You guys are SMART cookies! I really, really appreciate your feedback on carbohydrate and how dangerous low-carb diets can be. If you don’t believe me, Melinda (RD), Estela (RD), Joanne (med student), Nour (RD) and Kristen (RD) all agree. These are the people consumers should be consulting before starting such a regimen, not some crazy magazine or message board. There’s more to health than weight loss, and drastic, unsafe measures to shed a few pounds are not a means to an end. There is nothing 1) safe, or 2) maintainable about 20-60 grams of carbohydrate a day. The American Diabetes Association recommends an absolutely MINIMUM of 130 grams a day for diabetics! You can only imagine what someone with properly functioning insulin and an active lifestyle requires.
I’ve done Atkins, pre-nutrition education. I lost about 60 pounds and “felt great” (dang, that ketosis!). The second my lips touched a sandwich, weight would creep back on and that lifestyle of ketosis was no longer serving me well. My kidneys thanked me for decreasing my protein post-Atkins, too. Those suckers have to work major over-time to process all of that protein!
If you follow an ultra low-carb diet, the above is not to make you feel bad. It’s to make you aware, because I do care! I get emails a lot from people on fad diets and dangerous diet pills. This is information the general public is not educated on. And as someone in prevention, I want to get information out there to help others live the healthiest, happiest, and longest life they deserve.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Soooo my 10-miler was actually really great! The last 10 minutes were tough, but I learned not to doubt myself so much! I had reason to be a bit nervous as I haven’t been able to get in my short training runs due to crazy work days and hockey games lately. While these are excuses and not reasons (there is a difference!), I have learned through distane racing in the past, the long runs are the ones you need not skip!!!
I fueled with this:
1 1/2 mini POM Wonderfuls mixed with water (in my favorite hockey water bottle!) and a liter of water
I finished 10 miles in 1:53:09 (11:19/mile) which is a bit faster than my 9-miler 2 weeks ago which I ran at a 11:23 pace in 1:42:30! I did have SERIOUS calf cramps in both legs following my run, however. I’ve never had that issue before and I think it might be a side effect of my new medication 🙁
So, the 5K tonight maybe be more of an event than a race. I haven’t registered yet because I wanted to see how my legs felt today, and they are barkin’! We’ll see what they’re doing by this evening 🙂 I have a hockey game tomorrow, too…so I may be walking tonight, or cheering on Mr. Prevention who is hoping to set a PR! We’ll see!
Off to the Farmer’s Market…a new one this week in my town! 😀
Question: As a health-savvy person (which you are if you’re reading!), do you try and educate others on what you know about nutrition and how to achieve safe weight loss? Do others receive this well, or are they a bit cold to the advice?
and on a lighter note…
What’s for breakfast? I’m starving!!!
Bring on the sun,
I always find your posts to be so informative. Way to go on the 10 miler! I hope your legs feel better.
As far as health advice to others, I have very basic information to give, but when I hear of friends going on crazy diets I offer what advice I can. Most of the time I get an eyeroll. A lot of my friends/co workers are more concerned with being skinny rather than being healthy.
I’m still undecided about breakfast. I was thinking abotu some oatmeal though. 🙂
I’m glad your run went well!
Uhm, well, I’m a kid so I’m surrounded by people who like eating junk food. If I said, “You know, that’s really unhealthy,” they’d be like, “Yeah, so? I’ll burn it off.” I don’t think kids my age understand that unhealthy doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll make you fat. :S My mom is really overweight though even though she’s already lost a bunch of weight but any time I try to give her health tips I’ve picked up she says I’m picking on her. Like you said, it’s not to make her feel bad, it’s because I care. =\
I had a bowl of oats with peanut butter and a mango! 😀
I try to educate people sometimes about my knowledge of nutrition. Recovering from an ED you get to spend an enormous amount of time discussing nutrition with doctors and dietitians. Lucky for me i actually LOVE discussing nutrition. I find people dont like to listen to what I have to say about nutrition. For instance, my mom and dad are both over weight and my mom is pre diabetic. It worries me and I wish they would try to eat a more balanced diet. My mom mentioned the atkins diet all the time and i encourage her but also try to let her know that our bodies NEED carbs & she should just eat more balanced. Eh, she doesnt listen. My boyfriend also eats pretty junky food a lot of the time (mac and cheese everyday) and when ever I talk about nutrition I think he just shrugs it off because of my history. On top of this I dont really like to discuss weight loss with people unless they really need to lose weight for health reasons. O.k sorry about the ramble!
<3 Dana
http://happinessiswithin.wordpress.com/
Long time reader/creeper, first time commenter, here!
Thank you so much for this post – I get friends and even family who are desperate to lose weight come to me (because I suffered from an eating disorder and now am into healthy living) for “advice”, trying to justify fad diets. Obviously, I’m no expert but have some knowledge – esspecially about flaky fad-diets and pills and that they DONT WORK! Can’t wait to bring up the stats you posted next time the topic comes up!
Congrats on your run!
izzyy
.:: izzyy.wordpress.com ::.
Thanks for what you do for people health, Nicole 🙂 I always look forward to your posts because of how informative they are. I definitely agree with you on the futility of the extreme low carb – if someone with renal failure is advised to cut waaaay back on protein or they could DIE, how is eating extreme amounts of protein good for anyone??
I used to try to educate people (in a gentle manner, of course!) about nutrition and health, but the more I was met with resistance (some defensive and even hostile), the less I did it. I hope I will be better at it in the future and try try again!
Congrats on the great run! 🙂
Great to hear about your 10 miler. I hope that cramping is under control. Even though I watch my carbs, I still eat them of course. I believe in balance, NOT deprivation. Can we take some power walks together in SF this October??? xo
Great job on the 10 miles! 🙂 You are one active lady! 🙂 I’m still sick and wish I could go out for a run… 🙁
I usually only talk about a healthy lifestyle if others bring it up first. I did have a friend who went on a crazy low carb diet a few years ago, and I did talk to her about it. I’d known her for 20 years at the time, and I felt I could talk about it. However, she was defensive, and I don’t think she appreciate my input at the time… Later, she realized that what she was doing was dangerous…
Have a great weekend! 🙂
Good job on that run!!!
I rarely try to “educate” people– if we’re having a discussion about something that I feel like I know something about, I might throw in a fact or two, but more often than not, I feel a little strange doing that– I hate to sound like a know-it-all.
Of course, I don’t have a degree– if I were an RD, I think I’d view the situation differently, because I’d have the degree to back my opinions up!
Yay on the 10-miler! 🙂 My calves have been killing me the last month. I think it is time for me to do some yoga again.
I do not try to talk to people about health, since most ridicule me!
10 miles way to go!
I have mixed results talking to people about health some are open to it, but most find my desires not to eat processed foods, artificial sugars and the like “unrealistic”, “stupid”, “silly”, “expensive” or “unnecessary”. Oh well their loss.
Oh forgot I replied to your comment with the fiber, yes the mix has 5 grams and all the ingredients of the vitamuffin mix.
Sometimes I have to stop myself because when out in public and I hear things I have to realize some people do not want help when they never asked for it. It can be rude to butt into someones conversation, but at the same time I hate to hear people say things that are inaccurate and I love to educate. I try to keep my advice to where it is wanted because people can get defensive.
Great job on the run! 😀 I can’t tell you how many people I run into that have no idea how to manage their diabetes – they think it takes too much time – but I try to stress that while you feel fine now with high blood sugar – its over time that gets you – once you start losing eye sight, etc., the damage is already done!
Hope you had fun at the farmers market!
Congratulations on the run! Its a great feeling to finish a long distanc.e But its an even great feeling to finish it feeling good!
WAY TO GO on the ten miles!! I barely made it through 2.5 this morning!!
I only educate people on proper nutrition and exercise if they seem open to listening to it and genuinely interested. Otherwise, I just try and live by example and answer any questions people might have for me.
Congrats on 10 miles! Such a great accomplishment.
I give advice on my blog for anyone who cares to read. As for my friends and people that come into my life, I advise those who are eager to learn and who don’t easily get offended or don’t mind a good debate. It’s fun to hear all the various perspectives. I do however always advocate yoga to people!
Nice run!
I only offer nutritional advice when asked. I’ve learned from past attempts not everyone is interested even if they really need to know.
You know what my breakfast is but here you go anyways as it’s a bit different this week for a change of pace:
1c all bran bran flakes, 1c strawberries, 1/2c yogurt, 2c breen beans and 1 scoop protein powder
Congrats on your ten miler.
If someone asks my opinion about how to lose weight, I tell them what worked for me. I also let them know that I didn’t make any changes that I could not live with over the long haul.
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend…
Damn honey 10 miles?! when you set your mind to something, YOU GO FOR IT! you should feel so proud of yourself
There is actually a lot of good research on ketogenic diets. One good book is The Ketogenic Diet by Lyle McDonald.
Author
Sorry, Tony…I’m a just not a supporter of ketosis…it goes against everything I believe in and know science tells us. Thanks, though!
Raisin toast with honey – one of my regulars :). Awesome on your run!!
Congrats on your great run. Keep up the great work. Have a blessed Sunday!
Cheers!
AWESOME run, Nicole! Wahoo!! Such an accomplishment – I miss long run days. 🙂
Hmmm….that is a great question. Honestly, I find myself not talking to others about health/fitness unless they bring it up first. I don’t want to come off as “holier than though,” and I’m always afraid of saying the wrong thing or hurting people’s feelings (like, I try not to eat a TON of meat, but don’t want to offend those that do….ya know?).