New Year, New review - Nike FuelBand

This post has been sitting with a title for ages.  I was scared to write it as I am not exactly an athlete who needs sports tracking but hey I am joe public & this is my blog for my thoughts, so here goes a post about Nike Fuelband.

Very aptly timed for all your new years resolutions to get healthy or lose weight.

As a dietitian I have the nutrition know how to lose weight but I just can't resist a good gadget to help me on my way.  In fact if you were to ask someone to describe me based on my gadgets/stuff they would probably think I was a gym bunny or health enthusiast. I am neither of these.

I do however want to lose weight & many companies have put some good technology to use in helping you achieve your health goals.  I am currently road testing a few.  The first my Nike FuelBand.

What is a Nike fuelband?

Well put quite simply, the fuelband is a wrist band you wear and it tracks your daily activity.

It also looks very simple, kinda like those charity wristbands that are given out to raise awareness of terrible conditions.  But this is no plain wristband this is a 'Nike' band.  Press the button & this bad boy jumps into action letting you know how much 'fuel' you've earned.  You set a goal for the day & the band lets you know if you are on track.

Mrs Brown's Nike Fuelband

How does is work?

I'll hand over to the nike guys for this one.

Through a sports-tested accelerometer, Nike+ FuelBand tracks your daily activity including running, walking, basketball, dancing and dozens of everyday activities. It tracks each step taken and calorie burned. It also tells the time of day.

Kinda like big brother, the band tracks my every movement & at the touch of a button I know if I've been on a go slow day & firmly in the red or if I'm having a killer day & smashing my goal.

What information does it give you?

From the band you can quickly gauge how much fuel you've earned & what time it is.  Sync it with the app on your phone & you get even more detailed information like, calories burned, steps taken, & active time. Also plugging in your band to charge from the laptop gives you access to past records looking at your weekly, monthly, yearly stats! To keep you going & cheer you on you even get badges, trophies & cheers!

What do you use it for?

Well it works by keeping you accountable to your daily activity levels.  Usually these gadgets are designed for sports people or athletes trying to improve their performance but I think the fuelband is great for say Mrs Brown who wants to lose weight & is struggling with the exercise bit.  You can set goals of how much calories you want to burn, you can try improve your streak, you can look back on what your month has been like - lots of info to keep you motivated to do more activity.

Would I recommend it?

If you want to  MAKE IT COUNT - Fuel up! Nike is racking made easy.  Nike makes me feel included in the sports tracking.  Converting activity into fuel, kinda, makes you able to compete with athletes.  With the fuelband, unlike the trainers & watch - I don't need to be good at sports I just need to join in!  Move - that's all you got to do! Anyway I can/want.  This is lucky for me as I don't really shine in the sports arena.  In fact it's probably why I've stuck with it.

I wear it every day, & yes my enthusiasm has reduced.  At the start I love getting a cheer & would be running on the spot at night just to make sure I met my goal & didn't lose my streak.  Now I have stopped that but I do care if I am on target to reach my goal & it does make me think about how many 'low' fuel days I am having.  So it depends what you are looking for, & it's not cheap! For me it is another useful gadget that keeps me on track.

My fitness resolution this year? Well, to hit my goal more times than last year.  I have also set a goal to burn 10,500 calories in 3 weeks thats 3,500 calories a week - that is the calories needed to burn off 1lb of fat each week!!

Do you have any fitness goals this year?

Any fitness gadgets you would recommend?

Love Mrs Brown xx

Comfort in Food

A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.

Benjamin Franklin

The nights are dark and there is a chill in the air the perfect time for a big bowl of piping hot tattie soup!

Comfort food is warming, fills your belly & harks back to good times. I'm thinking of a warm hug from the inside out, you know the feeling.

Your comfort food may be a mug of hot chocolate, a hearty soup, a traditional pasta bake or any food that you associate with feeling good with so a treat such as ice cream or cakes.

Food can affect your mood, and your mood can affect your food choices.

As a dietitian my work life is all about food. I talk about it all day! I have started to notice a pattern and association between my food and my mood.

When my mood starts to dip, my food choices start to slip.  I start choosing quick and easy meals.  My prep of meals gets less and less till I eventually end up eating out of packets.  Now this is not a post on healthy eating but more an observation that food plays a role in my depression.

When your spending most of your time on the sofa and haven't managed to coax yourself into the shower, there is no way your going to have the energy or inclination to cook a healthy meal from scratch. My meal of choice on these days (if I eat at all!) is a packet of crisps. Is this the kind of food that is going to fuel my brain and help with my serotonin levels? Not likely, however this is what I turn to.

Part of the choice comes from the lack of energy and motivation to complete tasks but there is also a part of me that chooses foods that give me comfort.  The downside to the comfort is the associated guilt feelings that I 'should' be choosing foods that will help provide the energy and lift I so desperately need.

I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life. I desperately want to be thinner and go through periods where I concentrate on weight reduction. I have the nutritional knowledge and if you had a look around our tiny flat you would think I was an athlete the amount of exercise equipment I have! Yet I still struggle.

At present I am going through my "I want to lose weight phase" So I have my fitness pal (follow me on   MrsBrownThought) and I am logging my calories in and out.

My mood has been up and down the past few weeks but I am trying to keep my eating on track and my hubby is home and he never lets me have nothing to eat.  He enjoys cooking and because he can be away alot with work he enjoys being able to try out new recipes when he is home.

He felt we had to celebrate the conclusion of the flat sale (yeah!!) and he chose to mark such an occasion by making a banoffee pie.

Just call Mr Brown - Browngella!

We use foods in this house to celebrate, to commiserate and to treat ourselves. Food is my work and it is a big part of our social life - eating out, cooking, treats, and rewards.

When my mood is low, I find myself looking for comfort in food.  Eating to feel better.  Eating to feed my brain more than my belly.  Eating to dampen the feelings of despair.  Eating to fill my emptiness.

Usually I would have all the banoffee pie and then beat myself up about it for days afterwards, which would send my mood on a downwards spiral.

This week I had a sizeable piece that I enjoyed immensely! Thank you Mr Brown. I logged it in my fitness pal food diary and I did a quick tabata workout to balance out my calories!

Today I right a blog post feeling the real comfort in food.  I enjoyed the treat my hubby had lovingly prepared and I felt the joy of being in control of my mood and my choices.  I think I may be turning a corner folks!

What's your comfort food? How does food affect your mood?

Love Mrs Brown xx

Related articles

• I'm A Sick Girl...No, Seriously!
• Comfort ye, my people
• Comfort Food...

Graze, My First Ever Review!

Signed up to the latest craze in food box and I am not promoting the boxes just wanted to do an honest review as I absolutely LOVE them.

I didn't expect to, but I do!!

So I had read about the Graze box a few places, thought about it but let it go, until I saw a cheeky deal on Groupon and thought what have I got to lose.

I have had three boxes now and I have tried some things I never thought I would.

So how does it work?

Well you sign up to Graze box

• Choose how many times a week you would like your little box of treats to drop through your letter box
• Choose where you would like them delivered - work, home, one off gift?

Then what kind of box do you want?

Then start rating! Have a look at the goodies they have on offer and give them a better idea of what to put in your box.

So I felt totally in control.  I clicked 'bin it' for all the stuff I knew I just wouldn't even try and 'love it' for the things that sounded amazing.

My first box arrived.  On the day I nominated.  I thought I'd take some pics as I was quite excited!

PicFrame Graze Box - I'm getting high tech

The box says 'Please turnover, unless you want to make a mess'.  I was worried, how will this work?

I needn't have.  The nibbles are in cute little tubs. They were kinda smaller than I expected.  My eyes were bigger than my belly though!

Each snack is just the right size!  Perfect for a snicky snack that keeps you full, is damn tasty, and you know everything that's in them so great if your watching your weight!!

Professional picture - screen shot of Graze box

I have been taking them to work as I get bored with sandwiches and these little treats are great to snack on throughout the day.  I say treat, because the flavours are amazing.  I can be a bit picky and tend to go for safe options.  I have been mighty impressed with every little pack so far.

The rice cracker thingys packed a punch, the breadsticks were crunchy and flavoursome, the salsa dip was like no other.  The simple combo of black pepper and pistachios was stunning.  That's the savoury stuff now onto the sweet.

Marvellous macaroon.  That names start the taste buds tingling.  Amaretti biscuit pieces, white chocolate, coconut flakes and almond slices.  I think this is my favourite so far but it is a hard run race.

They just cover all bases.  The names, the portions, the flavours I think they have things just right.

So I am in no way promoting them, just gushing as I am in love with @grazedotcom

If you wish to try a box for free head on over to http://www.graze.com/p/F4D4GNP

If you've been thinking about it, why not give them a go.  As far as snacks go, they are so convenient (delivered to your address!) there is so many options, and for £3.89 a box I think they are soo worth it.

Any questions feel free to ask

Love Mrs Brown xx

Related articles

• Review on the first Graze box

What is the ideal weight for a dietitian?

found at Jillianfitness.tumblr.com

Fat Weight Loss Experts Get No Respect - ABC News was so frank, it inspired me that I have to include something about this on my blog.

There are many articles about health professionals having unhealthy behaviours.  Does that make you less effective at your job?

I understand everyone makes judgements based on lots of different things, not least appearances.  As a registered health professional we must present a professional appearance, hence why we have uniform policies and professional standards we must adhere to in order to maintain the integrity of the profession.

There is the saying "Never trust a fat dietitian" which if you google comes up with lots of jokes and digs.  How can you preach to patients the healthy eating message when you outwardly don't follow your own advice?

Well I have to say, I don't preach.  My role is always to empower patients to make their own choices and to help them towards their goals.

At present I don't specialise in obesity/weight management.  Not because I don't think I am capable, although my self esteem takes a big battering with the weight struggles.  I help people increase their weight.  I counsel people to improve their nutritional status.  Many of my patients struggle just as much to keep the weight on as others try to lose it.

Do I get judgements from these people about my weight? Yes, I do.  I get the friendly comments "If you could just share a wee bit of your weight" or "well you don't understand how hard it is for me"

So there is no ideal weight, for anyone, let alone a dietitian.

I am human.  Think some people need reminding some times.

I can empathise.  As a profession as I have the understanding of nutrition, health and behaviour change.

I am qualified.  I study hard, and I keep up to date.  But I know my patients don't see this part of me.

Everyone has their own story.  I've never walked in your shoes, I will never know what it is exactly like to be 'you'.  But you will also never know what it's like to be 'me'.

Judge me on my knowledge, judge me on my skills, judge me on how we interact but don't judge me on the numerical number I weigh on the scales, or the number that is stitched into the label on my clothes.

Do you see your health professionals as 'people'? Or do you make judgements based on appearance or job title?

Love Mrs Brown xx



Related articles

http://leighsactiveengagement.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/who-would-trust-fat-dietitian.html

http://healthyinkuwait.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/fat-dietitian-story-of-ongoing-battle.html

• All of me.

Sunday Dinner

I have had a lovely day, but I appear to have forgotten to take any real photos to capture the spirit of today.  However I think I may have stumbled upon a deeper meaning for me & the August Break 2012.  I know there is no rules to this project, just a photo to capture August but for me starting out on a journey back to work & blogging I feel it is a great way of opening myself up.  So bear with me on this post.

August Break 2012

I have been playing around with my hair colour for a while now & with pennies being tight wanted to be able to do some home colouring rather than always in the salon.  So now I have an all over colour & today I decided it needed a spruce up so Black Cherry it is!

I haven't done a home colour for a while & forgot about the clock watching that goes on.  20minutes felt very long as I sat in the middle of the room wrapped in old towels terrified to get a drip of purple dye on our cream carpet or white bathroom!

I do love the strange smell of chemicals that comes with home colouring, think it takes me back to my youth, where I loved experimenting with colour.  I think I have been most colours at one time or another, I even had blonde for a while, boy was that high maintenance & a bugger to grow out!

Think it turned out ok & it's always shiny & soft after a semi permanent so thats a bonus, some parts are dark but thats old dark tint but I do like the lively red.

Black cherry?

So I did my hair before meeting my friend for Sunday Dinner.  I haven't seen Rach since the wedding, over a year now & she was my bridesmaid.  She stays a few hours away so it can be hard to keep in touch but usually we never go this long.

When my mood is low, I tend to shut everyone out.  The longer it gets between speaking the more I put it off.  But Rach has stuck with me & for that I am truly grateful.  So when she was up north for a wedding & passing by on her way home I jumped at the chance to catch up in person.

This dinner has been booked for a while, & even though she's my good friend I still felt myself getting nervous as the day went on.  Silly how catching up with a friend over dinner can make you stressed.

That's how I roll these days, I get nervous about what I will say, what people may think & a million other things will race through my mind too but it's never as bad as I imagine, & tonight was no different.

We were running a little late (my procrastinating probably to blame!) but after the initial sorry & stressing about being late, it was just two couples, good friends who haven't seen each in other in ages having a good catch up.  The conversation flowed, topic to topic we got caught up on what we have both been through in the last few months.  The good, and not so good, but we concentrated on the good & what we are grateful for.

So although I leave with a bit of a headache & tired from over thinking everything, my mood is good.  I just need to vow now to try not leave it too long between catch ups.

Life gets busy & I feel like I don't want to bother other people but I'm not bothering my friends.  They are my friends & if they are busy, we can always find another time.  I am grateful for my friends & family & at our wedding I could see the many special people we have in our lives.

This is what Sunday Dinner was meant to be like.  Getting people together, sharing comfort in the food & the company.  To catch up on yourself.  To glance back & reflect but with a focus on the time ahead.

As we drove home, I realised I didn't capture any photos of what really mattered today!  I didn't get a pic of the full table, I didn't get a our hugs as we said hello or good bye (I don't do hugs often, so a pic of that would have been one for the scrap book)  I didn't get my friend I haven't seen for ages or anything.

So in closing this post I think about tomorrow & the photo a day in August.  I think I should try capture the essence of the day.  The photo doesn't need to be posed correctly or shot in the right light but if I am going to take a picture, to take it for the right reasons.  To take it to remember my journey through that day.  To document my day in August 2012.

The sky is light tonight & I wanted to try capture this, but my iphone just flashed & I ended up with the inside of the car & a hint of the fog outside, but I have included the picture as this was my night. A bright clear Sunday night, good dinner & good company.

The inside of the car, on a bright Sunday evening

Love Mrs Brown xx

Tuesday Treat

I am off on a Monday but generally busy but I am officially back at my NHS job on a Tuesday.  So Tuesday feels like Monday & the whole week just gets a bit skew.

Usually what happens is I get in & switch the tv on & that's me.  Tonight instead I went to supermarket got myself a great uplifting magazine (not gossip or dieting) and choose to have a quick easy dinner of bagels & cream cheese, yummy! I'm just new to bagels & seem to have developed a little bit of an addiction!

My hubby was a witness at court today, we've never been involved with police so we had a good natter about his day & how it was nothing like what you see on the telly & all the hanging about he had to do.

I must admit my magazine & my doughnut have done me the world of good I feel like I've had a proper Tuesday Treat!! I'm nice & relaxed & may even manage a reasonable bed time, so I can carry my cheery mood into hump day!

Love Mrs Brown xx

I swallowed a fly!

I swallowed a fly today out on a walk with the dog and immediately this rhyme came into my head!

They just don't make nursery rhymes like this any more, probably a good thing as my 2nd thoughts after the rhyme was "I'm not swallowing a spider" and then Dietitian head kicked in "Mmm does that count as protein or maybe mineral, it definitely will add to unhealthy gut bacteria!"

Just a sneaky peek into my exciting life!

Love Mrs Brown xx

Change Challenge

So this year one of the things I've decided I'm going to change is my weight.

I have been overweight since I was 16 years old.  I was besotted with a boyfriend 6 years older than me, was studying for exams and decided I was too old for Highland Dancing so after years of dedication to this hobby I gave it up overnight.  I had classes 4 days per week with competitions at the weekend, not surprisingly as my activity levels went from hero to zero and the number on the scales just kept rising.  It went on very fast and I've struggled with my weight ever since.

Fact #1 I am a registered Dietitian
Fact #2 I know how to lose weight - 4yrs at uni and 6yrs clinical practice
Fact #3 I have wanted to lose weight, even longed for it since it piled on 13years ago!

So why is now different?  In answer to that  - I don't know, but I do hope this motivation lasts.

I have decided to put everything I know into practice - energy requirements, medical knowledge, nutritional contents, behaviour change skills, psychology and good old common sense.

So I've also started a group! Yeah I can't do anything in half measures.  So I am running a group on a Monday evening called the Change Challenge.

Each week I load the group up with information and set them a challenge to put healthy eating principles into practice.

Life doesn't get better by chance, It gets better by change.

So this week was about enjoying your food more.  This challenge asked us to slow down, relax and enjoy our food with all our senses.  Commit to eating one meal each day as if it's your favourite food in the world and your describing it to someone who's never experience this dish before.  It's about eliminating distraction, being mindful and falling in love with food again instead of it being the enemy.

The other challenge this week had the title "Dance like nobody's watching!" and I have to say I'm enjoying it even more than I thought I would.  So maybe I'll try do a blog on one of my favourite songs for this week.

Any sensible slimming tips please feel free to add them below!  This is not about fad diets but more on self acceptance and adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Over and out,

Mrs Brown xx

(bam another post in the bag!)