Coming to Terms with My Changing Body!

Maybe I should title this post I'm not only a Nutritionist I'm a client too!  I am beginning to experience the pressures of wanting to lose weight and not being able to. It was not always like this, and that my friends seem to be the line of the century. "It wasn't always like this," I use to be able to eat what I want and not gain but now it’s like the weight just stay stuck to my hips, thighs and buttocks. My bra size has increased and I am really wondering if I have thyroid issues; probably not, just needing an explanation for this body mother-nature is trying to give me.

I have always been active, and for the most part I eat healthy daily. So what gives? I saw a family member experience something similar a while back; she was a tiny, voluptuous little thing until she hit the thirty year mark. It was incredible for me to see her body change, and change so radically.  It is that experience however, that comforts me and help me understand that weight gain is a part of the process for some of us.  I have come to terms with the fact that my somewhat perfectly shaped hips and thighs contoured over the years running, is no longer a reality unless I am willing to put in that 5 miles a day 6 days a week as I had once done. Speak about unrealistic, five miles a day, six days a week, yeah right!

Although I am not content that my size 6 is now closer to an 8 I have made a conscious decision to accept this transformation.  I will be more attentive when I eat, and give more thought to what I am eating daily.  It is that simple for me, recognize the change and be in acceptance of it or drive myself crazy trying to lose 10 pounds! Maybe it’s cowardly of me, maybe I should tackle and devour those 10 pounds the way I tackle and devour my favorite meal of the day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Truth is I don't want to, it takes too much effort and honestly I don't need to. I am in great shape, I am healthy and so far I am not at risk for anything other than a larger pant size.

The point is get comfortable! 

Become comfortable with your body, when we are uncomfortable with our bodies we tend to want changes now, and that is not reasonable.  Understand what works for you as an individual. Eat clean, fresh foods that are minimally processed and stay active. Accept that changes should be made but understand that going from a size 16 to a 12 takes time.

Exercise because it keeps your heart healthy, promotes flexibility, burn calories and can reshape your body. If running 5 miles a day is no longer possible then run 2, or walk 3. Our bodies need and want to be challenged. Combine Yoga, Pilates or a toning exercise with running or walking add light weights for resistance. 

Set goals one at a time and work on mastering that goal before you move on to the next one. Pressure is wanting a flat tight tummy, shapely hips and thighs after having children, motivation is knowing you are at your best mentally and physically when you are living and eating healthy!

High Fructose Corn Syrup is not sugar.

I saw a commercial on television promoting high fructose corn syrup as sugar, no different from regular cane sugar. I thought for a moment "Hey that's not what I learned in experimental foods."


High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is basically corn that has been processed into cornstarch which is then used to produce syrup that is cheaper and sweeter than regular table sugar. Regular cane sugar is essentially pure sucrose a combination of glucose and fructose. HFCS is pure glucose there is no naturally occurring fructose in corn. To produce HFCS the glucose is broken down to produce fructose by adding various enzymes, a bit too technical to explain. The main point is after the glucose in HFCS is broken down it yields a 90% fructose level....a lot more concentrated sweetness than that of regular table sugar.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is used in food production instead of regular table sugar because it is cheaper, easier to process, dissolves better than regular table sugar, it’s a lot sweeter and it acts as a preservative extending the shelf life of processed foods. Major health concerns associated with the use of high fructose corn syrup are obesity and mercury. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to the rise in obesity and rightfully so. It is virtually impossible to limit the consumption of this ingredient because it is found in just about everything these days. Traces of mercury found in products made with high fructose corn syrup may be a result of the sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid used to manufacture high fructose corn syrup according to researchers.

What does this all means to you?

High Fructose Corn Syrup is a main staple in processed foods, soft drinks, artificially flavored juices, snack and even foods we eat at restaurants. HFCS is a problem for consumers because of how much of it we are consuming. Because of its high sugar content once we ingest it the sugar our bodies don't use often get stored as fat. Stored fat leads to obesity, as well as fatty livers. The ones in favor of HFCS will try to tell you that there is no difference between it and regular table sugar. Though they are comparable chemically once ingested the way our bodies process them are different. Researchers at Princeton University found that there is a correlation between HFCS and fat deposits in the liver of mice. The beverage industry however counters that by saying there is no major difference and using regular table sugar will yield the same results.
The problem is we do not use regular table sugar as often as high fructose corn syrup and regular table sugar is not found in essentially 80-90% of the foods we eat.

What you can do to limit your intake of High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Limit intake of process foods, soft drinks, and other artificially flavored juices and foods.

Cook using natural ingredients. Make natural juices and teas sweetened with brown sugar or regular table sugar. Drink more water to limit intake of juices and soft drinks. Read your foods labels and choose foods containing natural ingredients. Keep in mind that what is natural to the food industry may not be natural to you. If you are a parent avoid giving children soft drinks and other high sugar beverages. It will be challenging trying to eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet because it is in practically everything. You can however limit the amount consumed daily by just being more aware of what you are eating and avoiding those foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup in its list of ingredients.