The Chatty Gourmet

This past Sunday my co-worker Terri and I worked at the VIP booth at the Susan G. Komen Orange County Race for the Cure. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world's largest source of nonprofit funds that are dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer. This is the second year I have worked the Race for the Cure and it is such a powerful event. Their were over 30,000 people in attendance and it is so inspiring to see those who are there to support others or survivors who are currently in remission. As a member of SHG we love being able to give back to our community. We gave out some of our popular SHG breads and coffee cakes along with fruit and orange juice. My co-worker and I did something a little fun this year: we both wore pink wigs and it was a huge hit! Many people asked if they could take our picture. There are many people who dress up and wore themed shirts. There was even a contest for best team shirt. I had such a great time and I hope to be involved again next year. Just being surrounded by so many people that care reminds me how important it is to take some time to be of service to others in any way you can. I am proud to be a member of a company that feels the need to do so. 

I wanted to let you all know how things have been going with the running and eating. First and foremost I would like to say I am finally sleeping better -- not perfectly, but better. Last week was rough -- I was only able to workout once because I got sick and was fighting it all week. Regardless of being sick though, I kept up with eating healthy and resisted temptations like ice cream and all those soft foods that are comforting when you're sick. This week I am back on track and have lost nine pounds total as of last Sunday. That's in one month and a few days. I hope I can encourage you to give healthy living a try. You not only look better, but you feel better, too. Until next time...

Are you one of those people that struggles to wait for dinner either because of your grueling schedule or you're waiting on someone else? Well here is a tip for those of you who can identify with this. I read about it on Yahoo Health. According to Lucy Danziger, editor-in-chief of SELF magazine, playing games on your computer or phone can actually distract you from your hunger. Games on electronic devices "increases activity in the same areas of your brain that light up when you think about eating". So the next time you are starving but know you don't have a chance to eat at that time, or you need to wait for someone else, pull out that cell phone and play some solitare.

Lately, I have had difficulty sleeping. It is not only hard for me to fall asleep but I wake up continuously during the night. I was already walking but wasn't really exerting myself. Some co-workers and friends suggested I pick up the pace during my walks. I thought I should give it a try because maybe it would help me sleep better. I used to run in high school so I thought I could start out slow and work my way back up to a steady run. Within the first two weeks I lost 5 pounds and was run/ walking for about forty minutes three times a week. I also buckled down on my eating. I started reducing my calorie count in a day. I eat mostly SHG meals and in between have some fruit or 100 calorie snacks. I started eating about 1500 calories a day on average. I am currently on my fourth week and things are continuing to improve. I am running almost the whole time and my timing has improved. I have lost a total of eight pounds and am feeling more energized and sleeping better. I will continue to update ya’ll on my progress and please share any stories you might have…