9 products at Target

I have started to feel comfortable grocery shopping for made in the USA, but the real test begins today.  I must buy some boys size 10 jeans.  While searching for made in the USA kids jeans, I came across a link to search Target.com for "made in the USA" products.  Only 9, count 'em 9, showed up.  How scary is that?!  I am proud to say that I own one of the products listed. 

My problem is finding jeans and finding them fast.  If kids at school weren't so mean, I would not feel in such a rush.  However, when my son comes home telling me that he got teased for wearing straight leg jeans, I feel bad.  Really, 5th grade boys really care what other kids are wearing.  He got at least 5 comments he told me about his jeans and the boys asking him about his "skinny" jeans.  The worst part is, he considers at least 3 out of the 5 his friends.  So, the hunt is on.  I don't mind buying him new jeans, it is not like he doesn't need them.  I mind the teasing. 

If you have any suggestions on Made in the USA jeans, please let me know.

Bell & Evans Chicken - look for it!

Ok, well I once again have ventured to do some grocery shopping.  It is not easy to find produce from the USA this time of year, but I did have some success:  Green Giant Baby Carrots and Pero Family Farms Baby Sweet Peppers.  My score of the night was finding out that my favorite hummus, Sabra, is made in the US of A!!!  I did make a fatal error tonight, but too late because it is already open... Kona coffee from BJ's.  It is their Berkeley & Jensen brand.  The whole coffee label touts the good beans from the island of Hawaii, but I missed that in very small print it says that it contains beans from USA and El Salvador.  Bummer, but I will be on the lookout for coffee only from Hawaii.  The sweetest treat for the night was when we opened a Christmas present of a Whitman's Chocolate Sampler to find the insert that says "American Made inside & out".  Not only are the candies made here, but also the packaging.  Then my gluten free daughter, Kylae, asked me a question about the directions on her Gluten Free Chicken Tenders from Bell & Evans who make the fabulous chicken tenders right here in Pennsylvania!!!  We got our milk from Merrymead Farm in Lansdale, PA.  I like to buy good stuff that is as close to home as possible.  Just sent the deposit to Living Hope Farm in Harleysville, PA for our organic produce this coming summer.  As much as I like snow, I am still looking forward to those fabulous pick your own strawberries and succulent tomatoes from Farmer Jill!

My 2012 Resolution

Ok, no weight was gained or lost since I last posted about trying to lose weight.  I did however sprain my MCL.  So, I am doing my PT exercises and hope to get back to "real exercising" soon.  My real weight loss may come with my new 2012 resolution...
BUY AMERICAN.  I thought, how hard could it be?  Well, it is January 2, 2012 and I went to BJ's to pick up a few items for the kids' lunches as they start back to school.  Not quite as easy as it sounds.  Bananas, no.  Apples, from Washington or so they say, I hope so.  Apples, yes.  Orange juice was a bigger problem than I imagined.  I could not find all USA orange juice at BJ's.  Both Simply Orange and Tropicana had juice from USA and Brazil.  I will be at another grocery store tomorrow to buy Florida's Natural because apparently that is the only orange juice guaranteed to be made in the USA.  I didn't buy Dino Nuggets because they are from Canada.  Bummer!  I also did not buy some other foods that we could not figure out whether they were actually made.  "Distributed by" does not guarantee they are made in the US.  The biggest disappointment was the "organic orange juice" that I figured had to be all USA orange juice only to read that it contained juice from the USA and Mexico.  How does Mexico decide if something is organic?  So, here is the good news about organic in Mexico as reported on http://www.goodfoodworld.com/2011/02/organics-from-mexico-are-they-safe/ on Jan.2, 2012:
"For a food item to be sold as certified organic in the United States — whether grown in the United States, in Mexico, or anywhere else in the world — it must meet all the requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program. It must be produced without the use of toxic synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or irradiation.
Perhaps most important, it must be certified by a USDA-accredited agency. Certification includes inspection of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping of what inputs were applied to the land, and, if there’s cause for concern, soil and water testing."
Good to know, but still not made in the USA.  So, as I try to find foods and products made in the USA, I'll let you know how it goes.  My daughter asked if she was allowed to buy things made elsewhere, I told her "No!"  Is that mean?  She asked if we cannot find something made in the USA what will happen.  I told her as a last resort, we'll buy from somewhere else.  But where?  Who knows?  However, as I am typing, I saw a commercial for Vizio televisions.  It said they were American made and I thought, "Come on now?"  So, I looked them up and this is the information I found on www.vizio.com/about/
"VIZIO, Inc. was founded in 2002 by William Wang with the idea that everyone deserves to own the latest technology. Mr. Wang's first two employees, Laynie Newsome and Ken Lowe, were honored as co-founders and eight years later are still hard at work taking entertainment freedom by storm! By providing a myriad of high definition entertainment options and unmatchable value, VIZIO has grown to over 160 employees and remains the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. LCD HDTV sales."
So, at least I know what kind of TV to buy!

No Pain, No Gain

Well, I neither gained nor lost weight.  To me that is like tying the game.  I didn't win and I didn't lose.  I would rather have something to show for the past week, but it came back to my same issues with time, my love of food, and my life being a to do list.  How does taking care of myself not make it to the top of the list?  I don't think I have ever been this disgusted with myself.  The week started off with a food and exercise journal, but you know what threw me off?  Sleep.  I sleep terribly and when I sleep terribly, I eat terribly and my exercise goes out the window.  When did insomnia become my norm?  I cannot get comfortable anywhere, yet I am exhausted most of the time.  Why can't I sleep?  Why can't I eat right?  Why can't I exercise more?  Are these familiar questions?  Are my struggles the same as every other woman over 40?  I am not looking to be a super model.  I want to feel better about myself and be healthier.  So, I'll keep trying and I'll keep putting all of my knowledge to work.  It is my hope that with the start of school and a routine, that I'll be able to put "health" back in the routine.

The dietitian needs to diet

Ok, I haven't blogged in while since we stopped backpacking through Joshua and it shows.  I have decided that maybe if I blog about my struggles with weight, you all will understand that you are not alone.  I have a master's degree in Nutrition and I am a Registered Dietitian.  I need to lose 8 - 10 pounds.  Yikes!  How did it creep on?  I don't have an answer.  Once I hit 40, it became harder and harder to lose / maintain my weight.  I am a relatively active mom with 4 active kids.  So, I got to thinking about my difficulties and I came up with a list. 

What do I have trouble with?
1.  I love food.  I love to cook and I love to eat and drink.  I love good food.  I love good drink.
2.  I am busy.  Who doesn't know that?  I work part-time, take care of the house, drive the kids all over, try to volunteer, and stay active with my church.  How do I eke out more time to exercise?
3.  It takes more effort to get more results.  That is frustrating and I know exactly what is happening to my body as it ages.  Sometimes, I just want to give up and not worry about fitting into my jeans.
4.  I feel guilty taking time for myself.  Holler if you know what I mean!!!  I live a "To Do" list lifestyle and even though taking care of myself is on the list, it is on the bottom on the list and doesn't always get done.

So, it really doesn't matter what I weigh now or what anyone weighs now.  What matters is that I address my troubled list and lose some weight and feel healthier and better about myself.  So, as my kids go back to school, I am going to try and make time for me to eat right, exercise, and feel better about myself.  If I feel better and happier about myself, I'll be a better me, wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend.  Here goes....

Vantage Point

I just realized that Vantage Point makes all the difference.  What do I mean?  My view of a situation is affected by my vantage point.   Sometimes I feel as though I have the best seats in the house and I am on top of the world.  At other times, I feel as though I have been ripped off and paid good money for the "partially obscured view."  Do you know what I mean?  When I am in the middle of something, it does not always look so good to me.  However, once I am through it, not so bad.  I have seen this in the lives of others too.  They may complain or brag about something, but often times from my vantage point, it looks completely different.  It has made me realize that I need to really assess where I am and where I am going, what I have and what I want, and what difference it will all really make.  Today may seem cloudy from my vantage point, but others may be seeing the sun where they are at.

Change for a Change - Cure Huntington's Disease

FirstGiving - Team Hope Walk for Huntington's Disease

Our family is walking for Huntington's Disease (HD) on May 15.  My dad has HD and my sister has tested positive for the gene.
The Huntington's Disease Society of American explains HD this way....

Huntington's Disease: a devastating, hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is, at present, no cure and only one FDA-approved treatment (Xenazine) for a symptom of HD.  HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, talk and reason. Eventually, the person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for his or her care. Huntington's Disease profoundly affects the lives of entire families -- emotionally, socially and economically.

Named for Dr. George Huntington, who first described this hereditary disorder in 1872, HD is now recognized as one of the more common genetic disorders. More than a quarter of a million Americans have HD or are "at risk" of inheriting the disease from an affected parent. HD affects as many people as Hemophilia, Cystic Fibrosis or muscular dystrophy.

Early symptoms of Huntington's Disease may affect cognitive ability or mobility and include depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, clumsiness, involuntary twitching and lack of coordination. As the disease progresses, concentration and short-term memory diminish and involuntary movements of the head, trunk and limbs increase. Walking, speaking and swallowing abilities deteriorate. Eventually the person is unable to care for him or herself. Death follows from complications such as choking, infection or heart failure.