My Love Affair With Cheerios

I'm not going to lie, I like to snack on Cheerios.  I feel a bit like a toddler when I do it because I'm munching on them from a little snack container, just like a two-year-old would.  The only difference is that I'm sitting in my office at a posh downtown Denver law firm.  Yep, it seems a bit out of place!

But I've found that Cheerios are one of the most universal foods I know.  They are enjoyed by people of all ages, have great health benefits, and are more than just a breakfast food.  It doesn't hurt that they've greatly expanded their product line in the last year or so while keeping the stats healthy.

I'll eat regular Cheerios with milk and fruit for breakfast or a snack when I'm at home.  I like to munch on the fun flavors during the day for a snack, eating them dry like they are chips or something much more decadent.  I love the Cinnamon Burst, Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Honey Nut (good ole' stand by) flavors.  I still need to try the Dulce de Leche, Apple Cinnamon and Banana Nut flavors. 

The best part – the flavored types are based on multigrain cheerios but with a different glaze and some extra flavors.  Unlike other flavored cereals they still have great nutritional stats for a serving (1 cup or ¾ cup depending on which kind you're eating) because they are whole grain with minimal sweeteners. 

Maybe I'll get wild someday and mix up the peanut butter and chocolate!  I think they'd be fun substituting in Rice Krispies treats too.  If you're a sweet and salty type of snacker they'd be perfect paired with some pretzels.

Next time you need a crunchy, sweet snack give some Cheerios a try and connect with your inner toddler like I do!

The Reluctant Runner

I wouldn’t call myself athletic.  I’m a bit of a klutz and a weenie which is a combination that doesn’t usually equal athletic prowess.  I’m not a thrill seeker but more of a control freak.  The idea of doing anything fast, epic, “balls to the wall” is not something I’m attracted to.  Give me something methodical, slow and repetitive and we might have a winner.

I’m also a total pear shaped person – thinner on the top and thicker on the bottom.  This means that my body was built to use my muscular legs for things like walking (which I naturally do pretty fast, ask my family – I leave them in the dust when we’re walking around anywhere), biking and as I’ve recently learned, snowshoeing.  I’m great at climbing and using all those thigh muscles for what they were meant to do. 

Ironically, though I’m a natural walker, I’ve always hated running.  This hasn’t been helped by shin splints and trying to keep up with people who are more proficient then I am.  I like the idea of running – covering more ground than walking in the same time and giving your body more of a cardio and muscular workout.  I’ve just always been bad at the execution.  I think I’ve just gone out too fast or too hard without a plan on how to correctly acclimate myself to something new.

Recently, I’ve been working on being more active and have found some things that I enjoy doing (thankfully) but usually I’m only exercising on the weekends.  I know that to really see the benefits of activity and to embrace a lifestyle where exercise is important, I need to commit to workouts throughout the week.

So I’m so happy now that I’ve found a great running program, Couch to 5K.  There are several training programs out there with the similar aim of helping couch potatoes or weekend warriors like me get in to running.  It’s a 10 week program that gets your body into running shape with run/walk cycles and then increases your running until you can complete a full 5K.  I must say, it’s one of the best apps I’ve spent money on (and I’m stingy so there aren’t many apps I actually spend money on).  

I’ve made it through week one and must say it’s easier than I thought it would be and I actually enjoy the half hour I spend run/walking.  Things at work are getting really busy and a bit stressful and it’s been great to have some time to myself after work to let out some of the stress from the day.  I still wouldn’t call myself a runner (yet) but I can see myself becoming one by the end of the program.  

About This Blog

It's been several years since I appeared in the blogosphere (other than stalking my friends' blogs) and wrote a post.  So what has brought me out of the shadows and back to a screen in front of you?  I've been through a transition over the last year to regain my health and during this time I've learned a lot about myself and the world of diet, fitness and health that used to be so scary for me. 

My Purpose

I'm not going to force anyone in to making similar changes in their lives but I want to share my story and the journey I'm on.  My first goal is to help keep me accountable to maintaining what I'm doing – create momentum to stay on this journey for myself.  My second goal is to give perspective, ideas and encouragement to anyone needing to make small changes for them self.

My Story

Last March (2011) my work clothes were too tight.  I knew I didn't want to buy bigger clothes, I hated how I looked in pictures (too many unflattering shots from the holidays had scared me out of having my picture taken for several months) and I was finally at a point where I wanted a change.  I've lost weight before by changing my diet and I knew that I had to be ready to commit fully before deciding it was time for a change – too many depressing mornings of ill fitting clothes had put me over the edge.  It was time to lose weight.

I started Weight Watchers thanks to a good recommendation from my massage therapist (informing me that they'd revamped the program to fit real life much better).  Previously, I'd had a very negative view of WW, mostly because I'd been around people on the program who couldn't stop talking about it and made me feel like a dork for not being on it.  When I started the program I decided that I wouldn't tell more than a handful of people I was even on the program and I wouldn't become a walking WW commercial to those around me.  Hopefully the success would speak for itself.

I lost 25 pounds (17.5% of my starting weight) over the course of a year solely by following Weight Watchers and changing my diet.  My BMI went from 26.5 (Overweight) to 21.9 (Healthy).  I didn't increase my exercise or add in any activities – I just ate differently.  My diet was full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins with limited alcohol.  Fast food nearly dropped off my radar and if I wanted to splurge I had to make a tradeoff somewhere else in my foods for the day.  I learned: what a real serving size is; to eat treats in moderation; that dieting is about tradeoffs and that there is a difference between "bad," "better," and "good" choices.

As the weight came off I felt better, looked better and started to see myself differently.  The last time I lost significant weight was when I was 19 and it was all about getting thin.  This time, I was 32 and the emphasis became about being healthy and taking care of myself.  Funny enough, after losing the weight through diet I felt more confident about my physical self and this dedicated couch potato decided I wanted to try exercise.  As a wonderful side-effect of weight loss I've added bicycling, walking the dogs, golf, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and now am about to add running to my life. 

Being more aware of my overall health (weight, exercise, lifestyle) has also made me more aware of what science is saving about health, activity and the obesity epidemic.  I've read studies that help give me more motivation to stay fit because of the consequences of obesity on so many areas of life.

Perspective

I came in to this place as an "outsider" who rarely cared about what I ate, hated to do activity, was turned off by health and fitness nuts and thought I was healthy enough to not worry about making any changes.  Everything I've done in the last year has been slow, with small victories, a lot of trial and error to see what would work for me and from the perspective that I'm not a dieter or an athlete but that I'm ready to put health as a priority.  Just a few years ago I would have laughed out load if you told me I'd be on a journey towards health and wellness today.  

There is my story in a nutshell.  I'll be posting about my journey - what works and what doesn't work for me, what I'm learning and how I'm doing.  Please follow along!