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Six weeks later...

I've made it! I've completed Week # 6 of the Canadian Living 6-Week Slim Down.

So tell me, how did you do? How would you rate your 6-Week Slim Down experience?

A) I've achieved my goals - and I'm on top of the world!
B) I've made some gains- (well, losses) and I'm doing fine.
C) I'm on the verge - I've made one or two small achievements but I’m on my way – it just took a bit longer)
D) Oops, trying again. - TTiming wasn’t right for me but good plan.

Me? I think I'm a "B" - and I'm happy with that.

Can you feel the benefits of six weeks of healthier living? You bet!

I feel like I'm really beginning to make progress. I’m not there yet, but I’ve made some significant gains and I’m much more aware of the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of my past approach to fitness and nutrition.

My overall weight-loss: 4.8 lbs (though I really wanted to lose 10 lbs). But it’s nothing too sneeze at.

A few things I've learned:

• Eat smaller portions and more frequently during the day. (I spend a lot f time staring at the palm of my hand!)
• I’ve started preparing and planning meals in advance, bringing my lunch and snacks to work. That way, I'm less likely to skip meals throughout the day and then go on a full-out binge later on. (I have no doubt that the fast-food vendors at the food court across the street are missing me.)
• I’m making a point of not eating after 8 pm in the evening. I’m sleeping better and feel better overall. (My canine partner in crime Scooter McGee is not happy about missing his nightly snack.)

Most importantly I recognized a few other things: I prefer working out with friends, not ‘exercising’ as much as ‘having fun while doing motor walks and push-ups with music on and my dog watching.) Plus humour is a daily requirement up there with roughage and 2 litres of water each day. An equal dose of laughter plus a daily multi-vitamin how can I go wrong?

The six-week slim down is over, but my journey isn't I still have a ways to go and I’ll keep you posted on how I do. My new adage, “Slow and easy wins the race.”

In parting, I want to share with you an amazing Canadian-made "Magic Pill" in the form of the smartest health-fitness video I've seen in a long time. Enjoy!

What part of the 6-Week Slim Down was easiest or hardest for you?

My Four Best Fruits!

As I forge ahead in the Canadian Living 6-Week Slim Down, I'm discovering fruits (ie., goji berries) that I've seldom included in my diet - and rediscovering old favourites that haven't made an appearance in my kitchen in a long time.

Last week I enjoyed a mouthful of fresh blueberries and the taste brought me right back to late summer at the cottage when I was a teen. My mom would toss us kids a bunch of baskets, pile us into the car and off we'd go to pick our own. They're just as delicious all these years later. But why is it they rarely end up in my shopping cart - especially considering how good they are for you.

Fruits are essential to our health, our resident registered dietitian Cara Rosenbloom reminded me recently. They're bursting with all manner of vitamins, they fill you up and many fruits are incredible sources of antioxidants, which can beef up the immune system and help prevent disease.

Here are the four fruits I've been eating in the last month and why they're good for you:

Apple:
• This easy-to-pack fruit contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help lower the chance of developing diabetes and asthma. For maximum flavour, don't peel your apple.

Blueberry
• Blueberries are No. 1 in antioxidant activity compared to 60 other fresh fruits and vegetables. They may help lower the risk of developing Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
(Another advantage of buying blueberries: they freeze well.) Check out one of our Tested Til Perfect Blueberry Recipes.

Goji berry
• Goji berries are a nutrient powerhouse, containing six vitamins, 21 minerals and a host of antioxidants. Some health experts believe goji berries can help prevent diabetes.

Orange
• This citrus fruit is a good source of folate, an important vitamin for pregnant women (not that I'm too concerned about that at this stage of life) and it may lower triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels (the latter IS important to me!)

For the complete story on fruits and what they can do for your health, read Cara Rosenbloom's article The top 25 healthy fruits.

What fruits are you including in your 6-Week Slim Down?

Laugh those pounds away!

So, it's the final stretch of our 6-Week Slim Down, and I'm walking along at a fairly brisk pace with my pal Donna, my heart beating fresh cool wintry air into my lungs, when my walking companion suddenly launches into one of her famous monologues. (She should be on the stage.)

"You know Susan," says Donna between energetic puffs, "I know the secret to losing weight. In fact, I should appear on the Ellen show as her guest fitness expert. I've just figured it all out."

I look sideways, inhale, try to stop grinning too widely, brace myself and wait to hear what she has to say.

I share with you three interesting takes on losing weight (and I bet dollars to donuts you've never heard these ones before):

1. "Visualization: Don't hold back. The melba toast crackers are actually loaves of French bread, the kind that is chewy on the inside and crusty on the outside. The water flowing from your tap. No, not water. Champagne from France. Oh, you don't feel like champagne? Fine, pop, then."

2. "Duct tape: I'm always amazed at the things you can do with duct tape. Make a dress, repair footwear, tape your mouth shut. I like to leave a small hole in it for a straw so I can still drink my water. Er, champagne, that is."

3." Breathe in, breathe out. No, not yoga. I like to stand outside a bakery, any bakery really, and just breathe in the fumes from the outside air vent. Do not under any circumstance walk inside the store and make a purchase. That is against the rules."

Half-way into our 40-minute speed-walk I am doubled over with laughter after listening to what I'm certain will form the basis of an upcoming best-seller called "Diets by Donna." And then it hit home: Of course, that's the key to exercise for me - fun, a bit of humour, enjoying the moment.

So I've resolved from now on to ensure there's a dose of laughter into each and every workout.

Of course, I'm by no means the first person to suggest that tickling the funny-bone of weight-loss is a healthy matter. Wasn't it Mae West who said: " I never worry about diets.  The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond."

Be serious about your health, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun while you're losing weight!

Here are my 5 favourite diet jokes to give you a boost:

If you don't have a Donna in your life, try one of these on for size when you need a little levity during your workout:

1. "When we lose twenty pounds...we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have!  We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty." - Woody Allen

2. "Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake." - Author Unknown

3. "Avoid any diet that discourages the use of hot fudge." - Don Kardong

4. "I've been on a diet for two weeks and all I've lost is fourteen days." - Totie Fields

5. "I'm on a seafood diet.  I see food and I eat it." - Author Unknown

My own (serious) update: I'm down 1.3 lbs this week. A little weight-loss, a lot of laughter...it's working for me.

How's your Slim Down going?

10 easy ways to burn calories - by sticking around home!

Who knew my dog could become my life and fitness coach?

Each Thursday, my colleagues Donna, Erin, Lisa and Doug each take our turn on the weight scales. We empty our pockets, step out of our shoes, and off come boots, belts and any heavy sweaters.  I worry that one day one of us will get carried away with our disrobing and shock the publisher.

This week, I was very surprised, if not puzzled, when I took my turn on the scales. My efforts in the Canadian Living Slim Down were obviously paying off:  I was down 2.3 lbs. Hooray for me...but how?

I'm very proud of slim-down achievements so far!

If you've been following my 6-Week Slim Down Blog, you'll know that I've faced some challenges when it comes to sticking to my fitness routine.  Cold weather, ice-covered walkways and too much procrastination. Then someone asked me how much walking I've been doing.  Well, yes, I do what I call a 'fitness walk' up to four times each week. Surely that can't account for my recent weight-loss success.

But then I thought about some of the other activities that fill up my day - I just don't think of them as bona fide exercise but that's where the numbers add up.  In addition to my fitness walk, I realized I do tackle a surprising number of other energy-burning tasks throughout the day, and that includes walking my dog Scooter.

There was a time just after Christmas when Scooter seemed to be in doggy doldrums: he just didn't want to go outside in the snow. Then the cold spell passed - and Scooter got a seasonal second wind. Twice in the last week he was at the front door waiting to go outside walking before I reached for my coat.

And there are other calorie-burning activities in my life that I tend to forget about - and I bet you do too!

For instance, I make a point of parking my car at the farthest end of the lot when I take my friend Annie grocery-shopping on Saturdays. By habit, I skip the elevator at work and take the stairs when I have a meeting up on the 5th floor. (It's not much, but it means I get an easy cardio work-out.) And I rely on my own two feet when I need to dart out to the corner convenience store when we're out of milk. No hopping in the car for me.

Did you know: a 155 lb. person walking a dog (slowly) burns 211 calories and that shoveling snow by hand  burns 400 calories on a 140 lb. person? (These stats were reported by The Society for Vascular Surgery.)

Those numbers piqued my curiosity so I turned to Calorie Count web site to check out a lit of calories burned by home-based activities.

Here's a tally of the calories burned per hour by a 150 lb person:

1. Washing windows: 204 calories
2. Carrying groceries upstairs: 510 calories
3. Making a bed: 136 calories
4. Moving furniture: 476 calories
5. Carrying small children: 204 calories
6. Putting away groceries: 170 calories
7. Vacuuming: 238 calories
8. Washing dishes: 170 calories
9. Scrubbing floors: 258 calories
10. Sweeping the garage: 272 calories

So who knew that cleaning house and doing the dishes could help me get fit? On second thought, I guess I could just walk the dog a little more often. Trust me, my dirty dishes are nowhere as cute as my little dog Scooter!

Oh, and just a reminder: remember to download our 6-Week Slim Down Tracker. It's a great way of seeing clearly what calories you're taking in - and what you're burning.

Until next week, keep walking, running, doing squats...and ironing and carrying groceries...and walking your puppy.

Susan.

The Weight Game (or is it Weight Gain?)

(Courtesy: WikiCommons)

Whenever I'd come home from high school, bounce through the kitchen door and call out to my mom, "Mom, I've got good news,  and some bad news,"  she'd invariably respond:  "Give me the bad news first."

She was a wise woman.

So, marching to the beat of my beloved late mom, here's the bad news: I gained 1.5 lbs this week. Not the end of the world, my colleagues say, but I am supposed to be slimming down.

Okay, here's the good news - and also the confusing bit:  my pants are looser.  I honestly think I've lost an inch or more around the waist. Are the bathroom scales lying to me?

Three things I did right this week:

1. I did three motor-walks in the evening, one with my dog Scooter, and two on my own. The benefit: I slept like a lamb all week and woke up energized.
2. I enjoyed healthy breakfasts every day this week. The benefit: I wasn't ravenous by mid-morning which resulted in modest lunches and dinners.
3. Skim milk replaced whole milk in my fridge at home. The benefit: the jury is out on this one. My husband isn't keen on skim in his coffee, and a caffeine-deprived spouse....

Three things I messed up on this week:

1. I had late-night snacks. They weren't always excessive or over-the-top, but eating just before bed is never a good idea. Lesson learned: just don't eat after 8 pm.
2. I didn't exercise during the daytime itself, only at night. No lunch-hour walk. No running up the stairs in our office building. My butt was glued to the desk all day. Lesson learned: move it or you don't lose it, baby.
3. I helped myself to Food Director Annabelle Waugh's leftover slow-roasted pork belly. Granted, it was just the one over-indulgence but I ate it one night around 9:30 pm. Lesson learned: Avoid the Test Kitchen for the next six weeks.

Annabelle's slow-roasted pork belly

Three things I'm going to do next week:

1. I'm going to keep better track of my progress, or lack thereof. I'm going to download our FREE slim  tracker to stay on top of my ups and downs.
2. I'm going to give some serious thought to keeping a diary. A recent health study says that women who journal stand a better chance of losing weight.
3. I'm going to watch -- and then try to do -- Pam Mazucca's Best Workout - Part 2. Watch this video and you'll be inspired. It includes the squat, the bridge, one arm row, bird dog and tree pose. I know I'll benefit!

Wish me luck for the upcoming week - and good luck to you.  Post below and tell me how you're doing. After all, we're in this together!

Yours, Susie

Waging my war on weight loss!

Well, I hope all of you got through the New Year's all ready and eager to embrace 2012.  If you read my post a week ago, you'll know I was full of vim and vigour now that I've joined the Canadian Living 6-Week Slim-Down.

"Portion control? Got it. Protein? No problem. But what about my pizza?" Editor-in-chief embraces the 6-Week Slim Down

I even promised to share my stats this week, so here they are (PLEASE be kind to me!):

Weight: 152 lbs.

Now, for the oh-my-gosh measurements:

Arms: 11 1/2

Breasts: 35 1/2

Waist 39 (Holy Toledo, what have I been doing lately?)

Hips: 38

Thigh: 22 1/2

My initial reaction after my colleague Donna took my measurements this morning: “Oh my goodness, I’m built like a sausage!”

However, I promised I'd do the entire six weeks so I'm sticking to it. The first week got off with a bang, but I'm afraid it ended on a whimper - first from my dog Scooter and then from me.

Here goes: it was cold and stormy night... Well, maybe I exaggerate a little. But it was definitely not the sunny snow-white week I was hoping for. There I stood at the front door Wednesday night after work, in rain coat and galoshes, with leash in hand. Only Scooter was nowhere in sight. My husband found our furry little friend beneath the bed. He didn't want to go out for our nightly walk. "Too cold, mommy"  his canine eyes blinked at me.

What was I to do?  I poked my head out the door, got a lash of bitter cold air in my face, and stepped right back in. It was my turn to whimper. "I think it's a might cold out tonight," I said to my husband, Greg. "Perhaps we'll do a double walk tomorrow."

Thursday night came, and, well, I just wasn't in the mood. It was a long day at work (my colleagues will tell you I'm an early riser), a couple-end-of day phone discussions that went on too long, then groceries on the way home from work... You get the picture?  I just didn't have the chutzpah to get out for my brisk 60-minute walk. (Experts will tell you that a fast-paced walk not only burns cardio but it's a great aerobic exercise to get the heart pumping.) One of my concerned colleagues suggested I watch one of our own online videos for some low-impact workouts for beginners.

I did however, succeed in eating better last week. I turned to our own online stash of healthy Canadian Living recipes. High-fibre, low-fat yams have become my new best friend. And - though it was a struggle, I managed to avoid 'most' of the post-Christmas cake that found its way into our office lunch-room. I also made a point of including yogurt in my breakfast (you should consider it, too, the benefits of yogurt are amazing!).

But it's the motivation I need help on: I did get a few pointers from Dr. Joey Shulman whose online article "Healthy Eating Strategies for Sticky Situations." I swear she had ME in mind when she wrote that one. You folks, I'm sure, have all been through this before. What's your secret? Help me P-L-E-A-S-E!

What I'd like your help on:

1. How do you stay faithful to your exercise when you simply 'aren't in the mood'?

2. What do you to do keep fit when it's cold outside. (You know that classic nugget, "Baby it's cold outside..."?  I'm afraid I've been singing it for the last week and my family is ready to revolt.)

3. What's your suggestion for those days when you're just plain knackered? How do you still manage to get yourself to the gym or outdoors for exercise?

4. And last but not least, how do you encourage your cute little puppy dog that leaping up onto the bed does not constitute a work-out?

I simply must put an end to the dog days of January and get back to my exercise plan.

I'm waiting for your advice. AND THANK YOU!  (And Scooter thanks you!)

A close friend in her 40s has been telling me she’s suddenly having a big problem with nouns and names. “I keep forgetting,” she said the other day, “Someone’s name will be on the tip of my tongue and I can’t spit it out. Susie, it’s the same for, you know, things…stuff…like, what d’ya call it…yeah, the thing, you know the refrigerator – no I mean Blackberry. Yes, that’s it.”

Nouns and names? That’s nothing compared to the struggle I’m having – with numbers. They keep changing on me. What was a zero has mysteriously morphed into a 6 and without any warning that 6 became a 10. I’m talking dress sizes. My dress sizes. When did they change the numbering system? Was I left off that email? It’s like the New Math all over again. I’m completely baffled.

I know I wore that size 6 black cocktail dress at my sister-in-law’s birthday…oh…just last year. So why didn’t it fit a few weeks ago? Why did I feel like a shrink-wrapped sausage? And who stitched that double-digit 10 on the dress I wore to work today? What gives?

My husband, ever so vigilant and considerate of my health, gently suggested the other day, with a little nervous laugh, whether my issues was with numbers or nachos? I can’t imagine what he was referring to. (What’s a little late-night snack while watching the news. A girl’s gotta eat.)

Instead of a night course in math, I’m embracing another lesson plan: Canadian Living’s 6-week slim down. Now, 6, that’s a number I can handle, especially when it promises a solution to my problems.

My problems? Well, granted, I’ve put on a few extra pounds, and I just don’t have that oomph in the morning these days. And, quite frankly, it’s been getting me down a bit. And that’s what this Slim Down program is going to help me with: smaller waist, fewer worries, more energy. It’s important to feel good about yourself and, of course, that often starts with looking good – in your own eyes.

And here’s another number I’m loving: 5.

5 easy ways I’m going to start living healthier today!
1. Exercise – girls just want to have fun! No earnest drills for me. I’m choosing some cardio work-outs that are easy to follow and enjoyable.

2. Better screen time: Sure I’m going to watch my fave movies (Cher was amazing in “Moonstruck”) but I’m also going to pop a few video workouts into the DVD player from time to time. And I’m going to invite a girlfriend over to join me.

3. Nix the noodles and nachos – get more greens! I’m cutting back on carbs and starch and filling up my plate with more fruits and veggies. And this Warm Mixed Vegetable Salad will be the way to go:

4. Walk the talk: No one loves a kaffee klatch more than I do, but who says I can’t talk to my best girlfriends – and get a little walking in at the same time. Each Sunday my pal Donna and I are going to hit the walking paths near my house in west-end Toronto. Friendship, some laughs and a little gossip will make the exercise all the more enticing!

5. 100 and counting! Getting back to my problem with numbers, I’m going to tackle another one. I’m going to cut 100 calories in 10 different ways! You can too. Check out “How to trim 100 calories and effortlessly lose unwanted pounds.

I’ll be updating along the way so please check in with me – I can’t wait to hear about your experiences, as well. I look forward to talking to you!

The big reveal: In my next post, I'm going to post my after-holiday weight.

Have you signed up for the 6-Week Slim-Down yet?