I have a weakness. It’s simple carbs. Whether it is white bread, cake, potatoes that apparently aren’t electrically shocked – whatever the carb — I love it. But I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t pulling out the stops as my 10-year high school reunion quickly approaches. Which means it’s time for a low-carb diet!

Except I’m doing it a little different this time around. See, a complete lack of carbs is bad for people who regularly workout (carbs are an important source of energy for those that workout often and hard) and dairy products like yogurt are actually good for you (greek yogurt only has a minimal amount of carbs anyways). So I’m definitely having some carbs prior to workouts — but not a crazy amount. Best part, my husband decided to join in on the fun!

So I came up with a fun recipe to kick of things — Chicken Fajitas. I subbed out the tortillas and replaced them with huge pieces of romaine lettuce to create a wrap, and I’m not going to lie — they were freakin’ clutch. Here’s the recipe:

1 bag of pre-cooked chicken fajita meat (I got mine on the cheap from HEB)
1 white onion
2 avocados
Fat-Free Cottage Cheese
Fat-Free sour cream
Pre-made salsa
Head of romaine lettuce

It was pretty simple. I dumped the meat into a skillet with chopped up onions and followed the directions on the bag. Then I sat the rest of the condiments to the side and we filled up our “tortillas” (the romaine lettuce) buffet-style. And I had enough left over to make a fajita salad (I threw in some carrots for color and some carbs since I’ll be doing a run later) for lunch today. Total prep-time was probably 15 minutes or less.

Dessert consisted of some strawberries and yummy cantelope.  Healthy and I still get my sweet tooth fix!

I’m going to let you in on a bit of a secret – I’m petrified of cycling. I bought a road bike almost two years ago and only ridden the thing a handful of times, which is just sad.

In my mind, I was ready to do a triathlon. Nothing big or anything, just a simple sprint distance. After taking a Swimming 101 class and getting over whatever issues I had in the pool (like being an idiot that can’t swim well), I bought the bike and signed up for a training class.

This is the 2011 version of my Felt Bike. Gotta love purple!

Thinking that riding a bike would be easy to pick back up (I hadn’t ridden one since middle school), I bought The Rookie Package at Jack and Adam’s bikeshop, which came with a nice road bike (purple to be exact… though I’m sure it had other important details besides color), a helmet, clip-on shoes, a tri-outfit and a handful of other items for when I get a flat.

Excited to try out my new purchase obtained with a well-deserved yearly bonus from work (probably the first one I’ve received that wasn’t spent on clothing or accessories… exercise win!!), I immediately got into my gear and made Justin watch me to ensure I didn’t do anything stupid. Which of course I did.

See, I had never used clips before. And coupled with the whole “I haven’t been on a bike in 15 years” problem, I sort of immediately fell down. I stupidly tried to clip in both feet into the pedals while Justin held onto the bike (because he was equally stupid when it came to these things but smart enough to know not to try it himself) and I went from upright to horizontal in less than a second.

And because I love the idea of idiocy, I thought I’d try the exact same method again. Once I finally did get moving on the third try, I thought I was going so fast (I wasn’t though), that I started screaming that I couldn’t stop. Justin calmly “walked” up to me and helped slow the bike down to a near craw.

After a few lessons on the bike, I fell two more times (though someone commented I was the most graceful faller they’ve ever seen… because that helps the pain subside 24 hours later) and I gave up.

Honestly, I was pretty mad at myself. I spent close to $1,000 on something I used a total of four times and I quit. I hate quitting stuff.

Flash-forward to last week when one of my close friends, Kim at Energetic Space convinced me to give the bike a try again. She’s been blogging a lot about her triathlon training experience and it’s gotten me intrigued about the concept again. After about 15-20 minutes getting me over my fear of clipping in and going, we were off. I know I was going stupidly slow, but Kim was a wonderful sport about it, and got me thinking about all sorts of stuff. It was just the 1:1 interaction I needed.

In fact, I was so confident, that I went on a bike ride by myself for the first time ever on Sunday and never fell. That is progress!

Will I ever do a triathlon? I’ve managed to get over my fear of swimming and now my fear of falling off my bicycle, so I think I’m ready for a new challenge.

Closing out my last week in D.C., I’ve come to realize..holy crap, get me back to my neurotic Austin ways.

I may have only been here for three months, but I feel like I’ve ballooned up; which I suppose is debate-able. But, nothing makes you feel gigantic than to watch TV. It’s been so long since I’ve stared at my Austin fridge covered in Victoria’s Secret models. So, when I turn on the television and get sucked in the “Devil Wears Prada”; I’m quickly reminded of my crazy habits.

I’ve started running longer distances again and am much better with the diet. The allergies are flaring like woah; so it’s only best that I finally get back on my routine. This was definitely a rant, but I hope a kick-starter one.

As you all know by now, I’m not really willing to sacrifice calories if something tastes like cardboard, yet I’m all about cutting back where I can to avoid my dreaded time in the gym, so this place strikes the perfect balance. We were also thrilled to learn that owner, Hedda Dowd, is currently looking for space here in Austin to open a second location.

Here are some pictures for your mouth-watering pleasure:

The girls... minus Kristine

Marshmallow Soup- the marshmallows are actually made of goat cheese

The Chocolate Souffle!

Mere!!  I think I found the perfect excuse for you not to exercise. It’s called EIA, or Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis. Essentially, you break out in hives, have stomach issues, lightheadedness and difficulty breathing.

But in all seriousness, I wanted to research when to work out and when not to work out when you’re feeling under the weather. For whatever reason, mold counts in Austin are at ridiculous levels (though, when are they not at stupid-high counts?), which makes the scratchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes and itchy inner ears a bit of a distraction while working out. Yesterday, I felt awful. I had the 900-number phone operator voice going on and congestion. But after working out in the middle of the day, suddenly my allergy symptoms diminished, and today I’m feeling a lot better – and I never took any medicine!

So what gives? Is my body a freak of nature, or is there something to this?

Many homeopathic sites recommend good nutrition and exercise to stave off allergies, but in Austin, that’s just not enough. But I found one site that says yoga can help manage allergy symptoms because it reduces your stress. Given my workout took place during the day – providing a break from a hectic work day – and I find working out oddly relaxing (versus Mere, who loathes it), this theory makes a messed-up kind of sense. At the end of the day, light cardio will actually open your nasal passages, which helps you breathe better long after your workout.

Here are some other tips if you have something other than allergies affecting your general willingness to work out:

Don’t work out if
*You’re running a fever (which usually means your contagious, and why would you be at the gym anyways; plus, it puts unnecessary stress on the heart)
*You’ve barfed, or you have a stomach ache (again, why would you be in a public place feeling like that?)
*You have chest congestion, coughing or shortness of breath

Do a cardio-only workout if
*Just the sniffles
*You just have a mild cold (but only after 2 or 3 days in and just make it light – no weights!!)

Listen to your body. Chances are, if you are sick and still work out, you’ll just take longer to get better. And that’s just dumb. And cross-training after a period of long illness will help you get your strength back sooner.

Given my soreness level today, going water skiing on vacation is definitely a @fatroll win. The burger after it, not so much.

I love vacations. I love food. And oddly enough, I love working out while on vacation. Call me a freak of nature, but every time I go out of town, I’ll even check to see if there are upcoming 5K running races in the towns I visit (IMHO, it’s the best way to see a city).

After this weekend’s adventures with Meredith and Ashley (I mixed yummy eating with water skiing and swimming laps for a @fatroll equalizer), I am intrigued by the concept of a grown-up version of fat camp.

I want the experience of doing things I’ve never down before in a new location but without the guilt associated with the idea of “I’m on vacation so I don’t count calories.” Hate to break it to you, but that mentality can be Step 1 of jumping off the diet/exercise wagon. It’s a lot easier to come back from vacation and stick to your routine if you don’t deny its existence.

So here’s a list of some locales I’d love to check out (locally, nationally and globally) that focus on healthy lifestyle vacations (with the added bonus of LOSING weight while on vacation… talk about an ultimate @fatroll win):

The Most Famous of Adult Fat Camps, Canyon Ranch: Located in Tucson, Miami and Lenox, Mass., this chainof resorts is the Four Season’s of ass-kicking. It’s expensive, has a ton of features (the Tucson location has an aquatic center, sleep lab, golf performance center, hiking, yoga, you name it) and are all-inclusive. There are more than 40 complimentary fitness classes a day, and they even provide you with a health and fitness assessment by a nurse just to explain to you why you showed up to grown-up fat camp in the first place. And for my @fatroll foodie heart, you get three gourmet meals a day, plus snacks. Packages range from 4-nights at $3,170 (for one person, deluxe room) to a 1-bedroom suite with a spa package for 10 nights at $11,510 (one person).

Fat Camp for East Coast Hippies, New Life Hiking Spa: I read about this place in Gulfshore Life Magazine and this sounds like my idea of a perfect vacation and Meredith’s version of Hell.  A substantially cheaper option than Canyon Ranch, their packages rangefrom 2-4 day “mini vacations” to the 11-day “Weight Loss Retreat.” They even advertise air conditioned rooms! (hahaha) Hiking is their area of expertise – they’re based in Vermont – and you’re required to buy high-top textured-sole hiking boots. Personally, I just like the idea of pretending I’m in the movie White Christmas and instead of dancing my way to weight loss, I’m climbing my way…

Fat Camp for Texas Hippies, The Crossings:The Crossings has less to do with weight loss, and more to do with finding your spiritual and physical well-being. Though only 30 minutes from downtown, I’ve never been here before, but it sounds fabulous.  Unfortunately, it looks like The Crossings does not have specific programs designed to focus on weight loss, so if you are looking more for relaxation than getting your butt handed to you on a worn out mat, this place probably isn’t for you. I can’t get a feel for pricing, but it looks like nightly prices range from $165 to $430, depending on room size, food and activities. Being a healthy hippie ain’t cheap, folks!

If you are considering grown-up fat camp, this article from Health.com might be helpful as you make your decision. Some good advice – the “retreats” administered by health professionals (not fitness gurus) are the ones that have proven to be the most successful.

Photo couresty of howstuffworks.com

This morning, I was trying to get a workout in to counteract the inevitable effects of a Girls’ Weekend (because you know that’s going to be one big giant fail). Anyways, I was listening to the news and my ears perked when I heard “wheat” and “shortage” in the same sentence.

Anything with a large amount of carbohydrates(bread, pasta, everything that tastes good) are probably my biggest vice, and I have a funny feeling (and granted, I’m no expert), that my excess weight around my mid-section is a result of my body’s inability to process carbs.

So when I heard that weight prices have skyrocketed due to a drought in Russia, at first I freaked out because I love bread, but then realized what a golden opportunity this is.

According to reports, if prices of wheat continue to spike, we could be paying 25-30% more for just a loaf of bread and 10% more for pizza. And given my better half is still unemployed, that price jump doesn’t work with the current food budget. And think about it — wheat isn’t just in bread and pizza. It’s in a ridiculous amount of processed foods. And restaurants are totally going to pass the costs down to the consumer. With a ban on wheat exports out of Russia until December 1, now is the perfect time to rethink your dieting strategy!

I’m not saying to go all Atkins or South Beach on your diet (because completely cutting out carbs can give you a serious case of crazy), but it’s doing simple things. Avoid the bread basket at restaurants. Try a sandwich with a lettuce wrap instead. Eat brown rice with your dinner. Stuff like that. Maybe this is just the motivation you need to lose the weight and save a few bucks in the process.

I’m baaaack! And I’m here to share a new @fatroll term with you all: Diet-tarded. This one is for all you readers that think it’s a brilliant idea to start diets at the end of the week, especially when you know you’ll be traveling or celebrating something with friends.

Used in a sentence: Jenni is diet-tarded for starting a diet the day before we spend the weekend with Kimmy.*

*Kimmy would be my fabulous mother who always seems to have the most ridiculous spread ready for us when we visit. I give Jenni five minutes before she loses this battle to a chocolate concoction of some type.

Origin (IM Conversation):

Jenni:  Read my latest Fatroll post- I am officially back on a health food kick. We’ll see how long I last this weekend though.

Me:  Uh, yeah, way to start a diet before a weekend with Kimmy, silly girl.

Jenni:  Dumb, but worth a shot.

Me:  I wouldn’t even bother.

Jenni:  Less of a diet more about eating less.

Me:  Good luck to you my friend.

Jenni:  I’m going to fail but I’m going to try, dang it.

Me:  See I only try things I know I can do. I like to over deliver.

Jenni:  Haha I have a history of under delivering.

Me:  It doesn’t seem to stop you though – I think I’d give up all future goals if that were the case. So kudos to you for your optimism.

Jenni:  I like failure apparently.

Graph courtesy of the CDC.

Talk about the ultimate @fatroll fail. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its latest statistics on obesity in this nation. Let’s break it down before I wax poetic about this:

• The number of states with an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more has tripled to nine states. Sidebar – in 2000, no state had obesity levels at that level.
• In only two years (the previous study was compiled in 2007), there was an increase of 1.1% nationwide in obesity… or 2.4 million people. Scarier thought? That also means more than 72 million U.S. adults are obese. (That doesn’t even count the kiddos under 18.)
• Medical costs associated with obesity in the U.S. are now at $147 billion. People that are obese have more than $1,400 greater costs in health care than someone who is not obese.
• Colorado is the only state that has an obesity level at less than 20% (Washington D.C. also has an obesity level less than 20%). No state has an obesity rate less than 15%.

Scariest part of this data? It’s self-reported and compiled by interviews with state health departments. And Lord knows we all lie to ourselves about how bad our weight gain really is. Experts think these numbers could be off as much as 7 percent, which means more than 15 million adults are obese on top of the 72 million already accounted for.

These numbers speak for themselves. Our eating habits and lack of exercise and general activity are probably a large reason why healthcare costs are so huge (no pun intended) in this country. Let’s think about it. According to the Census Bureau, 75.5% or 225 million people are over the age of 18 in the U.S. With more than 72 million adults with obesity, 1 in 7 adults are obese. Not cool.

Listen, I’m not asking for a world full of stick figures – honestly, I don’t find stick figures that attractive. But let’s face it, things like Fat Pride Meet Up Groups, National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) and the International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) don’t need to be focused on being fat and proud, they are simply perpetuating an unhealthy lifestyle, which results in greater healthcare costs. And it’s not that I hate fat people or look down on them (scary to think some people do) – I’m just concerned for you and want you to live a long and healthy life.

Image Courtesy of the CDC.

Again, I stress this – make sure you chat with your doctor about your body type and weight – it’s the only way to have better certainty in whether your weight is causing health issues now (or will down the road).

All I want is for people to eat relatively healthy and work out a few times a week. Heck, in the long run, you’ll save money. Let’s think about it in financial terms. That extra $1,400 you’re racking up in healthcare bills could have gone towards retirement. If you’ve been obese since the age of 30, you could have had an extra $42,000 in the bank by the age of 60 (and if you invested that money, even more unless your portfolio took a nose dive in 2008).  Suddenly the $1 Big Mac or $3 bag of chips you ate while watching The Biggest Loser (which admittedly, I’ve done before…) doesn’t seem like such a good deal anymore.

For additional analysis on these statics, I recommend reading articles from ABC News and the New York Times. And I definitely recommend reading CDC’s monthly newsletter called Vital Signs on this very topic.

Listen, I know it’s tough to lose the weight. I’m struggling right now (poorly I might add) to keep off the weight I lost last year. It’s a life-long battle. It’s not easy and it will never be easy. That’s why this is an epidemic. But having friends and family that are going through the same issues as you and banding together to kick the weight to the curb is a great way to lose the weight. So good luck, and remember, we’re totally here for you every step of the way.

As we’ve mentioned before, we love love hearing from the community. We love it even more when you decide to share your story.

I’m proud to present the following insightful and encouraging story by one of my dearest friends, Lisa. I’ve known her since undergrad and have always been thankful for her kind support and generous words. Did I mention she’s a badass on the dance floor? We also share the same “I’m not the tiny asian” syndrome.

The @fatroll girls LOVE this story and hope you do too! Enjoy

Quick Stats About Me

Lisa:

• Height: 5’4”
• Start Weight/BMI: 175/30 (Obese: 30+)
• Current Weight: 169
• Goal Weight: 125-130/22 (Normal: 18.5-29.9)
• Time Line: 20-25# by November 21st (my birthday) or December 8th (a wedding)

What finally gave me the final push to actively lose weight? My upcoming 27th birthday in November, tired of feeling “big” compared to my standard-Asian size girlfriends (standard Asian girl size = 00, JK…but sadly close to that size), noticing that I was shying away from social gatherings because I was just uncomfortable in my own skin, and that feeling when your heart sinks to your stomach when you realize that even black ain’t slimming down the back-fat.

I got myself to this size, and I was the only one that can make the decision to become healthier. I’m realistic about my goal; I’ll never be stick-thin nor is that my intention; I know this will take time and patience on my part.

I started this weight loss goal with my friend Grace on July 5th, 2010. We both can’t remember ever feeling good in our own skin especially being surrounded by a whole bunch of standard-Asian sized chicks; so it has been great doing this with someone.

Grace has been a great motivator when I don’t’ feel like exercising, and she has slapped a chicken tender out of my hand before =X partially because I was eating someone else’s meal after I finished mine… But I think the most helpful part about having a friend to lose weight is that you both can relate to each other’s struggle, and you don’t feel so alone in what feels like an uphill battle.

My plan is to lose about 1-1.5#/week in the most healthy and least agonizing way: choosing healthier options, calorie counting, portion controlling, and exercising. I know what you’re going to say, DUH! Less In, More Out = Weight Loss; I knew this, I just chose not to, but I’m choosing to do it now.

Grace and I started doing P90X, like everyone else and their mama, but we adjusted the regimen to make it more do-able/realistic for us to stick to. Grace and I use P90X for the weight training every other day,and cardio the other days. Grace and I joined Brian O’Neils Running Club: where we run 3 miles on Tuesdays, and after our 10th run we get a running shirt that allows us to get 10%OFF at Fleet Feet (similar to Run Tex/Rogue) and discounted beer at BON; hey, dieting doesn’t mean depriving ALL things… moderation/portion control.

Grace likes to do Insanity, I prefer to interval train on a treadmill. As far as calorie counting, I’ve found a great tool I use religiously now: LiveStrong.This site is one of the most thorough sites I’ve used, from its extensive food/nutrition directory to custom loops/routes you create via Google Map that will calculate distance and caloric expenditure according to your MPH.

Being a science kid; I can appreciate a pie chart of my daily protein/carb/fat intake! The chart don’t lie.

The key thing to sticking to a diet is preparation and routine. The less you have to think about what you’re going to eat, the more likely you’ll succeed. I plan on what I will be eating the day before to make sure it’swithin my calorie allotment.

I prepare my breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week in Tupperware, so I just grab-and-go in the mornings. For example, I crack 6 egg whites into Tupperware, add seasoning, and cheese the night before, so I can just wake up, turn the stove on medium heat, and throw the egg whites into the pan while I get ready for work (I check on it in between). I don’t mind eating the same thing a few days in a row. So far, I’ve lost 6# even with some FAILS. I can’t wait to be lighter, fitter, and healthier. No one can stand in my way, but me.