I'm SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Recently, I've been extremely exhausted to the point of almost passing out in the middle of a work day, I've been sleeping for 9-11 hours a night and I have had frequent headaches. Oh, and I CAN NOT STOP EATING! This is really putting a damper in the progress I have made in my diet. People would ask, "are you pregnant?" I would answer with, "No, Mom. I'm not." There is another explanation, however. During the winter months, a lot of us mid-western folks are prone to suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD."

SAD is a form of depression brought on by the shortening of autumn days in to the dark days of winter. More information on the different types of SAD can be found here. Traditional SAD symptoms as stated by the Mayo Clinic include: fatigue, oversleeping, headaches, carbohydrate cravings, loss of interest in activities one once enjoyed, and weight gain.

This article is VERY helpful in understanding SAD from a woman's perpective.

Now, how does one get over the winter blues? Well, we begin with what we are lacking when the sun isn't shining as much; Vitamin D. Our body produces vitamin D with the help of ultraviolet rays. When we aren't getting UV rays, a vitamin D deficiency can develop. Most people who get a good amount of sun during the summer months usually stock up enough vitamin D to make it through winter. But sometimes, we don't. One way to replenish your vitamin D "stock" would be to eat foods rich in vitamin D such as pink salmon, sardines and mackerel. This would explain why my husband doesn't have this problem; he loves salmon. I hate fish, so let's move on. Getting some sun can help. I could start tanning again... hmmm. But the most realistic option for me would be to pick up some vitamin D supplements from my local GNC/grocery store/pharmacy.

Another cause of SAD is the pure fact that our days are shorter and thus, throws off our sleeping pattern. Light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder. It simulates sunlight to allow your body to realign with its natural patterns.

Exercise is also recommended. This is extremely difficult for me right now as I can barely find the energy to roll out of bed in the morning. But if I'm going to get down to 165 lbs. and take that trip to Vegas, I need to get on it.

Candy K.
251 lbs., 86 lbs. to goal weight.
Weigh-in tomorrow.

Craving of the Day

Chinese Food

Preferably sesame chicken. Damn you, tempura chicken! You are the bane of my existence!

Candy K.
251 lbs.
Today, I will drink 60 oz. of water.

Fit Mag's Body Type Analysis and Diet

I subscribe to fitmagazine.com and they are always sending me some GREAT articles on fitness.

This article covers the body types that there are, their benefits and drawbacks, and a diet and fitness plan geared toward getting rid of pounds where you want to get rid of them.

I am a "pear" shape. I wear a 12 or 14 top but I wear an 18-20 in pants. This is a rough spot to be in because I can't typically shop in the same section or even the same store to find an outfit. Most plus size stores such as Lane Bryant only go down to a 14/16 which is too large for me, and regular stores, such as Old Navy or the Limited, have an 18 or 20 but they usually run small. I guess you could call me a tween... just on the larger side of the spectrum.

I am pretty much on the low fat diet that they recommend and the majority of my workouts are done on treadmills and ellipticals. However, the education they provide on the body types are pretty fascinating to me.

Apparently, being pear-shaped isn't as bad as I thought it was.

Candice K.
249 lbs.
Today, I will play Wii Sports for an hour.

Exercise Obsession of the New Year

My Big Ol' Booty

If you've met me, you know that I hold one thing above all else to be true: big girls are coming back en vogue.

I'm not saying that 250 lbs. (ie. Me) is coming in to style anytime soon. But I do believe a healthy set of curves is going to be the best ass-et you can have in the years to come. So, the one thing I think I have going for me is my bodonkadonk. I've seen it; the silhouette of my butt in a nice pair of jeans. It's there. I just need to work on it, sculpt it, mold it... oh, sorry. Too graphic.


Well, I found an awesome workout at fitnessmagazine.com. This one has Jackie Warner's Stamp of Approval and believe me, it's crazy difficult. Balance is a must for most of the intermediate moves. But it's totally worth it.

Another thing that has REALLY helped shape my derriere is the elliptical. Depending upon the elliptical, the optimal incline for ideal gludiusmaximus strengthening can be rather low or extremely steep. My favorite elliptical is a front-drive with adjustable motion. This means that there is no incline selection but your stride can change from a walk to a jog to a full on run based on how far you push the petals. This site has a pretty good elliptical guide if you are in the market.

I'm really down with having a nice butt no matter what I weigh. So as long as I stay focused, I think I will be able to handle it, no problem.

Candice K.

250 lbs. (weigh-in tomorrow)
Today, I will eat a nutritious dinner.

Today's Weigh-In: Success!

Lost 1.8 lbs! I'm loving my Wii. Now lets see how quickly I can demolish this weight loss with Thanksgiving.

Coping with Thanksgiving

Ok. So, I'm pretty sure that the early settlers devised a master plan when they sat down with the Native Americans and created a little national holiday called Thanksgiving. That plan; to keep Candice fat until the end of her days. Those settlers brought food, watched football and went to sleep at 4pm. Also, I don't appreciate the fact that its so close to Jesus' birthday. You know wherever there's a birthday, there's cake... or pie... or ham.

This year, I'm trying to keep things a little healthier than in years past. I will be making half of the dishes to be served this year and I am looking to reduce fat and calories wherever I can, if at all possible. You see, the half of the menu my mom is making will be laden with butter and wonderful, delicious, goodness. The recipe I just printed for her: Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake. Seriously, I love Paula Deen. She's a good Christian southern woman, but I don't know how much longer she'll be with us if she eats half the stuff she makes on that show. With all of the carbs and sugars on this Thx-giving menu, Chuck will be on the floor having a diabetic seizure. I'll keep a spoon handy.

So, these are the items on my menu this year and how I'm attempting to do some damage control:

Red Skin Garlic Mashed Potatoes - I'll be using buttermilk and using as little light margarine as possible.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese - reduced fat cheeses only, whole wheat farfalle and a saltine crust

Sweet Potato Casserole - I am going to try this recipe.

Dad's Birthday Cinnamon Streusel Bundt Cake - It's my Dad's 50th birthday tomorrow! He's needs some meat on his bones so I'll leave this one alone.

Mom's menu doesn't exercise any restraint at all and obviously, she has a sweet tooth:

Rotisserie Chicken - not really a menu item as it's store-bought but hey, she's buying it. Meijer has some REALLY tasty rotisserie chicken.

Dressing and gravy- homestyle

Roasted potatoes - the kids prefer these over the mashed

Pudding Pies - my little brother will be making these. Graham cracker crust, Jell-o pudding mix and whipped cream. Simple and delicious.

The occassional vegetable - in a butter sauce no doubt.

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake - Yeah.

From-scratch cookies - undoubtedly, she will double the chips called for in the recipe. A bag of chocolate and a bag of butterscotch... but she always makes me a few with JUST chocolate chips.

So things are basically traditional but I have no doubt that I'll eat a lot more than I should. All I can do is try to call on my will power to push me away from the plate. I won't have the turkey to knock me out early. Dammit.

Deuces

Candice K.

252 lbs. (weigh-in tomorrow)

Guest Blog Post

Please visit my friend's Foodie blog where I guest post.

My latest contribution to her blog: http://beatsandeats.blogspot.com/2008/11/sakura-koi-ponds-eastern-beauties-and.html