Friday Facebook Ask Roni Round-Up and More!

By On March 15, 2013 · 15 Comments
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now

That’s me right this very second and I’m at warp speed. Sunday is Little Bean’s 2nd birthday, I have family coming in a few hours, my house is a disaster, I just started a pot of sauce (I have to feed everyone!) and I didn’t order the cake yet!

That being said, I felt the need to post really quick as it always helps me refocus. Plus, I’m on hold with Register.com to mange some domain names, and this is a great way to kill time in a proactive way instead of reading Reddit or something. ;)

Anyway, The first thing I wanted to share were a few Ask Roni questions I answered on Facebook this week. These were all submitted questions that I would normally answer in a video, more on that in a minute!

Deep breath for this one…

“I HAVE TRIED EVERY DIET AROUND; THE LAST ON WAS JENNY CRAIG AND I LOST 23 POUNDS BUT I DIDN’T LIKE THE PROCESSED FOODS. IT TAKES ME FOREVER TO LOSE WEIGHT AND RIGHT NOW I WANT LOSE 15+ LBS WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST!!!??????
-CAROL”

Hi Carol,

First, let’s calm down. I can literally feel your anxiousness. I’m imagining you tight-fisted and screaming this at the top of your lungs.

A diet plan that provides all the food for you is probably wonderful in the short term but a disaster in the long run, as you may be discovering. If you really want to lose 15 lbs, I’d suggest finding a calorie goal based on your height and current weight (I’ve been using the suggestions from MyFitnessPal.com and they are working for me) and starting a food journal. Try to incorporate as many fruits and veggies in your diet as possible. Focus on lean meats, beans, and other whole foods. Weigh yourself consistently to measure your progress but not too much where it makes you neurotic. Finally, start to move more. That doesn’t mean you need to run out and join a gym. Take walks, park far away, seek out stairwells instead of elevators, etc, etc, etc.

It make take some time, but isn’t that a small investment for reaching your goal?

If you really have tried every diet around, then you know what you should and should not be eating. It’s time to buckle down and stop reliving the diet cycle. Here are my thoughts on the concept of stateless dieting that may help…. http://ronisweigh.com/2008/10/3-steps-to-a-healthier-you-step-2-stateless-dieting.html

It is possible to break the cycle you’re in. I only know because I did it. Good luck Carol.

No and no….

“Did you use White Bean Extract during your weight loss? How about Green Coffee Bean? Another Dr. Oz suggestion for helping increase the metabolism. Congrats on your weight loss journey and success! I look forward to hearing from you. -Pat”

Honestly, I never heard of white bean extract or green coffee bean. For as much as I like Dr. Oz, I am NOT a fan of his supplement approach as cure-alls (at least that how he comes across to me now.)

The only thing I “used” for my weight loss was consciously eating less (food journaling in some form) and moving more. I don’t want to make it sound easy and I don’t want to come across as condescending, but I don’t think you are going to find the answer to weight loss in an extract.

I used to…

“Do you think WW is the best way to go when beginning your weight loss journey?
-Melyssa”

Hi Melyssa!

It’s no secret I was a HUGE Weight Watchers fangirl for some time. I really felt as if they equipped me with simple tools to be successful. However, in fear of sounding like an old fart, I’m not as a big fan of PointsPlus. I go into more in this post… http://ronisweigh.com/2010/12/more-on-the-new-weight-watchers-pointplus-plan-a-response.html

But in short, it’s not because I think their plan is bogus — I just think they lost the one big thing that set them apart FOR ME: ease of use.

When I attempted the new plan after baby I was overwhelmed and frustrated that PointsPlus wasn’t as intuitive as the old Flex plan. There’s seemed to be something missing, something “off” for me. I could no longer estimate easily, there was no easy slider to carry around, and recipe calculations seemed confusing.

Now I know many people who love the new direction and have had much success. It comes down to is you. No plan will work unless you are ready and willing to make lasting changes. Weight Watchers does have a great support system and lots of tools to help you be successful, but I don’t recommend it as passionately as I did before.

Simple is the way to go….

“I’m a student and I have gained a lot of weight since being in university. :( How could I go about starting the weight loss process? I really don’t know where to start when it comes to healthy eating.
-Sara”

Hi Sara!

Sometimes we get all caught up in a specific plan that involves so many variables that we set ourselves up to fail. Simple is the way to go. Let’s focus on only two changes I think can set you down the right path:

  1. Look at what you are eating now and make small adjustments to portion and quality of food. Try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. They should be your go-to snacks. Stick with lean proteins and bulk up meals with double vegetables and skip or reduce the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes, etc.) Don’t make anything off limits but focus on making better choices overall.
  2. Move more. It’s that simple! No need for crazy workouts or gym fees. Go for a walk, take the stairs, look for opportunities to have fun physically by getting involved in sports or social activities that get you out and about.

These are the exact two things I focused on when I started 8 years ago. There’s no need to wake up and think you are going to be perfect from this day forth. Every choice counts. Start small. Start simple. Start now.

EXTREMELY!

“Did you find it hard to start running? What advice do you have for a beginner and do you think any type of gear is essential? Thanks! :)
-Bridget”

Hi Bridget. I’m not going to lie, I felt it not only extremely difficult, but I never thought I’d be able to run a mile without stopping to walk. Then I thought I wouldn’t be able to do 3, then 6, then 10. A half and a full marathon were just plain insanity.

I didn’t start with a particular plan (although I think C25K is great!) I just put one leg in front of the other and pushed myself. Setting distance goals is the way to go. Don’t get down on yourself for stopping to walk, just keep making forward progression. If you do it regularly (3+ times a week) you will start to surprise yourself. Don’t try to run too fast. Find a pace you can maintain without getting too winded. It may feel like you’re trotting, but that’s OK. Again, it’s about the forward progression not the speed.

As for equipment, I really think the only thing you need is a good pair of running sneaks. I started just running in my old sneaks and after a few weeks decided it was time to invest in a good pair of shoes. As for clothing, wear what you are comfortable in. My favorite running outfit is an old pair of yoga capris and a tank top (when it’s warm.) You don’t need much else, which is one of the reasons I love it so much.

Good luck and keep moving!

******************

I plan on answering more questions on Facebook as well getting back to Ask Roni videos, which brings me to my next announcement about YouTube! I recorded a new video for my new channel layout. Click here to check it out! I’m going to really try and embrace videos again here and on GreenLiteBites. I miss them.

Other than that, I posted posted tons of stuff this week including…

OK, got to run. Busy, fun weekend ahead! I’ll “see” you Sunday!

 
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  • Patricia

    I love Ask Roni!!!

  • Robyn

    Hi Roni – I love your blog, been reading for a long time. And I miss Ask Roni!

    Just writing because I was pretty surprised by your answer to Sara (and to a lesser extent Melyssa). Of course it is true that eating more fruits and vegetables, lean protein, moving more, portion control etc is a sensible lifestyle/”diet.” Most people know this intellectually, but still need a “plan” or a system like WW to help them out to start. You wrote to Sara that eating sensibly and moving more were the exact two things that you focused on when you lost your weight eight years ago. But that isn’t exactly true – you were on a WW mission… journaling points, going to meetings every week and working that system. (Clearly, doing those things results in eating better and moving more.) If someone had told you 8 years ago to just eat more fruits and veges and move more, I don’t know that this advice would have stuck.

    I don’t mean to be overly negative – again, I really like your blog. And I have no WW agenda. I just think that your advice comes from a place of years and years of maintenance and an intuitive sense of how to stay healthy – which is great!! I don’t know how useful your advice is to these posters, though, or how useful it would have been for the “old Roni.”

    • RoniNoone

      I see your point and you’re right, I may not have found it useful, but I also think we (myself included) are sometimes stuck in searching for an answer outside of ourselves. Yes, finding that plan or strategy is important but how many of us waste time looking for that perfect plan, that answer, that miracle pill instead of simply making some small changes to their diet and actively approaching a healthy lifestyle? I wish “Old Roni” realized that, I really do.

    • Robyn

      Hi Roni, thanks for responding. In retrospect, the note I left was a bit too harsh. Maybe the point is that sensible advice that comes from you will hit home more, even if they’ve heard it before. You’ve been where the original posters are, and you are now on the other side. Have a great Sunday!

    • RoniNoone

      Not harsh at all! Actually you inspired me to dig a little deeper and I’m writing a post about it!

    • RoniNoone
  • Rylee

    To achieve the correct mindset, people need to accept that there are no good foods and bad foods. They need to be willing to eat a variety of food and learn to recognize their body’s internal cues for hunger and satiety. As Clifford says, “don’t let it [nutrition] rule and the ruin your life” (Clifford). By allowing oneself to engage in imperfect eating, people will be living along the Health at Every Size ® paradigm, a non-diet approach to health. Randomized control tests have been conducted with Health at Every Size ® lifestyles and “All studies indicate significant improvements in psychological and behavioral outcomes; improvements in self-esteem and eating behaviors were particularly noteworthy” (Bacon, 2011). Health and nutrition are not about perfect eating but rather a healthier mind that allows for acceptance of all food.
    References:
    Clifford, Dawn PhD, RD. “Becoming a Competent Eater”
    Bacon, Linda, and Lucy Aphramor. “Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift.” Nutrition Journal 10.1 (2011): 9. 24 Jan. 2011. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

    • RoniNoone

      I kind of agree but there really are good and bad foods. Denying that is a little dangerous. I’m not saying to feel guilty about a food choice but educate yourself on better options should be the way to go.

    • Cari

      I have to agree with Roni on this one. There are very much good foods and bad foods and I dont believe you can be healthy if you do not keep certain quantities of bad food out of your system. Many people do not have the self control to put down a box of donuts when their body says to, often the body doesn’t even know how to signal for fullness. I think a well balanced diet with fruits and vegetables and lean protein is the answer.

    • RoniNoone

      You really summed up my thoughts on it as well.

  • Rylee

    I found your article to be very interesting. However, I would like to
    ask the readers and the author if the have heard of Health at Every Size ®. The
    philosophy behind the name is a non-diet approach to health. The approach is
    based on allowing your body to reach its natural weight and for people to
    accept their body’s natural beauty—no matter the number on the scale. In our
    weight-obsessed world, people think that diets are their only hope and
    according to science, they may be doing more harm than good. Diets often result in quick weight loss, but the majority of the time, the weight comes back. The process of weight cycling has been proven to increase inflammation, which “is known to increase risk for many obesity-associated diseases” and can cause issues such as “hypertension, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia” (Bacon, 2011). Dieting also leads to an increase in psychological stress, which in turn increases risk for disease (Bacon, 2011). The basic idea is that weight loss is not the cure all for health.

    • RoniNoone

      Yup, heard of it. :)

    • Rylee

      Hi Roni, if you don’t mind me asking, what is your opinion of HAES?

    • Julie

      I have also heard of HAES and I think it is a revolutionary concept. People just need to start supporting it and realize they can be healthy at any size! I have been the typical weight-cycler and I am ready for it to be over!

  • SuzanneB

    Hi Roni,
    I just came across your blog and I love it! It is so inspirational and really has motivated me to lose weight. In response to Rylee’s comment, I have also heard about the HAES paradigm but I don’t quite agree with it. I think if losing weight makes you happy then by all means people should go for it. Look at Roni! She lost weight and look at how amazing her life is! I accept all foods and I believe I practice what you call imperfect eating, but I do it in a way I feel is healthiest and will allow for me to lose weight and reach a stronger, skinnier, healthier state. With that being said, way to go Roni!

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