Sugar Addicted Mom (SAM)

Watching Weight of the Nation as part of an October/November accountability group, and researching red dye as an obsessed mom who is trying to help her son (without medicating him)… has me thinking about sugar.   

Sugar is an addiction. I know, I was addicted.  One of my favorite combinations included red licorice and Diet Coke. Another included peanut m&ms and Red Bull. A third…Grape flavored Venom and Snickers.  At one point, I remember having to stop at a gas station on the way to the gym to get combination number two before I worked out. I just craved it so much!

Remember books like Beyond Sugar Shock? Sugar Busters? – They are not something to roll your eyes about (I did, but I don’t anymore). Recently, another study reports that seeing ice cream triggers the same parts of the brain as cocaine.  I know you are laughing and thinking I’ve lost my mind.


Dr Kyle Burger, from the Oregon Research Institute, in Eugene, said that overeating "high-fat" or "high-sugar" foods appeared to change how the brain responded and in turn downgraded the mental "reward", the Telegraph reported. "This down-regulation pattern is seen with frequent drug use, where the more an individual uses the drug, the less reward they receive from using it," said Dr Burger, the study's co-author.

The very same thing happens to me when I eat sugar-laden carbs. As recently as this week (Anybody? The relatives are in town? Anybody?), it happened to me. Take the last several days, for example. Monday morning at work, a precious friend brought me a Starbucks scone. It was chilly outside, the cinnamon smell from the scone wafted up into my nose like a blanket of sun—and I ate it.  Fifteen minutes later, I was already hungry and tired.  Lunch was provided that day, too.  Subs from a local restaurant.  Since I had already indulged, I thought (or did I crave?)…why not? I ate not only my portion of the sandwich, but some of my co-worker’s, and a bag of crunchy salt and vinegar chips.  I felt bloated immediately, but hungry again only an hour later, and tired.  Dinner that night was the ringer.  The ringer? Where is that saying from? My relatives wanted to go to the Olive Garden (breadsticks, fettuccine, and Alfredo).  Triple Carb dinner. 

Today I woke up with a swollen face, felt slow, tired, and unable to move in my normal patterns. I’ve been agitated, irritated, and easily annoyed.  I attribute it all to sugar. Sugar in the processed foods. Sugar in the carbs. Sugar in the choices I made yesterday. Oh, and one more thing. I woke up with a cold sore. Zane and Beaudy both work up and wanted either pancakes or French Toast. They, too were craving sugar and carbs because of yesterday.  It happens, it is real. It is not in my imagination.

 So, stop rolling your eyes. Invest some time in reading, researching, and implementing healthy changes for yourself and your family. It’s not easy, it does not happen overnight, and it takes hard work.  Please, consider it! I can help.

Pizza, Garlic Bread, and Alfredo...Oh My!

The Ultimate Reset take two? In pushing my commitment out to the "public" (not sure if anyone even reads this, but I feel a sense of accountability), I’m trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’ve committed to doing Beachbody's Ultimate Reset  again.  End of April, beginning of May, I completed Beachbody’s Ultimate Reset with a small group of friends. I complained about the price, groused about the cutting and shopping, organizing, sorting, and packing. Was ticked off that I could not have a glass of wine at the end of the day, irked that I could not swirl up some Energy and Endurance pre-workout. But, I did it because after a convo with my BFF, I HAD to see if this "thing" was "life changing" as everyone claimed.  I usually feel excluded from things: last minute parties, group texts, workouts, GNO's. Thus, I did not want to miss "this." (I know, I'm working on this issue). 

I followed all of the directions, did not substitute anything (because my upline coach sponsor told me not to), learned to nutrient-time, increased my water intake, measured my food, used a scale (OMG, hated it--we must have a mass scale burning) to record my progress,and only ate 3 meals a day.  I did not work out--which was a totally new concept--another issue I learned to deal with.

The first week was rough. I did not sleep well—but was exhausted, felt sluggish, had eye twitches, slow reaction times (like stepping on the break at a stop light), tingling in my toes and finger tips (started to Google symptoms of MS), some stomach pain, and general irritability; snapped on my kids and husband more than once, maybe even used a bit of profanity. It was sort of like Linda Blair in The Exorcist.  I was so used to WAY over-portioning (even the healthy stuff!), that I was starving most of the time, and watching the clock to get to my next supplement or meal.  The meals were paltry, I resented the menu. However, my internal monologue was more like, "Holy Cow, how far 'gone' am I...I thought I ate clean!?" 

Week 1 was over, money was spent, I still complained ,and this thing was doing something—I just wasn’t sure what.Still volatile and vociferous, I kept to the menu and the nutrient timing. 

The second week was rough (in retrospect, I apologize to hubbie and kids). Rage built and spewed about things that should not have been issues: The veggies one day (packed lovingly by my husband) were packed in plastic, not glass. WHAT was he thinking!? How DARE he!? Someone moved my ipad from the kitchen to the office; WHAT did they wish to accomplish with that move!?  I noticed everyone else's flaws, quirks, idiosyncracies (except mine). I slept better, but had calf and foot cramps during the night; my skin broke out, I was always painfully bloated (felt much like Dudley  in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone during Dudley's birthday when Harry gets angry), and resented people who were breezing through the UR with no ill effects, happy as clams, and loving life. I was even more exhausted at the beginning of phase 2—All I wanted to do was sleep. Zero energy. It felt like the first trimester of my pregnancies.  The MOST I could do was shuffle to the bed after work, and fall asleep. 

Mid-week two, things changed. I noticed everything, smelled everything, and reacted to everything (felt much like John Nash in A Beautiful Mind). Walked around saying things like, "Oh my gosh, can you smell the rubber on the tires of that car next to us?" and "That guy had some kind of deli meat for lunch, and the nitrate-smell is giving me a headache." I had to pull the Glade/Airwick plug-ins out of my outlets because the smell was too chemical,I "unsubscribed" from Yankee Candle coupons,  had to switch shampoos from Bumble and Bumble to Pureology because B&B formula (with behentrimonium chloride) was too harsh. I know it sounds crazy, but I was “awakened.” It was beyond crazy to realize that my senses had dulled, my reflexes had slowed, my reactions had gone fuzzy, my perceptions were misguided...all due to the food I was putting in my body. It felt like a revelation--think Steve Martin in Leap of Faith. 

Week three I noticed that the wrinkles around my eyes were less noticeable, my décolleté wrinkles were gone, my nails grew faster, my breakouts from week two cleared up, and I had more energy.Happy energy, like the kind of posts you read on Facebook where people are living the perfect life-type of energy (and you block them from your news-feed because you do not believe it is possible; they must be lying).   My mood was ebullient, I never felt like I needed caffeine, and my bloating disappeared.  I can say that I felt AWESOME. Bubbly. Giddy. 

Week Four I started working out again. I lost strength, endurance, stamina. YES, I lost it…but it came back harder, better, stronger, and faster than I had EVER been before. My dumbbells increased in weight, my run and bike pace significantly improved, I did two-a days (and sometimes 3) like they were nothin’. I recovered faster, was more flexible.  Three weeks and change bigger than words can capture.  Measurable changes. Noticeable changes. More than cost, time, or inconvenience changes.

For several months that followed the reset, I continued eating reset food. Somewhere in the last few weeks, I have jumped off of that wagon with reckless abandon.  Since I’m training more  (bootcamp, running, swimming, cycling, speed work and trying to do everything my USAT coach tells me), I have also justified WAY over-portioning (and not always the healthy foods). I’ve adopted the “I worked out for 3 hours, so let’s order pizza, garlic bread, and fettuccini alfredo…and top it off with pecan pie. On the way home from a ride the other day, I stopped at a 7-11 gas station and bought a purple Gatorade (first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup). I know that with working out, I’m burning the calories, too--I understand the whole calorie in and out thing. But, they are not good calories. They are not healthy calories. They are not making me feel AWESOME, they are making me feel awful. I’m craving caffeine and bad carbs.  I almost feel trapped, imprisoned in the cycle of "yuck." 

So, it’s off to the Reset again. I won’t complain about the cost (because one night of Italian or Chinese takeout with tip is much more expensive than reset food). I’m in it because I recognize that I need it, and it is so much cheaper to eat clean and right than pay for it later. 

Join me for the Ultimate Reset

One of "those" kids

What follows is a composite of over 2 decades of teaching in public schools; these four students are a blend of many unique tapestries woven together over time and memory; each of of them is also a little piece of myself.

Meet one of my students. She is amazing, a great writer—especially with dialect, reads more than I do, knows every fact there is to fathom about Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, is a wiz on the computer, but prefers to hand write things, burns through Kindle titles faster than anything, volunteers at the library, talks about Rachel’s Challenge…and hides in the bathroom during lunchtime because she doesn’t know how to talk to other kids.

Meet one of my students. He is amazing, a karate and art enthusiast, can throw and sculpt a piece of pottery better than any local artisan, but is pigeon toed and sometimes trips over his own feet. Knows Algebra without actually having to work out the problems because he does them in his head, watches The Big Bang Theory every night, is quick to help with a dropped backpack, an errant piece of paper, an unopened door, but is sometimes made fun of because of his tripping…and spent the last semester of school with a “stomach ache” during gym class.

Meet one of my students. She is amazing. Walking before she was 12 months old, an athlete from the time she was two, a shelf full of trophies and medals, private lessons, coaches, training, “select” never “rec” teams. Perfectly styled hair, Miss Me jeans, coordinates everything from her Vera Bradley purse to her pencil case, can text without looking at her phone, is always in the middle of the fun…and spends her morning time before school trying not to chew off her nails because someone told someone else that they thought she was fat.

Meet one of my students. He is amazing. A pleaser, a hard worker, a kid that feels bad when he doesn’t get picked by the  captains, a kid that works his tail off to get good grades because they don’t come easy, and can cry when he gets less than an “A” on his homework . A kid who stands up for the underdog, but not himself. A kid that’s worried about his hair, his batting average, and being on a winning team—and has insomnia at night before a game because he suffers from low self-esteem.

Meet one of my students. This kid is amazing. Aces all of the tests without studying, reads voraciously, takes advanced placement math courses, loves all things science, and gets the lead in the school play.  Handles maintaining first chair in band, two select sport teams, gets recruited by the older teams, plays “up.” Blends in well with all crowds, understands adult humor, is known by all of the students and teachers (even if not in the same class), wears an “I love my mom” t-shirt. Wants to be the next Michael Jordan or Mary Lou Retton; needs to be challenged to dig deeper and is afraid of staying stagnant—but no one notices because the kid seems so confidant.

I’ve been teaching in large public schools since 1991. These are my children, these are your children. These are America’s children. Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means saying that your kid is fat. I am by no means saying that your kid has a problem.  I am by no means saying that your kid has low self-esteem.  I am by no means asserting that you recognized your child in the introductions. 

I see first-hand what happens to children who are even or slightly different. Trust me; they won’t talk about it with you, the parent. They won’t talk about it with their friends. They won’t say anything to address their concerns out loud. However, THEY WILL CHANGE. Their hearts will shatter if left unaddressed.

The change happens slowly at first, as a parent, you may not even recognize it.  They might have few friends, not get invited to parties like they did in kinder, have trouble sleeping at night.  They might be moody towards you, teary when you ask them what’s wrong, have headaches, stomach aches, panic attacks. The signs are slight and insidious—and they become good at coping: tips of the ears turning red, eyes watering, hair twirling, nail biting, eye lash pulling, refusal to eat, excessive sleepiness. Sarcastic.   Combative.  Rocking. Withdrawal. Stuttering. Non-participatory. Excluded. Ostracized. Lost. Victimized. Bullied. Depressed. Abandoned.   

And thus, Kids Performance Camp was born. Kids Performance Camp gets those kids. Kids Performance Camp understands those kids. We can help those kids. These are MY kids. These are YOUR kids. These are our kids. These are America’s kids. And, many of them are in crisis. Get them to Kids Performance Camp—we are slightly different, too. Let us help them awaken their pride, bolster their confidence, value their coordination, and celebrate the slightly differentness that makes us each strong and beautiful. Let us help your child find their inner athlete. 

bbbrig.com

Bring it with Blessings,

Brigbbbrig.com

Cut the C.R.A.P.

Okay boys and girls…I’m talking about food now.  Why? You and your diet are important to me. You and your diet are important for your children. You and your diet are important for your future.

Why your “diet” matters is important to understand when it comes to tweaking it.But, first things first--let's stop calling it a diet.  Nutrients or fuel represent every single food and drink you put in your body. I can remember my step-dad calling it “rabbit food” any time my mother dared stray from the ubiquitous roast beef, potato, corn combination plate.  The key to nutrition is simple:   the better you eat, the better you’ll feel, the better you’ll feel, the more you do (and for some strange reason, Beans, beans the musical fruit…is running through my brain right now.)

What do you eat, and when? First things first, toss out all the C.R.A.P. (Carbonated, Refined, Artificial, Processed foods) I know it is a daunting task which flies in the face of excuses like, "I'm wasting money if I throw this food out," "I'll wait until I need groceries again," and my all time fave: "I'm too busy to cook." Toss it. Get it over with. Do it to live longer, feel better, relax easier, perform smoother. If you need me to come over to your house,  scrounge through your cabinets, and throw out your junk, I will do it for you.  Make a list of all of the C.R.A.P that infiltrates your house. Then, cross off 2 or 3 things you can immediately toss. Make it a small goal each week to get rid of one  item on your list of C.R.A.P—embed this process into your goals for the month.

Have an eating schedule—and I’m writing this to myself right now because since June 4, I’ve been all over the map with my nutrient timing, and need to get a handle on it. Once you figure out how many calories per day you will be eating, next you will need to decide how many meals you will eat a day, then you can distribute the calories accordingly. If you need my help with calories, I will help you.

Keeping a schedule and eating even if you do not feel hungry is important because it will keep your blood sugar regulated.  Nutrient timing is the application of knowing when to eat and what to eat before, during and after exercise. It is designed to help athletes, recreational competitors, and exercise enthusiasts achieve their most advantageous exercise performance and recovery. Not an exerciser? Nutrient timing still applies. This avoids the peaks and falls which can happen and then lead to over eating and making poor eating choices. Think about the last time you “were good” all day until you got home from work, and then raided the pantry and ate everything in sight. Or the last time you committed to a "diet" and ate perfect portions of everything until the kids slammed into the room with a project that was due the next morning, and you lost it. Or the last time that Chick Fil-A looked and smelled so good as you were driving by--and running late--and did not plan--and did not feel like cooking---that you drove through the drive-through and got a party platter of nuggets for yourself?

 If you need me to help with nutrient timing, I will help you.

Cut the C.R.A.P.

Bringing it with Blessings,

Brig