Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Okay, so I know that the show ended a few weeks ago, but I just caught up. What did everyone think?

I thought it was remarkable what he was trying to accomplish, I had heard a bit about what he did in England and if anyone needs help it's America. It was shocking to see the carbs and sugar that were being fed to children who are expected to sit in class all day and learn. This is what we're fueling our future on. My jaw was on the floor when he got in trouble for not having enough starch or the time when he didn't have enough vegetables, yet the french fry line got a pass.

I understand that it's good television, but I couldn't believe there were so many neighsayers! But then I thought about it and a lot of the things that happened on the show parallel adopting a healthy lifestyle overall.

1. There are people who don't like or cannot accept the change
2. After adoption has been complete, people fall off the wagon and need to be nudged back into the right direction

I was so happy to see that so many people were receptive to the changes and that the neighsayers eventually saw the light. It was hard for me to relate to Jamie's main adversaries since he was trying to help besides the fact that it makes for great television.

What did I come up with? Other than the fact that he is British and not as widely popular in the States as he is in the UK, it can be frustrating when someone comes in and points out your flaws and claims to have the solution to something you struggle with daily. The British part may sound funny, but I truly think that if Rachael Ray came into a small town in America to help out that she would have a different reception. Now, her and Jamie's backgrounds and approaches may have also been quite different.

One of the most shocking moments, to me, was the chicken demonstration. I don't think I'll ever see a chicken patty or nugget the same way again. And how crazy was it that the kids wanted to still eat them? I was pretty old (2nd Grade) when I realized where meat came from and was thoroughly disgusted. Yes I know, I was naive. I think I knew chicken came from chickens, but beef from cows blew my mind. That was my first (and probably longest) attempt to go vegetarian.

I think that overall this has opened the eyes of a lot of parents, in conjunction with the mass popularity of a lot of different documentaries out there. I definitely feel encouraged that the First Lady is taking an active hand in childhood obesity and nutrition, I feel like it's a great first step forward.

Who Made You Fat?

So my friends at ACAM run a wellness blog called Community Table with a lot of great stuff. Earlier this week they posted an article from London Free Press that got me thinking. It centers around why we are fat, who or what is at the root?

Steve Siebold, author of Diet Fat or Get Tough, "Getting fat is 100% your fault. It's not partly your fault; it's completely your fault."Siebold is well aware of the tolls obesity takes as a former "fat-tub-of-lard with my belly hanging over my belt." The article, of course counters that there are medical reasons for obesity.

As you can imagine this mentality has gotten a lot of flack for its hard hitting blunt mentality.What do I think about it? I have to be a chick and make a Sex and the City reference to the infamous "He's Just Not That Into You" episode. I want to talk about how my brain is hardwired and how it was too late by the time I had a real choice, but alas the option to put the fork down has been staring me in the face ever since I realized there was a choice.

I had it all written out - how habits are formed from the crib and so forth - but if that is truly the case, why was it that during UKC I experienced a significant reduction in cravings? Well, my body was detoxing from all of the toxins first of all, but what I was left with was what I think normal people experience. Things sounded yummy, but I didn't have the hard hitting cravings I was once a slave to; which, came back after I started reintegrating certain not-so-good foods into my life, by the way.

Lets take a look at some of the 'Die Fat or Get Fit' fundamentals

* "Fat people eat for pleasure; fit people eat for health" While this assumes non-fat people are fit, how many times have we heard, "I used to live to eat but now I live to eat" on The Biggest Loser?

* "Fat people believe there's a secret to getting fit; fit people know there is no secret" Where is the magic diet pill people have died trying to find?

* "Fat people are obsessed with food; fit people are obsessed with success." I actually see the other side, fat people are obsessed with success so much so they get in their own ways trying to find perfection.

* "Fat people believe 99% compliance is good; fit people believe 99% compliance is terrible" Well, that's a bit extreme for me, that fit person sounds a bit crazy in my opinion

* "Fat people negotiate the price of success; fit people just pay the price" Okay, I see that. Trying to find the easy way out or talking yourself out of that 1% compliance. But once again, doesn't everyone do that?

So what do you guys think? Fact or Bull? As Mr. Siebold says, "This epidemic will continue to escalate until people wake up and realize they are the problem as well as the solution."

Yoga For Dummies

So everyone that knows me is well aware that I'm lacking in the balance/coordination department. Kettlebells have helped with that a lot and my flexibility has increased as well.

Lately my hips have been tight, I'm not as good with stretching as I should be, so why not try yoga as a one stop shop exercise?

I have to admit that I have a ton of fitness DVDs that have gone unused for years. Years ago I bought a lot of Yoga DVDs when I worked at Best Buy. I did a Kathy Smith one and was so lost that I stopped. Well last night I popped in Yoga For Dummies DVD and liked it!

It really is the basics, but it gave a good overview of where each part of your body should be and what it should be doing at various stages of the moves which I found helpful. I was actually mad at myself that I've had the program for a long time and never used it.

I'd try to get it on Netflix or the library since it was really basic, but the instructor was helpful and the "dummy" tips were useful too.

Who Made You Overweight?

So my friends at ACAM run a wellness blog called Community Table with a lot of great stuff. Today they posted an article from London Free Press that got me thinking. It centers around why we are fat, who or what is at the root?

Steve Siebold, author of Diet Fat or Get Tough, "Getting fat is 100% your fault. It's not partly your fault; it's completely your fault."Siebold is well aware of the tolls obesity takes as a former "fat-tub-of-lard with my belly hanging over my belt." The article, of course counters that there are medical reasons for obesity.

As you can imagine this mentality has gotten a lot of flack for its hard hitting blunt mentality.What do I think about it? Sort of a "he's just not that into you" moment. While he makes many good points about personal responsibility and us being the masters of our own destinies, you have to admit that some habits start pretty much from the crib. Sure when you're older you can decide to eat a salad or pizza, but the question is whether or not the brain is already hard wired.

But alas, am I BSing myself? Is this indignation I'm feeling caused by my own doubt? If food is hardwired into the brain, why did my cravings significantly drop when I was doing Ultimate Kettlebell Camp? Well one, the toxins started to exit my body without replenishment and what was left was head hunger. Things sounded yummy, but I didn't have the hard hitting cravings I was once a slave to; which, came back after I started reintegrating certain not-so-good foods into my life, by the way.

Lets take a look at some of the 'Die Fat or Get Fit' fundamentals

* "Fat people eat for pleasure; fit people eat for health" While this assumes non-fat people are fit, how many times have we heard, "I used to live to eat but now I live to eat" on The Biggest Loser?

* "Fat people believe there's a secret to getting fit; fit people know there is no secret" Where is the magic diet pill people have died trying to find?

* "Fat people are obsessed with food; fit people are obsessed with success." I actually see the other side, fat people are obsessed with success so much so they get in their own ways trying to find perfection.

* "Fat people believe 99% compliance is good; fit people believe 99% compliance is terrible" Well, that's a bit extreme for me, that fit person sounds a bit crazy in my opinion

* "Fat people negotiate the price of success; fit people just pay the price" Okay, I see that. Trying to find the easy way out or talking yourself out of that 1% compliance. But once again, doesn't everyone do that?

So what do you guys think? Fact or Bull? As Mr. Siebold says, "This epidemic will continue to escalate until people wake up and realize they are the problem as well as the solution."

The Purpose

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my blog. Please see my 'Finding My Healthy Self' entry for a full background on me. All the posts you see before this one are from a different blog I was working on.

Here's the deal: I've been fat all of my life. Well, first stocky, then heavy, then fat, then morbidly obese. Gosh that stings. I've finally committed myself to get healthy, I'm sick of being the person I am now, what people see is only a shadow of who I feel like I truly am.

I am on the top of my game when I'm writing down my feelings and what is going on which brings us here. I'm not here to get notoriety or recognition, this is just millionth + one wellness oriented blog. I'm not the best writer, I don't always have the most interesting stories, I don't know a lot of technical stuff about writing, but here I am!

- Megan