Getting there...

Hey Campers!
I just wanted to pop in and share some revelations with you. First off, now that you've gotten a week into camp I'm sure you are feeling some things you have not felt in a long time, maybe never.
Some underused muscles perhaps? Maybe some interesting emotions being stirred up? As I round third (I'm working on the last 20lbs to my goal weight) I would like to impress upon you all to take some time to really examine how they got to where you are now. I became unfit as an emotional eater and it takes quite a lot to keep that reigned in. But its more important to me to get to my goal than to have that extra Cadbury egg.
This has been a very long journey for me, I started losing the weight in 2006 and now I realize how far away from myself I got. If you don't know, I'm a singer/songwriter. I went to music school. I made a record. But life happened and it didn't get released. I gained weight and stopped performing. I was too uncomfortable in my skin to put myself out there. I was embarrassed to share my music as this bigger version of myself. So, I spent the years before 2006 hiding inside this larger version of me.
When I started losing the weight I started to find myself again. I became re-involved in theatre. I started writing songs again. In fact, my producer is bringing me out to California for a week to record. So, it's years later but I am getting to what I feel I should have been doing about six years ago.
Why am I sharing this? Well, I just want to encourage you all that are just getting started or those of you that are mid-stream to forge ahead because even though I don't know what will happen after this record is made, I have to say it feels amazing just getting to make it. I'll see you all in about a week!

Candy Rage : The Fight Against Chocolate Covered Whoosits.

It's that time. Well technically, it has been that time. Halloween candy has been in the grocery stores for the last two months. Starbucks and every other coffee place in town has rolled out their 'Pumpkin Spice' flavored beverages. But what do you do when you are supposed to watch your calories, sugar intake, blah blah blah, cut back on sweets?

Seems like everywhere you go is littered with snack size, chocolate covered whatnots. How do you keep your hands from finding their way into the candy bowls and stay on track?

Reasons to say no to sweets:
You will live longer.
You will feel better.
Cutting back on sweets will help you reach your weight loss goals faster.

Take a look at how much you can lose if you just cut out soda!

1 bottle of Cola (20oz, regular, not diet) has 239 calories.

Let's say you have just one bottle of cola a day, every day.

7 x 239 calories = 1673

Since there are 3500 calories in a pound, without doing anything else you could lose about a half a pound a week JUST by leaving out the soda.

Here's are some tips to get you through Halloween:

Halloween
This used to be the most difficult holiday for me. Tiny little candies everywhere!

In a full size Snickers Bar there are 280 calories-- approximately 6 Snickers miniatures. Keep in mind --just because they are small does not mean you can eat more of them!

1. If you do not have the willpower to leave the candy alone, do not buy it. Donate the candy money to charity.
   
2. If your house is in danger of being egged if you go candyless, buy the candy that you don't like so you won't be tempted.
3. Wait till the last possible moment to buy candy. This will leave you with as little time alone with the candy as possible.
4. Keep the candy bowl by the door, do not go near the door/bowl of candy unless your house is in fact being egged or trick-or-treaters come by.
5. Put the candy in an adult-proof box or "Boo for you" box. Take a small box and cut a hole in it that is small enough for a child's hand but not your own. Decorate the box with a Halloween-y theme. Pour the candy inside. If a trick-or-treater's hand doesn't fit, shake the box directly over their bag. "But wait", you ask, "Stephanie what will stop me from shaking the box to get the candy out?" Nothing really, but hopefully having to try to maneuver a 'fun size' candy snack out of the boo box will slow you down, maybe even to the point that you will realize how not worth it it is.
6. Put the candy bowl on the porch and let the Trick-or-Treaters have at it. Of course with this you lose the benefit of the "The doorbell is ringing I better get up" workout. Oh and greedy kids will take too much candy.

Remember your goals. Yes, you could eat the candy but does it lead you where you want to go? Is it a distraction? Is candy as important as reaching your goals? No. Be strong and enjoy the many other things the holiday has to offer.