The Denim Diaries by Kami Gray

I talk a bunch about food and how to tweak your diet to finally and forever get rid of those unwanted pounds, but in addition to dietary changes like watching portions, consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables, eating whole grains, limiting sweets, drinking plenty of water, and getting some exercise, maybe what you also need is an attitude adjustment! Nothing major — Just a few minor adjustments. I’ve been where some of you are and what I’m about to share with you has worked flawlessly for me with very little effort. And the best part? The weight has stayed off for the past 23 years.

ADJUSTMENT #1: Rethink food.

Channel the thoughts of a newborn baby for a second. They’re not thinking about what tastes good or even looks good, they’re thinking fuel and we give them premium fuel that will promote the best health possible. Take the same excellent care of yourself and only put the best possible fuel in your body. When I’m hungry, I don’t think about what sounds delicious or what would taste amazing; I think about what would quickly satiate me and optimally fuel my body, and I make sure I have plenty of things on hand that will do the job. I call this “purposeful eating” because everything I put into my body, I eat on purpose.

ADJUSTMENT #2: Start anywhere.

It all comes down to habits. Positive things we do repeatedly can add up to real measurable results. Rather than get frustrated and focus on those pounds of weight you want to lose, start somewhere, anywhere. When you have a big task ahead and don’t know where to begin, start with the most obvious thing or whatever pops into your mind first. Once you do, you’ll be under way. You choose what habit you’d like to begin with. Maybe, starting tomorrow, you’ll take a half-hour walk in the morning or maybe you’ll eat only a small bowl of berries for dessert after dinner. Think about how good you feel that you took better care of your body, and imagine what you might add to your efforts the following day or the day after that. One small habit at a time. Once you get rolling, you’ll feel an unstoppable amount of momentum, confidence, and accomplishment, and the rest will be history.

ADJUSTMENT #3: Think baby steps and not big picture.

It’s one step in the right direction at a time. Try not to obsess over those ten pounds or your final weight objective. If it takes a little while to reach your ideal, healthy weight, then that’s what it takes. You are not in a fat-burning race. There is no quick fix, and when you don’t take the time to lose weight with habits you can sustain over the long run, the weight will inevitably return. Celebrate the modest progress you achieve every day by eating well, drinking plenty of water, getting much-needed exercise, and changing your habits so today’s extra weight will one day be history and not a part of your future. When my sister lost considerable weight over a nine-month period, she didn’t think about how many pounds she was losing per week. In fact, she didn’t set any weight-loss goals at all. She changed her habits, one baby step at a time, and how she looked at food and saw it as a new, lifelong way of healthy living.

ADJUSTMENT #4: Participate in life.

Happy, fulfilled people are simply more successful. Back when I was overweight, I thought I was fat and ugly and not deserving of friends or social activities. I was going to live a full and rich life only after I reached my ideal, healthy body weight. I realize now how silly that was. So you have some weight to lose. If you are feeling anything remotely like I once did and you’re waiting to live your life until after you achieve your weight-loss goals, stop. This is your life. Get out there and share your triumphs and difficulties with anyone and everyone. People want to know you. Maybe there’s someone in your life who is just dying to have someone to commiserate with, walk with, eat with, have tea with, and get to know. Likely, there are many co-workers, friends, family members, and acquaintances who would love to share some good times with you. Have some fun, and join in on the action, no matter where you are in your weight-loss efforts. This increased happiness and fulfillment will, believe it or not, help you in your weight loss efforts.

ADJUSTMENT #5: Dress for success.

There is no need to hide in oversized clothing because you’ve got some weight to lose. Wear clothes that fit you. Oversized, elastic-wasted clothing actually adds weight and sends a loud and clear message not only to yourself, but to the world, that you’re in hiding. Get rid of those sweatpants and go buy yourself a pair of jeans that are just the right size for you. Don’t spend a lot of money because they won’t fit you for very long. If it were me, I’d splurge and buy a second pair in the size you realistically want to be, can be, and will be before you know it. Try that second pair on once a week and relish in that week-by-week, they are getting looser and looser. Believe wholeheartedly in your success and watch it unfold.

Who is up for an attitude adjustment?

My best friend has really long legs and she walks nearly twice as fast as me. We walk all over Portland…almost every day that’s not raining. We mostly walk for the sake of walking (as in getting exercise), but sometimes we walk to our favorite vintage and resale shops.

The Gilded Closet is our new fave for resale.  

Sari Gueron Design

I found the adorable dress to the right (by designer, Sara Gueron) the last time I shopped there. It’s so last year and I so don’t care! And it looks nothing like that on me! It’s much longer for one thing…talk about long legs! Walking with my best friend can create some big problems for me…Big as in big blisters. Last Friday, we walked six miles and I will let the picture below illustrate how that went for me…Ouch!

Walking is a low impact exercise and when combined with strength training (weights, balls, and bands) and stretching (yoga and pliates), is a great way to get in shape, stay in shape, and get from here to there, but maybe I need to be more careful with my choice of walking partners! Anyone else have any walking injuries they’d like to share or tips on how to get that nasty stain removed?

I recently discovered a blog by Mark Salinas called HEALTHY LIVING TODAY. He blogs about a variety of topics including nutrition, weight management, and exercise. One of his blog categories is called CHALLENGE. These remind me of warmups we used to do in P.E. Class in junior high and high school. They’re perfect for those days when you’re stuck at home or you only have 15-20 minutes to exercise and want to get the most out of it. His most recent post called, The Twenty Minute Challenge, involves running in place, jump squats, and wall sits. Check out his other posts called, Feel The Burn Again, Thaw Out Challenge, and Stair Challenge. I challenge you to take on Mark’s challenges and get a move on even when you don’t have tons of time!

It’s an icy, cold day in Portland, Oregon. Venturing out is not such a great idea. I tried yesterday and slipped three times before heading back home. Best to stay indoors right? Maybe not. I went to a small dinner party last night in my condo building and while we were playing Cranium, I downed about eight tollhouse cookies! And French vanilla ice cream! Totally uncharacteristic of me, but I must say, those cookies were goooooood!

No big deal…I’ll get a good workout in today and monitor my food intake more carefully over the next few days and all will be forgiven. Then I learned that my Jazzercise studio is closed today due to bad weather and may remain closed all week since the forecast is more cold weather. Darn! I can’t get out and walk either because of the icy streets.

I’m not totally helpless though. My building has tons of stairs and there are always pushups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks and dancing around the house to 80s tunes to get my heart rate up. I’ll burn those cookies off…maybe not all in one day, but they won’t get the best of me. If you slip up, make a plan, and then execute your plan. If you make it fun and involve Duran Duran, Madonna, and Bananarama, you’re bound to be successful.

According to my calendar, it’s December first today. Here we are facing another holiday season. Before things get out of hand, let’s make a better plan for the holidays this year. Let’s arrive at January first, 2009 feeling great because we didn’t overdo it on unhealthy, fattening foods and we stuck to our exercise routines.

If you’re one of those people who loves the tradition of making cookies and other sweet treats, consider trying out some other crafty creations like making your own wrapping paper, tree ornaments, or healthy food items like raspberry vinegar or rosemary olive oil. I find that having all those sweet treats around doesn’t do anybody in the household any good. A nibble here and there and before you know it, your jeans are a little tighter.  

For holiday parties, eat a little something before you go like a small handful of walnuts and a piece of light string cheese. This will help prevent you from noshing on party appetizers and helps prevent the absorption of alcohol.  Overdoing it on alcohol packs on the calories and can greatly diminish your ability to make good eating choices. For dinner, skip the starchy side and stick with protein and vegetables and watch out for rich sauces.

Make time for regular grocery shopping. As people get busier this time of year, takeout food, fast food, and eating on the go becomes way more common. Having healthy, easy-to-prepare snacks on hand will help to keep you on your normal eating routine.

Make time for exercise. Put it on your calendar just like you would any other commitment and stick to it. Even a thirty minute walk inside the mall everyday will keep your energy up, your attitude positive, decrease your stress, and keep the pounds from creeping on. If you don’t get regular exercise, don’t wait until January for those New Year’s resolutions to kick in…get going now!

Think how much better you will feel on January first – one month from today – if you ditched the sweets, kept to your healthy eating plan, got plenty of exercise, and not only maintained your weight through the holidays; maybe even got rid of some of that excess weight. How awesome would that be?

I started going to Jazzercise in the early eighties. Let’s get the obvious curiosity out of the way…YES! I wore a thong leotard!  And often with white stirrup tights…sorry no pictures that captured that fine moment, but let’s just say it’s a good thing I was only sixteen. Click here for this HIGHLY entertaining look at Jazzercise back then.

Since then, Jazzercise has changed a ton…more like evolved. Click here to see a preview of Jazzercise today on their latest commercial. I’ve seen these gals in person when they visited my hometown Jazzercise studio in Portland, Oregon and they are seriously buff!

I’ve been Jazzercising for some time now. Jazzercise is what helped me lose the baby weight after both my son and daughter were born.  There are times when I’ve dropped out temporarily to try something else like biking, walking, being a workaholic, or laying on my couch, but I always find my way back because it’s a killer exercise.  The folks who run Jazzercise and go to Jazzercise are ridiculously nice, friendly, and welcoming people too. Even though it’s a great workout, it’s also fun and not at all an intimidating atmosphere. It takes an hour out of your day and you might make a few new pals to have coffee or tea with afterwards.  Click here to find a class near you. Do it!

A post on Diet-blog.com got me thinking…

If you’re anything like me, traditional exercise routines like daily visits to the gym, running four miles five times a week, or swimming laps at the Y, do not work. I get bored easily. I make an effort to walk a lot, bike around town, take the stairs, park my car as far away as possible from my target destination, move quickly, dance around the house while I’m doing chores, and take a yoga class every so often. It probably adds up to roughly thirty minutes a day of getting my move on. I also stretch and do weight-bearing exercises while waiting for my coffee to heat up, the computer to boot up, the bathtub to fill up, and so on. The US Department of Health and Human Services just updated their exercise guidelines and my “just move more and incorporate what works for you into your exercise routine” seems to have the approval of the government. The new guidelines presented suggested “activity that could be easily incorporated into daily routines such as bike-riding or vigorous walking.”

That works for me…what works for you?

Who doesn’t want to be a kid again? At least sometimes? Like when you’re paying bills or getting your first mammogram or listening to your kids argue in the backseat of the family car?  My book publicist Kim has the perfect cure to beat the blues that come with adult responsibility…Go Skipping! 

Her website iskip.com outlines the many physical and mental benefits that come from getting your skip on. Did you that skipping is great exercise? According to Kim’s website, skipping burns twice as many calories as walking and is easier on your joints than running. Plus, since it’s a joy-based activity, it lifts your spirit. Kim says that when you least feel like skipping, that’s when you need it the most. Even ten steps will get your mood going in the opposite direction.

If you think you’d feel silly skipping, that’s the point! Being less serious and more silly is good for you. Grab a couple friends and try it out. Looks like Kim and her friends are having plenty of silly fun skipping all over San Francisco. If you get really into it, you might enjoy “Extreme Skipping.” Check out this video on Kim’s blog, iskip.blogspot.com.