WOW! Summer time is officially right around the corner! That means that we will be enjoying fatty foods more than we typically do because of backyard cookouts, picnics, bull roasts, crab feasts, weddings, christnings, graduation celebrations, etc. I always think of summer as an extended Christmas because of all the good foods such as plenty of macaroni salads, potato salads, strawberry shortcake, coconut cakes, ice cream, funnel cakes, etc.
Some Baltimore, Maryland summer favorites are crab cakes, snow balls, honey buns, crabs, and puddings such as bread and rice pudding, Hon. The problem with all these delicious foods is that if you take Bipolar maintenance medications, they will ususally have a side affect of weight gain! Combine those necessary pills with a typical backyard cookout and you've got weight trouble. Experts also predict that more families will spend more time at home this year having backyard cookouts than traveling due to the economy. Well, here's how we have to arm ourselves:
Remember, mood swings cause increases in food consumption. When we are depressed, we usually reach for comfort foods such as cake, cookies, ice cream, potato chips, chocolate, and anything else that is not nailed down. Now guess what, when we are experiencing mania or extended "happy" feelings, we do the exact same thing! Then we take our medications and they slip a few inches onto our figures as well ~ Oh dear! Keeping a food journal and a wellness plan (www.Ariafya.com) is a great way to fight unnecessary weight gain.
What in the world do you do to stay mentally well and be healthy, too? Here are some handy tips to remember that will help you get through the summer weight gain blahs smartly:
1) Discuss with your doctor taking alternate medications with the least weight gain side affect. ONLY your doctor can make that decision for you so do NOT stop taking medications to be able to slip into that bathing suit - buy another one, teehee;
2) Exercise daily! Exercise daily! Excercise Daily! You can do this painlessly by taking a long brisk walk in the early morning or late afternoon when the weather is coolest. You can also increase swimming, bike riding, jogging, hiking, line dancing and even s*x which improves cardiovascular muscles (hey, I just report it, ok):)-
3) Avoid fried foods such as fried chicken, fried crabs, french fries, etc.;
4) Cut back on the potato and macaroni salads, red meat, and desserts. Be creative with mayonaise substitutes with low-cal Sour Cream;
5) Substitute turkey for red meat and grill it to taste. Here's a healthy "Las Vegas Turkey Slider" recipe (let me know how you like it):
1 Pound Ground Turkey
1/2 Cup Worschestshire Sauce
1 Sweet Onion sliced and then cut in half
2 Large Eggs
A-1 Sauce
1 Dozen small dinner rolls split
1/2 Tsp Salt
Combine ground turkey, Worschestershire Sauce, Eggs, and Salt. Form fist-size balls and then split them in half. Flatten and grill about 4 mins. each side with onion strips. Add to buns when done and top with A-1 Sauce. Enjoy.
6) Shop from Farmers' Markets as much as possible for fresh fruits and vegetables (strawberries, watermelons, cherries, peaches, oranges, bananas, canteloupes, blueberries, apples, pears, asparagus, string beans, cabbage, lettuce, squash, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peppers, eggs, homemade breads, etc.). Remember that fresh fruits and vegetables do NOT have all those additives and preservatives found in grocery store foods and are healthier for your body;
7) Drink plenty of clear water (avoid sugar drinks like sodas and diet sodas are really just fatty junk);
8) Be kind to your body and treat yourself moderately to dessert. When you deprive your body of total desserts, you WILL binge sooner or later (hopefully, not at my cookout:)-.;
9) Eat SLOWLY! Did you know that it takes your brain 30 minutes to send a signal to your stomach that you are full. When you eat fast, you are ahead of your brain and that means you over-eat. By slowing down, you will be alerted to when you stomach is full and then you can back away from the foods. The next time you attend a cookout or picnic, etc., only load your plate with half the amount you normally would and then take your time enjoying the flavors and chewing slowly. Bet you'll see the difference and save on wasting food as well. (Don't let your eyes be bigger than YOUR stomach)!;
10) Do you get tired of wondering about whether to exercise in the morning or the afternoon? Well according to an article I read in the South Beach Diet E-Zine,
http://www.southbeachdiet.com/sbd/publicsi... it really is up to YOU! So, if you prefer to start your day with exercise, you will be energized. If you decide to wait until the afternoon, your muscles might be a little tired, but whatever YOUR comfort level is, stick with it. If you skip a few days of exercising and you are pigging out, forgive yourself and get back on track. However, DO NOT ever stop taking your medications without your doctor's approval.
Right now I'm battling weight gain and summer has not even started yet. I believe I have reached a plateau with my wellness plan that includes exercising. I know it will balance itself out, but I will be careful not to over-eat at a wedding next week...Shucks, I forgot about that graduation party, too...Oh, dear:)-
So, what are you gonna do to avoid summer weight gain? In my book, "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An African-American Bipolar Woman" (ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4, I discuss how depressed the weight gain made me and the mistakes I made fighting it. Order your copy today from Amazon and learn some secrets to staying mentally well without all those pounds! Visit Amazon today at
www.amazon.com PLEASE ENJOY PHOTOS OF MY DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE BOOK TOUR STOP ON MY PROFILE PAGE. THANK YOU!:)
Agnes B. Levine
Founder/President, Levine-Oliver Publisher
www.levineoliverpublisher.com, Facebook me! E-mail me at coolingwellwater@aol.com
http://www.blackpreachingnetwork.com/group... Author of: "Cooling Well Water: A Collection of Work By An
African-American Bipolar Woman" ISBN 13 978-0-9754612-0-4
Available NOW at
www.Amazon.com
Posted By: agnes levine
Saturday, June 13th 2009 at 7:30PM
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