; Right: © Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Thinkstock

A cup of cold cereal is the size of a baseball.

Left: © Jupiterimages/Comstock/Thinkstock; Right: © Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Thinkstock

A medium baked potato is the size of a bar of soap.

Left and Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Two tablespoons of peanut butter is the size of a ping-pong ball. 

Left: © BananaStock/Thinkstock; Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Two tablespoons of salad dressing is the size of a shot glass.

Left: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock; Right: © Martin Poole/Digital Vision/Thinkstock

A 6-ounce (180 milliliter) serving of juice is the size of a small yogurt container.

Left and Right: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

A medium piece of fruit, such as an apple, is the size of a tennis ball.

Left: © iStockphoto/Thinkstock; Right: © Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Thinkstock

A 3-ounce (85 gram) serving of cooked meat is the size of a deck of cards.  Again, many people either forget or don't know that a serving of meat is ONLY the size of a deck of cards!




http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/what-does-a-serving-size-look-like/article175273-10.html#slide

Thin = Healthy?

Keira Knightley 2006

Alright, so my topic today is something that I think should be discussed right off the bat.  It is a problem that affects so many young, beautiful women in our society...eating disorders and the belief that being thin is the only way to be healthy. In the United States alone, as many as 10 million females are fighting eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia (Collins).  I believe this is important for me to discuss, because I don't ever want the people who read my blog or meet me in person to think that I am in any way supporting or encouraging eating disorders.  My number one goal is to build a healthier country by reintroducing people to exercise and healthy eating habits.   People, so many times, get this crazy, messed up idea in their heads that being thin is the equivalent to being healthy.  God didn't create everyone in this world to be a size 0. It is OKAY to be a 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14! As long as you are leading an active lifestyle and eating foods that fuel your body, rather than slow it down, then don't you dare worry about the number on a tag.  Sizes mean nothing! They are only a meaningless number!!

The media in the United States puts such an intense pressure on young women to have this "perfect body".  Frankly, it's sickening.  Today, let's make it our goal to stop putting this pressure on people.  No matter what area of life it is, too much pressure to be perfect, look perfect, act perfect, or perform perfectly will only result in unhealthy measures to attain said perfection.  No one is perfect.  Should I repeat that?  NO ONE IS PERFECT!  Rather than chasing perfection, let's choose to live life to the fullest with our God-given abilities, strengths, and bodies.


If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, please get help!  Anorexia and bulimia are serious, life threatening conditions that need to be addressed immediately. The National Eating Disorder website is a great place to start...http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

Stay Healthy!

Emily

Collins, M.E. (1991). Body figure perceptions and preferences among pre-adolescent children. International


Journal of Eating Disorders, 199-208.

Any health nuts out there?

Hello All!

My name is Emily Paige and I am a complete and total health nut! I am obsessed with finding new and exciting health foods, exercises, and tips, and I am beyond thrilled to share that passion with you all!  I was recently crowned Miss Frazee (MAO) and I am looking forward to working more with my personal platform, Fit For Life: Making Healthy a Habit, as well as the Miss America Organization's national platform, Children's Miracle Network.  I decided to start this blog because of my aspirations to one day be a journalist as well as my desire to share every tip and insight that I come across with you all!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I hope that I am an encouragement to those of you who want to incorporate some healthier habits into your day!

LOTS more to come!

Emily Paige