Do you have a poor self image?

I know I am losing weight, the scale and the photos tell me so. But sometimes when I look in the mirror I still see the same over weight girl I saw four month ago. Co-workers and some family members tell me I am a "skinny-Minnie" but I am having a hard time registering that. I sense that I have beaten myself up for so long about being 'fat' that I am still holding onto the 'I am so fat mentality'.

Now what's a girl to do? I am going to have to research this and figure out how to reverse this poor self image faze I am going through. And if I have a poor self image does that mean I have a low self esteem. Are the two intertwined?

Heres some info I found on wikipedia:
A person's self image is the mental picture, generally of a kind that is quite resistant to change, that depicts not only details that are potentially available to objective investigation by others (height, weight, hair color, sex, I.Q. score, is this person double-jointed, etc.), but also items that have been learned by that person about himself or herself, either from personal experiences or by internalizing the judgments of others. Those items include the answers to such questions as:

Am I thin?
Am I fat?
Am I attractive?
Am I weak?
Am I strong?
Am I intelligent?
Am I stupid?
Am I a good person?
Am I a bad person?
Am I masculine?
Am I feminine?
Am I likable?

What do you think? I am going to have to walk this evening and think about this one?

Top 10 Most Hazardous Foods~ Eat at Your Own Risk

Eat these foods at your own risk. Be sure the establishment from which you procure your food is a clean and reputable distributor and service provider.

When you think of “dangerous” food, it probably conjures up images of eating slugs and bugs on “Survivor.” But most of the estimated 76 million Americans who experience food borne illnesses each year are sickened by nothing more exotic than fruit, vegetables, grilled chicken or coleslaw at a summer picnic.

Alfalfa Sprouts
The danger: “Sprouts are at the top of the list when it comes to potential problems,” says Michael Doyle, Ph.D., director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. “The conditions for producing sprouts promote the growth of harmful bacteria.” In order to grow sprouts, the seeds are soaked and kept moist—a prime breeding ground for bacteria (salmonella is the most common illness associated with sprouts).

The safer solution: While Doyle reports that some researchers are looking at ways to test the water in which sprouts are grown in order to identify batches that are contaminated, it is not yet a foolproof system, and recalls and illness outbreaks are still common. Growing sprouts yourself at home is also no guarantee of safety—the same conditions that breed bacteria in commercial sprouts can exist no matter how careful you are. Washing sprouts does not clean away harmful bacteria, so the only way to guarantee safety is to cook them. “Unfortunately, when you cook them, they pretty much disappear,” says Ruth Frechman, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, who nonetheless mixes sprouts into cooked soups and stir-fries

Cantaloupe
The danger: A recent recall of cantaloupe imported from Honduras because of salmonella contamination has focused attention on the melon. The rind that encases the fruit may harbor the bacteria, but it is easily transferred to the edible flesh inside once it’s cut up.

The safer solution: Doyle reports that some producers treat the exterior of melons with steam to kill the bacteria without affecting the inside of the fruit. But there’s no way to know if you are getting one of these treated melons. Washing the skin may help, but with so many cracks and crevices in the rind, it’s not necessarily an effective solution. You can be careful with the way cut-up cantaloupe is stored (at home or at the store). “Harmful bacteria can thrive and multiply at room temperature,” say Doyle, so he recommends steering clear of any cut fruit that isn’t kept refrigerated.


Salad Bar Fixings
The danger: It may be the ultimate in convenience to swing by the salad bar and choose from a wide array of ingredients that are all chopped up and ready to mix into a customized meal. But letting someone else do all the prep work can result in some unhealthy surprises. “The biggest factors contributing to potentially unsafe salad bar food are foods that aren’t kept hot or cold enough, handling of food by workers with poor hygiene, and refilling partially used containers of perishable food with fresh food,” says Doyle.

The safer solution: Be sure your salad bar food is kept at the proper temps (cold food kept cold, hot ones heated sufficiently), that workers practice safe food handling, and that enough people buy food there to keep the supplies fresh. Also, Frechman cautions against salad bars that don’t have a “sneeze guard” to protect the food from airborne bacteria.


Read about the other Top 10 Most Hazardous Foods by Sally Wadyka

College student loses 120lbs in 11 months

Nike+ Sneakers will give you the Jalk of your life

I have been meaning to get back here and post but, I am so active now I simply didn't have the time. I'm not sure if let you all know that I am now a trainer at the gym I have been working out at. I coach a class at 5am Monday thru Friday. I have to say it is the best way to workout. We rely on one another to stay motivated.

On the weekends and in the evenings I still walk, but more often what I like to call 'jalking'. You know what that is. You walk a little, and then jog a little. I like to set my goals by the lamp post. I tell myself not to stop running until I've made it to the third post or the tenth mailbox. It is a fun way to get my cardio done.


I recently added another tool to my exercise arsenal-Nike+ Sneakers. Nike+ sneakers and their workout tracking system have reenergized my 'jalking'.

Here's how it works. You get the Nike+ Sensor and the Nike+ Sneakers you sync up the sneakers with your IPod and start 'jalking', walking, or running and the sensor sends the data to your IPod. You can wait until the end of your workout to see how far you have gone, how many feet per minute and you can even see at a glance how many calories you burned while doing it. You don’t have to wait until you are done working out to get this data though. All you have to do is press the center button on you IPod and a voice will come on and tell you your real time progress.

But get this; the best part is at the end of your workout a major professional athlete will speak to you and give you those words of encouragement. I had my longest work out ever on Sunday and Tiger Woods’ voice came on and gave me positive feedback. How cool is that?

Well, if you don't have an IPod yet be sure to pick one up, add to that your Nike+ Sneakers and sensor and you are in for the 'jalk', walk or run of your life.

Thanks for walking with me and keep up the great work!