Cinnamon

Hey everyone!  I've been looking into the health benefits of cinnamon the past couple of days.  I don't know if you know this, but my doctor prescribed me to take cinnamon pills daily a few months ago, and after taking them religiously, my LDLs in my cholesterol dropped over 50 points.  I have also been feeling healthier, so I thought I'd share my research with you!

According to a nifty little website, there are 10 benefits to cinnamon.  The first the site listed was that it can lower your LDL cholesterol.  But you and I already knew that from my previous paragraph!

The other benefits listed:

• Has a regulatory effect on blood sugar (I'm diabetic and haven't been having many high or low blood sugars either anymore)
• Helps prevent yeast infections (I'm on medications that used to give me a lot of yeast infections unfortunately, but that problem's disappeared too now that I think about it!)
• Reduces proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells (I'm not sure what that exactly means, but it sounds like a good thing for cancer patients)
• Has an anti-clotting effect in blood (This could be a bad thing if you already have bleeding issues, but I've been alright)
• Significantly reduces arthritis pain in 1 week and can eliminate all pain in one month (I have joint pain, but haven't been needing my medications for that either, now that I think of it!)
• Prevents food spoilage when added to food (Now that I have to try--on MyPlate, my food sure seems to get eaten a lot slower!)
• Smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory (I don't feel any smarter!  Haha!)
• Cinnamon fights E. coli when added to unpasteurized juices (Sounds gross, but if I like cinnamon and watermelon together, this could have a decent flavor!)
• It's a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium (Being a woman, calcium is important to have.  Fiber, iron, and manganese are also helpful in staying strong and healthy!)

Well, now you all know that cinnamon has had a positive effect on my life!  And I'm going to start taking it more religiously, too.  For sure one cinnamon pill twice per day!  I found my cinnamon at Walmart, and it's relatively cheap, too.  They're just pill casings filled with powdered cinnamon that you swallow with water.  I don't ever taste it.  Not that I don't like to taste cinnamon! 

Perhaps now you'll want to try cinnamon.  It's a natural remedy to many health problems lately, so it's worth a shot, right?  Especially if it'll save you money on prescription medicines!

That's all for today!  Take care!
Rachel

Week 2 Health Report

Hey everybody!  It's Rachel, and I have a new health report for you!

Rachel
21 year old female
Full time student
Mildly active (exercise 2-4 times per week)
Height:  5'1"
Weight:  112 (down 1.8 pounds!)
Thoughts:  "I may have lost more weight if I didn't go home and eat Mom's home cooking for MyPlate, but 1.8 pounds is good!  I normally gain weight after going home!  Time to get back on the wild horse out in the MyPlate pasture and tame him!"

That's really all I have to say today.  I didn't do much other than bring my electric guitar back from home and put pictures on my walls.  I played Ladder Golf with Jim and got eaten by mosquitoes as well, and only lost by a point each time.  It was fun though! 

Stay strong!
Rachel

MyPlate Week 2

Hey everyone!  It's Rachel.  Unfortunately, it looks like it may just be me for a while.  Kellen is having some things of supernatural effect going on in his life, and doesn't have the time or energy to focus on MyPlate.  At least for now.  He may be back.

However, I will attempt to blog several times a week.  My goal is to blog daily, but I doubt that'll happen.  Keep checking the blog--I want to keep this up.  Nothing can stop me now, two weeks in and I'm doing great!

Also--don't send Kellen hate-mail.  That's not healthy for anyone, so just put up with me and we'll do this together.

I can't do my weigh-in today, unfortunately, so I'll do my health report tomorrow.  I'm at home at my parents' house and didn't bring my Wii with in order to weigh myself with Wii Fit.  One day late won't hurt.  Let's just say that looking in the mirror now at my face and body and looking at other pictures of my recent self before MyPlate, there's a difference!  I'm not as round in my middle or my face.  My clothes fit better! And my rings are getting looser (I had to move my promise ring from Jim to my middle finger from my ring finger last night because it just fell off!).  I am liking these effects. 

I want to add exercise to my routine, but I'm not sure I should add more than I normally get due to wanting to see the effects of the dietary changes.  I could work on balance, strength, and stretching however with my Wii Fit.  That won't be much of a change to my activity level and will help me out in the long run with keeping me healthy!  I took a class called Personal Conditioning with Jane Birr, and Jane told us that stretching and strength and balance training is just as important as aerobic exercise!  I get aerobic exercise with my job nearly every day, so that requirement is met.  I want to get more flexible and stronger without the worry of falling over all the time!

So I better get to my project for the day.  I have been researching how to eat veggies for breakfast.  Gosh am I sick of trying to eat vegetables for breakfast!  It's so awkward, but I found an article on the LiveStrong website.  It discussed how to get your veggies for breakfast.  Though I don't agree with everything the article says (come on, tomatoes are fruit, not veggies!), it does make some good points on how to easier eat your breakfast vegetables.

I think I'm going to start scrambling eggs for breakfast, because the LiveStrong article said that mixing veggies like spinach or peppers.  I suppose any veggie in the house could work!  First you saute the veggies with a tiny dribble of olive oil, then add your egg to scramble.  That sounds delicious, doesn't it?  Some toast on the side, a serving of fruit, and a glass of milk (or cheese on the eggs!) would make a delicious and hearty MyPlate meal!

The article also suggested mixing bell peppers and onions with homemade hashbrowns.  That would be a good breakfast food too!  And it'd have your serving of veggies! 

For a quick breakfast, LiveStrong suggested taking carrot and celery sticks along with everything else you eat to be able to eat in the car or wherever you are in a hurry!  I had carrot sticks yesterday for breakfast, and it was pretty good.  

The last breakfast idea that I thought would be good would be making smoothies for breakfast with yogurt or milk, fruit, and leafy veggies like spinach.  I think adding a bit of ice to make it nice and cold would be good too!  Just be mindful of servings and blend everything up!  Sounds simple (and tasty), right?

I am excited to try all these new vegetable breakfast ideas.  Hopefully it'll be easier than eating fresh veggies.  And as for starting a bit more training exercises, I can't wait!  I'm on the way to becoming a healthier individual, and nothing can stop me now!

Happy Trails,
Rachel

MyPlate Recipe: Rachel's Summer Salad

I made an amazing salad on Friday for lunch, and I just had to share the recipe.  It had all the MyPlate food groups in it, so I was very proud!  And it was DELICIOUS, so that's just another reason to share!

First I started with a vegetable.  I used iceberg lettuce, because it was all I had in my fridge, but you could use any kind of lettuce (or even spinach) that you want.  Just put it on your plate to see how much you need, then tear it up and put it in a (large-ish) bowl.  Do the same with some strawberries, then slice them and add them to the bowl!  (Yummy!)

In the meantime, I grilled a chicken leg on my mini generic George Foreman grill.  I added seasoned salt to give it some flavor.  Then I took off the skin and any fat and cut it up on top of the salad.  I added a serving of mozzarella cheese.

"What about the grain, Rach?"  Well, I made homemade croutons.  Look at the back of your bread package to find out how many slices is one serving.  With the bread I use, Village Hearth Light 12 Grain, it's two slices.  Cut it into small cubes using a bread knife, and set the bread aside.  In a glass casserole dish, melt just under half a tablespoon of margarine if it's 1 slice of bread, and just under 1 tablespoon of margarine if it's 2 slices of bread.  Add some Salad Supreme seasonings, garlic powder, and onion powder to the margarine to taste, and stir in the bread cubes.  Microwave for about a minute and a half, stir, then microwave for 45 seconds at a time until they reach a near-crouton-like consistency.  Don't over-do it though, they get crunchier after they cook and sit to cool!  Viola!  You now have croutons to add to the top of your salad!

So I mixed everything together in my bowl (yes, all five plate groups!) and ate it.  Don't use a dressing--you have so many wonderful summer flavors that covering it up to make it all taste the same is a shame!  Plus, you don't need oils on the MyPlate diet!  It was probably the best salad I ever had, and it was pretty and colorful too!  You'll love it, I guarantee!

Until next time,
Rachel

Muddier Than The Puddles Themselves

Hey everyone, it's Rachel.  I apologize for Kellen not writing yesterday and for myself getting this blog post out so late, but Kellen's been doing summer camps for his job this week and has been super busy, and I was at Country USA tonight.  It's super muddy, as you can see from the title perhaps (the rain was terrible to the fields the festival is held at), and I just wanted you to know that I am very proud of myself!

I really wanted carnival food the whole time at Country USA.  With the smell of french fries, corn dogs, pizza, cotton candy, and the like floating in the air the two nights I was in Oshkosh for the festival, I sure wanted to eat.  Boy did I want to eat.  On Wednesday night, my roommate and I split an order of spiral spuds (like potato chips but spiral-y) for my snack.  It was delicious!  Tonight, however, I packed a snack to keep in the car for the ride home, and didn't allow myself any of the amazing foods I so desperately wanted to eat!  Even though I really really really wanted a quarter pound corn dog and some cheese curds, I was strong and didn't eat anything.  I chewed gum and thought about all the food I wanted to eat, but I did not eat.  Please be as proud of me as I am of me right now! 

 

Other than that, I don't have any real updates.  I was going to write a creative blog article on something awesome about MyPlate, but I can't think of anything awesome besides the fact that when I look in the mirror, my face looks slimmer and my stretch marks aren't purple anymore but a light pink.  I am not as hungry all the time anymore, either, and sometimes feel I can go without a snack (till the munchies set in anyway!).  I feel like I'm getting healthier.  It feels good.

Also--one last thing to mention.  I'm getting so sick of veggies for breakfast!  Can anyone seriously suggest something different that I can eat to get me the veggie requirement without me actually eating physical veggies?  It's getting old. 

Take care, and I'll see you Saturday!
Rachel

Eating Well When Ill (And At Restaurants!)

Hey everyone--it's Rachel.

I'm pretty sick with a miserable head-cold.  I'm constantly coughing, cannot breathe through my nose, and have a low-grade fever.  MyPlate was feeling kind of rough, but I've made it work.

Soup is amazing when you're sick.  I normally eat a generic boxed noodle soup (just broth and noodles), so I thought, "Why not make it MyPlate soup?"  I added pieces of chicken breast, celery, and carrots to the soup mix on the stove, and ate it with a little cheese and some cantaloupe.  I then had all the parts of the MyPlate guidelines met, and was able to warm up a bit and feel a little better.

I was then prompted to do some research on eating well when you're sick.  I was brought to an amazing article from WebMD and wanted to share some of the important points with you. 

When we get sick, we need to keep eating healthy.  It isn't good to eat less just because we don't feel well, because sometimes to get better, we need to increase our caloric intake in order to have energy to fight off whatever is causing us to get sick.  We also need to eat our lean meats because protein helps rebuild and repair cells.  We get sick because our cells aren't healthy, so protein can fix that.  When we're sick, we also need our whole grains, fruits, and vegetables because fiber will keep our digestive systems running normally.  We also need to be sure we are getting our vitamins and minerals, so if you take supplements, keep taking them!  And of course, if your illness doesn't let you eat right, go see a doctor!

Other than being sick, I've been doing well.  Last night Kellen and I went out for supper at a Mexican restaurant with our friend for her birthday.  We were feeling sad that we had so much food leftover until Kellen brought up an amazing point.  "Rachel," he said, "I'm proud of us.  Look at all the food left on the table.  That whole basket of chips and the whole dish of salsa would be gone, we wouldn't have had any food left to take home, and we'd have eating all of our friend's birthday dessert.  Literally, the only thing left on the table would have been these mushrooms I didn't eat."

Kellen's statement made me think.  How much of what restaurants give us is really too much?  I'm so used to going out to eat at a restaurant and eating everything they serve me without really thinking about whether or not I get my grains or my fruits or what have you.  Last night, having to plan what I'd eat before even ordering, I realized that eating healthy isn't very easy in America unless you cook all your meals at home.  What we have to do is to really focus on getting our fruits, veggies, grains, proteins, and dairy in every meal and to make sure that the portions are sensible.  Don't eat all those chips and salsa the Mexican restaurant waiters serve you!  That's huge and full of calories you don't need.  If eating MyPlate, you then wouldn't be able to eat your grains for that meal.  Healthy choices should come before you order, so take your time and read the whole menu for the best choices available.

That's all for today.  Stay healthy!  (I'm trying--I'm going to Country USA in Oshkosh tonight through Friday night!)

--Rachel

MyPlate: Fast Food Version!

One thing that many people struggle with is the need to get food quick. I know a lot of naysayers believe you should never eat fast food and it is just to compensate for people's laziness. In my case, I think a lot of food you get from fast food just tastes better than anything I can cook (such as ramen noodles, peanut butter and toast, or my speciality: Mac & Cheese). With the MyPlate plan Rachel and I have decided not to give up fast food. Here are three complete MyPlate Meals you can get on this plan by eating out:

1) Wendys



Wendy's just released this Berry Almond Chicken Salad. The half size has the perfect servings of everything per MyPlate Guidelines except for grains (which you can get a baked potato or a small fry and you are good for that). I am not much of a salad person but this is delicious! I've had it twice since being on the MyPlate Plan!

2)Panera

I love myself some Panera. This takes a bit of special ordering but it is well worth it. Go in and chose the pick two menu and have the tomato soup (without crutons) and a sierra turkey sandwich (without mayo). For your side chose an apple. And for your dairy just add of a yogurt parfait-but skip the granola. You won't believe how beautiful and yummy this whole meal is!

3)Qdoba

Qdoba is probably my favorite place to eat at-its so delicious! For a complete MyPlate meal try having a naked burrito with all of the following ingredients: Chicken, rice, fajita veggies, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. You get all of that for only 640 calories! If you ate three of those a day along with your 350 calorie snack you'd be right in your daily recommended amount-and you'd be having three of the best meals ever!

These are only three MyPlate meals I have encountered. What about you? Have you come across any?

Happy Trails!

-Kellen

Week 1--Done and Over!

We made it!  We're not starved yet!  (We're still hungry...)  And we do feel better than we have in a long time.  Here are our health reports:

Kellen
24 year old male
Non-Profit Administrator
Moderate Exercise (3-4 times a week)
Height:  5'11"
Weight:  188 (down 2 pounds!)
Thoughts:  "Despite a small slip-up last week, I'm more motivated than ever!  This diet is having such a great effect on my life.  I'm getting things accomplished and taking really good care of myself.  I have a really good feeling about this second week!"

Rachel
21 year old female
Full-time Student
Moderate Exercise (2-4 times a week)
Height:  5'1"
Weight:  213 (down 6.6 pounds!)
Thoughts:  "Even though cheesecake doesn't count as dairy, as Kellen informed me, I still am shocked at how I lost over 6 pounds without hardly trying!  I never thought that eating well could have that effect, and am now convinced that even if I were to have kept eating my old diet and exercised daily, I wouldn't be losing as much weight as I am now."

We had a small photo shoot.  Just so you could get an idea of where we are at now and our progress over these next 90 days.  Here they are:

We're happy yet still getting used to the smaller calorie intake.

Hopefully these bodies change in the next 90 days.

Last night Rachel had game night at her apartment.  Her roommate made chocolate cupcakes, which Rachel calculated out to have 276.5 calories each.  When Kellen came over, they each had a cupcake and an MGD 64 Lemonade beer with for their 350 or fewer calorie snack.  It was so hard for us to each only eat one cupcake!  We used to always eat at least three.  Luckily, Rachel's boyfriend Jim was there to eat all the cupcakes that we didn't get to eat--which was seven cupcakes.  (That's 1,935.5 calories!  That's over half a pound of body fat!  At least he saved us from ourselves, right?)

We're really making progress when it comes to thinking about what we eat.  We're planning out meals and snacks to make sure we're not only eating all the sections of MyPlate, but also making sure we are getting as large of meals as possible so we aren't hungry in an hour (like when you eat Chinese food). 

We're going to keep on blogging and have a new health report for you next Sunday!  Watch out for more blogs daily, and cheer us on!

Happy Trails! 
Kellen & Rachel

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Wow!  A whole week on MyPlate!  I feel...  Great!

Hello, MyPlaters!  It's Rachel.  Ever since starting the MyPlate diet, I've noticed that I'm making other healthier choices too.  I make a point of brushing my teeth and using mouthwash at least twice a day.  I also started washing my face twice a day instead of just once.  I changed my insulin levels and now my blood sugar levels are great, and I'm using lots of less insulin.  And when I'm done blogging, I get to tackle the big ugly project which is cleaning my room!  I've been so motivated lately.  I even wrote, recorded, and mixed a song last night of my own.  Then this morning I made a music video of it and uploaded it to YouTube.  (In case you're curious, it's here:  Click Away!)  I feel like I can accomplish anything lately, and that's a good sign!

Also--do you want to know my new favorite veggie to eat with any and every meal?  If you don't, I shall tell you anyway!  It's frozen peas.  I've been eating them in frozen form.  I love fresh peas, but they're so expensive, and I don't like cooked peas very much.  With how hot it's been outside, the frozen peas are refreshing, and they taste like fresh peas.  Plus, at $0.89 per bag which lasts me about 5 meals, you can't beat that. 

Hmm, what else to blog about today?  I kind of cheated today.  Kind of.  But it does work itself out.  Let me explain before you get angry!  *cowers*

I woke up, and didn't feel like making food.  I knew that my roommate and I were going to Fazoli's for lunch (but still plenty early), so I figured I'd eat there and have leftovers to eat a late lunch mid-afternoon and then supper before rounds tonight at 9PM.  Well, I ate all my Fazoli's food.  I got the new Tour of Italy apple and chicken lettuce salad...  It was worth 2 servings of meat, veggies, and fruit.  I had a few breadsticks to what I considered was 2 serving of grain, and since I got a free piece of plain cheesecake, I ate it all and considered it 2 dairies.  So it wasn't like it was bad for me, it's just that I ate 2 MyPlate meals in one.  But I am only going to eat supper later, so it's like I really had 3 MyPlate meals today, two were just combined for a breakfast-lunch.  And do you know what?  IT WAS WORTH IT.  No shame.

Tomorrow is Sunday.  Sundays are weigh-in days and health report days.  Sundays are when Kellen and I blog together.  I'm a bit excited.  My boyfriend Jim said my face isn't as pudgy.  Maybe I'm losing a little weight.  My already-too-large pants are getting a bit harder to keep pulled up, too.  And I fit into my work polo a bit better, which was almost on the too tight side when I got it.  I think this diet has brought about a lot of good changes for me.  I can't to see where I'm at when 90 days is up!

--Rachel

MyPlate Recipe #1: Pizza Bagel!

Today I present to you one of my original culinary creations made completely out of MyPlate size ingredients. Here is what you will need:

-1 whole wheat bagel
-1/4 cup pizza sauce
-1/3 red bell pepper
-1/3 green bell pepper
-17 turkey pepperoni
-1/4 cup fat free mozzerella cheese
-red pepper flakes
-italian seasoning

Preheat the over to 425. Chop up the bell pepper to thin strips. Break open the bagel to two halves and spread pizza sauce on in equal quantities. Sprinkle red pepper flakes and italian seasoning on top (this adds a lot of flavor!). Then layer with bell peppers, pepporoni, and cheese. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until bagel has become crispy.

Once you're done you just serve it with a fruit (I had canteloupe!) and you can enjoy your deliciousness!

Stay tuned for more MyPlate recipes from Kellen's Kitchen!

Pickles Are Vegetables, Too!

Hey everyone!  It's Rachel, and I have some updates for you!

The MyPlate food plan is working out well for me.  Well, in most aspects.  I've just noticed the last two nights I've done rounds for work (going through all the residence buildings on every floor on campus) I've developed seriously low blood sugars.  I don't know if I've ever gone so low in the seven years I've been diabetic!  I'm going to have to lower my insulin levels in my pump now that I'm eating less carbohydrates.  That will be easy enough, and since I do rounds Friday night through Sunday night, I'll be able to find out what's right for me. 

That may sound like a serious problem!  It isn't though.  It's a really good thing, actually.  I'm using less insulin, which is much healthier!  I'm so excited about my lower blood sugars overall (not the super-lows though!), because that means I'm headed a step in the right direction!

Are pickles vegetables?  I think so.  Pickles are made from cucumbers soaked in brine.  Since a cucumber is a vegetable, therefore pickles have to be vegetables too!  I only mention this as I was in a hurry for breakfast today and didn't have time to make a vegetable to eat.  I just grabbed the pickle jar and ate a few Milwaukee Dills.  Yum!  So yes, pickles are vegetables.  Enough said.

Tonight I made tacos for dinner.  I used a serving of corn chips (my grain), a cut-up chicken breast fried in loads salsa (my meat and my veggie), and put some cheese on top (my dairy).  With a piece of cantaloupe on the side, sliced with my awesome melon-slicer from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I was able to eat a wonderful MyPlate meal with my beloved boyfriend Jim.  It was delicious!

Up until today, I had been craving some cotton candy for quite a while now.  When my roommate asked if I'd like to go see The Hangover 2, I said yes, definitely!  Not only was the movie good, but I had a coupon for cotton candy at the theater--buy one, get one free!  My roommate and I each got a bag of cotton candy.  Before leaving for the theater, I looked online to see the calorie count of cotton candy.  On average, 1 ounce of cotton candy has about 100 calories.  I took a small food scale to the movies, and had nearly exactly 3.5 ounces of cotton candy!  Woo-hoo!  So that was my snack today!  And boy, was it worth it! 

I cannot wait until Sunday.  I was talking with my mom today about this eating experiment, and she said it sounded good for me.  I think it is, too!  I want to see if I've lost any weight by Sunday.  If not, it's okay.  I feel healthier, and that's all that really matters!  I just wouldn't mind losing my thunder-thighs at some point!

I'll see you again on Saturday!  Thanks for reading!

--Rachel

Day #3: Hot Pocket

I have a confession to make. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and I was starving. I had passed out at 800pm due to lack of energy. So I woke up and I ate a hot pocket because I honestly felt like I was starving to death. I think I need to increase the amount of food that I am eating on my actual plate. Being a male I burn more calories than Rachel so I just need to make my portion sizes bigger.

But there is one thing I am loving about this diet: Milk! I am drinking milk all the time! I never knew how delicious it was to have it with a plate of vegetables. I've already gone through half a gallon at home. I am also cooking a lot more rather than going out. And when I do go out I am really looking into where I go and what I have. Case in point-today I had Wendy's. I had a grilled chicken sandwhich (grain, protein) a side salad, apples and a milk. It was actually quite delicious. And it was the first time in my life I have ever actually ordered a salad. It was quite delicious though.

I was going to write a more extensive blog tonight about things but I am going to go play volleyball and I'd like to rest a bit. I've been spending a lot of time at work and I realize I need to step back a bit and focus on my personal life more-such as doing this blog. It is something I'd really like to commit to and work hard at. But I can't do it when I am working 60ish hours a week. Today I made a point of leaving work when I was thinking "Oh I can just do that last little extra thing that will take me two hours." So tonight I am going to play volleyball, read and rest....and then I will have the best article ever on Friday :)

Hakkunnah Matata guys :)
-Kellen

Good morning!  It's early, and yes, I do intend to go back to bed after I finish this blog post!

It's Rachel, and I've just finished eating my MyPlate breakfast.  I've been getting a tad creative with how I cook my MyPlate meals.  For example, my breakfast was a serving of fish sticks, celery, cantalope, twelve grain toast, and a glass of milk.  So what if I ate fish sticks for breakfast?  I can always do peanut butter toast!  But I was craving fish sticks this morning.  And they cook up quickly in my toaster oven. 

In reference to Kellen's blog yesterday, I found a list of vegetables.  It's hard to eat vegetables for breakfast, and hard to find things that work well in the morning.  I've been eating celery most mornings, and that, I think, is one of the better choices.  You can put cream cheese and peanut butter on it, and you have your protein or dairy for the meal done.

Maybe you can tell I'm not much of a breakfast person.  I typically don't eat breakfast foods--or even eat breakfast for that matter--so I'm unsure of what I'll do when I get sick of leftovers.  I'll have to experiment with cereal and milk with fruit on top.  Maybe eat peanut butter celery with it?  That I'll have to continue to experiment with.

As for my low calorie snacks, I'm rather excited that I can eat 6 cups of plain white popcorn for my 350 calories.  I can also eat approximately 40 corn chips with 10 tablespoons of medium salsa.  Or 8.75 slices of dry twelve grain toast (but who eats that much dry toast at once?!).  I've been seeing what all is good for a snack.  I've been hungry, so a bigger snack for less calories is what I've been looking for.  My snack usually comes before bed, as I've been eating dinner at 5 because I've been so hungry.  I hope that goes away with time.

However, this morning after eating breakfast, I feel good.  I usually just feel tired and groggy in the morning, but maybe this eating breakfast idea will change all of that.  I'll eat lunch before I work at noon, and I'll eat supper when I'm off work at 5.  After I'm done with rounds for my job (I'm like a summer college RA) at 10 or so, I'll eat my snack.  This is working out rather well for me, as I'm eating at equal, more regular, intervals.

Also, I'm a type 1 diabetic of 7 years now.  At first I was concerned how this new eating plan would affect my blood sugars.  Would I go low from eating less carbohydrates at a time?  What if I went low?  Kellen and I talked it over, and we decided if my blood sugar drops, what I'd eat to bring it back up doesn't count as a snack, as it's necessary that I get sugars in me as quick as possible.  I've only been low once since Sunday, and that was last night.  I ate two pieces of licorice to correct it (16 or so grams of carbohydrates) and went back to bed.  As for my blood sugars in general, they've been more steady.  Perhaps that's because I'm spreading my food out throughout the day instead of only eating a tiny lunch and a huge supper with munchies all night. 

I've been feeling like I put a lot of thought into what I put into my body.  "Would that fit the MyPlate guidelines?" is something I ask myself a lot.  Yesterday my boyfriend Jim took me out for a Mexican lunch.  It was so difficult!  I wound up getting the house special, which was chicken (my lean protein) with cheese (my dairy) and a whole lot of vegetables (yay for veggies!) and tomatoes (my fruit!).  All I needed then was the grains, and since I got Mexican rice on the side, I just split my serving in half to be what would be 30% of a regular plate.  It was a creative lunch I feel, but I learned that I have to always be looking for the more healthy options in order to fit the MyPlate plan.  It's very doable, though, and seems a bit more delicious when you know you are eating well.

Other than that, I don't have much to report.  I hope you all have a wonderful day!  And for you fellow MyPlate-ers out there--be strong!  I had a doctor once tell me that it's good to feel hungry (even though it seems to absolutely stink).

--Rachel

Day 1: Vegetables for Breakfast

30 pounds. When I tell people that I have gained 30 pounds in the year since I have graduated from college I am usually met with biwilderment. "What the hell have you been doing?" They usually say. My answer goes somewhere along the lines of a breakup, a horrible first job out of college, and Jersey Shore and chocolate chip cookies as my escape.

In March of this year I moved onto my second job out of college. It involved a much healthier environment, but it also has involves 40-60 hours of sitting in a chair staring at a screen and typing away. I'm very happy with my job but I am not happy with the fact that I avoided the "Freshman 15" in college, yet gained twice that amount in my Freshman year in the "Real World."

Like most Americans I have struggled with my weight and with portion control. It is easy for me to stop at McDonald's after a 12 hour day of work and eat my weight in french fries. But it certainly hasn't done me well. When I came across MyPlate I thought it would be simple. I'm not neccesarily changing the foods I eat, just the quantities and varieties. But there is one thing that will take me a while to get used to on this plan: Vegetables for breakfast. Right now I am rotating peas and V8 for my breakfast veggies. Does anyone have any better ideas for what I can have with my bagel, peanut butter, glass of milk and grapefruit?

This was my first dinner on the MyPlate meal plan. Turkey Brat, Whole Wheat Bun, Corn, Canteloupe and skim milk. Normally I probably would have forgone the fruits, veggies and milk and just ate four Bratwurst (I've grown to love Wisconsin food far too much!). But this was all portion controlled and I felt....okay afterwards. I haven't struggled much this far into the game. It's only a day and a half in and I've eaten a variety of foods. I also have fish and potatoes in the oven roasting right now! I just still am not sure what other veggies I can eat for breakfast. V8 and grapefruit does not taste good together. :P

-Kellen

Welcome to That's MyPlate!

Hello and welcome to a whole new way of thinking about what we eat!  This isn't a new fad diet.  It's what we, as Americans, should have been doing all our lives.  At least that's what the government said!

On June 2nd, 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama announced a new nutrition guide for the United States.  Forget food pyramids or trying to measure and weigh your foods--now you just have to look at your plate.  The MyPlate system is what has taken the nation by storm (or perhaps by a subtle breeze?).  Replacing the Food Pyramid which was in existence for nineteen years, MyPlate simply asks you to follow a few simple rules and use your plate as a guide.


As you can see, this nutrition guide appears quite simple.  Your plate should be 30% vegetables, 20% fruits, 30% grains (try to make at least half of them whole grains), and 20% lean proteins, along with an 8oz glass of low-fat (1%) or skim milk.  Eat three plates per day, keeping in mind to limit sugars and oils, and if wanted, an optional 350 calorie snack is allowed once per day.


In regards to MyPlate's national debut, Michelle Obama said, "Parents don't have the time to measure out exactly three ounces of chicken or to look up how much rice or broccoli is in a serving. ... But we do have time to take a look at our kids' plates. ... And as long as they're eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we're good. It's as simple as that."

When we heard about MyPlate, it got us thinking.  Who really follows what the government says about how we should eat?  Americans are more than willing to follow diets of SlimFast, Atkins, Jenny Craig, and the Cabbage Soup diet in order to lose weight and feel healthier, yet the doctors who create many of these diets pass away from the negative effects of their own creations.  Americans spend millions of their own tax dollars to fund research for what we as humans should be eating, and need to eat, in order to stay healthy.  We want our money's worth.  We want to see if the government's MyPlate plan is actually good for us.

Our names are Kellen and Rachel.  We're two young adults who live in Green Bay, WI.  We've decided to embark on an experiment to see the effects of the MyPlate program.  For the next 90 days, we will follow the MyPlate guidelines in everything we eat.  Here are our rules to follow:

• We will eat three (3) meals per day, all measured out according to MyPlate guidelines
• We will eat everything on our plates, and nothing more (this includes eating vegetables for breakfast)
• We will allow ourselves one (1) 350 calorie snack each day
• We won't change our exercise habits in any way
• We will measure progress by keeping this blog up to date with how we feel and any weight lost

We want to see if this works in accordance with the average American diet.  We won't change our diets in any way besides portion sizes (yes, if we want a corndog, we can eat it--it'll be a grain and a protein).  We will still eat out as long as the plates correspond with MyPlate's guidelines--even if that means we take our own plate along, and measure out food and take leftovers home. 

We want to make sure that we are making this clear that this is not a diet blog, not a way to lose weight, but rather, an experiment to see if what the government recommends for us to eat is really something that we should follow.  We are only changing the way we measure out our food.

Today is Day One of the ninety day MyPlate experiment.  Our starting reports are as follows:

Kellen
24 year old male
Non-profit administrator
Mildly-active lifestyle (exercise 3-4 times per week)
5'11"
190lbs
"I'm super excited to do this, but a bit apprehensive about giving up pizza.  We will have to find a way to make MyPlate-style pizza!"

Rachel
21 year old female
Full-time college student
Mildly-active lifestyle (exercise 2-4 times per week)
5'1"
220lbs
"If I didn't have Kellen around, I don't think I'd have the willpower to try the MyPlate diet for 90 days.  I mean, who eats vegetables for breakfast?"

We will update our health reports every Sunday and have daily postings on the blog about our struggles and successes.  Wish us luck in our endeavors, and Michelle Obama, if you're reading this, please invite us over for a MyPlate dinner at the White House, along with round-trip airfare and spare bedroom.

Happy Trails!
Kellen & Rachel