A part of most Thanksgiving dinners

Thanksgiving. I just want to have a normal meal like everyone else, but no matter what I do, it is always a problem. This year, I ran 5 miles at one of those Turkey Trot races that are in most major cities. I figure that would increase my metabolism and I would eat what I wanted.

Well I had a turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, lettuce, vegtables from a veggie tray.  I made it clear before the meal, I ran 5 miles. When it came to the sweet potatoes, one of my family members made a comment about I was eating to much.

I checked nutritiondata to see that 1/2 cup of canned sweet potatoes had 25grams of carbohydrates. Next year I will make it clear to that family member, I appreciate that you care, but I have taken precautions to increase my metabolism so that I can deal with a large Thanksgiving dinner.

Word amongst the runners is the Cleveland Marathon has improved. They have  a great medal and have changed the course to allow for more fan access.  The course has been designed for athletes to enjoy views of Browns Stadium, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lake Erie and many other Cleveland highlights.

The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon has no limit on the size of the field and requires no qualifying time to enter. A unique feature offered by the Cleveland Marathon are official times of the 26.2-mile competitive foot race are maintained for 8 hours. They are also offering a 5k race on Saturday for the first time ever so more people can participate.

All Marathon runners/walkers will receive a goodie bag, T-shirt, and a PDF results book that will be posted online after the race. Marathon finishers will receive a unique finishers medallion with an electric guitar that spins.  Marathon finishers will also receive a finishers certificate that will be mailed out after the race. The top 5 male and female finishers will receive an award.

Well it has been 2-1/2 years since I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic and I have been controlling my sugar naturally. As a diabetic runner, I still have the same temptations. Donuts and chips at the office. When the donuts come around, I will have a chia acai energy bar with lots of protein on hand. I will also be drinking white chia seeds and acai in water to hydrate before the race.

Natural Remi-Teas Chia Acai Energy Bar

But many well-known healthy eating advocates – including the Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Andrew Well of the University of Arizona – are saying it is a good idea to include the tiny black seed in your diet. Chia seeds are a good source of fiber and calcium, and important for vegetarians  -  they contain omega 3 fatty acids, essential fats your body does not make but needs to function properly.

I have been included chia seeds in my diet for the last 6 years. In that time I have run 2 marathons and have used it to maintain a healthy weight and diet.
It was great to read this article in Cleveland’s Plain Dealer.

Michael D’Amico at the Bermuda Marathon

Great descriptive post about what it takes to run an ultramarathon down to vomiting while walking-running is a ultramarathon skill and info on latest organic fruit bars that have both black and white chia seeds in them.

http://barefootted.com/2009/08/leadville-trail-100-2009.html

Helps a diabetic to know the nutritional differences between raisins and grapes.

http://www.fitsugar.com/4193095

Ground Chia, Raspberries, and Oatmeal

I am a Type 2 diabetic, diagnosed in April 2004. I have resisted using medication and have controlled my condition by checking my blood sugar regularly, using natural remedies in my diet whenever I can, and eating at least three meals a day. My A1c last time I measured was at 6.9. I try to go to bed hungry and exercise before I go to bed.

I have wondered how many calories I burn in a day.  I purchased a pedometer.  Walmart has several different types of pedometers. I wore my pedometer from the time I got up to the time I went to bed.  I ended burning 863 calories and walking a total of .259 miles on a typical work day. I may have burned more calories because it does not account for the calories burned while standing still. I spend alot of time on the computer, so my milage of .259 miles on a non running and walking day made sense. Wearing the pedometer all day gave me a good personal idea of how many calories I could eat. I do eat 1500 calories a day and am maintaining the same weight.

I recommend all those who have type 2 diabetes try this to get a better idea of how many calories you burn a day.  The more we know about ourselves, the better we can manage.

What I use to feel full

When trying to keep my weight down,  or lose weight it helps to feel full. This is true especially at night. It is very easy to do very well during the day, and than at night binge a late night snack.

First, chia seeds are low calorie. There is only 139 calories in a 1 ounce serving.

I take white chia seeds with every dinner meal to feel full. 1-3 teaspoons with a 8 ounce drink, usually does the trick. I have run many races from 3-5 miles, when at the end with all the food is there for the finishers, like donuts, energy bars which are close to candy bars, I was able to walk away.

When White Chia comes in contact with water, pudding, juice, yogurt etc. they grow to 9x their size. They will also help with protein and Chia is good for the digestive system because it is a hydrophillic colloid.

I could have used the worlds tallest mans long legs to finish this. Here is a picture of me at the Ripley’s Believe it or not Museum.

The Marathon started in Buffalo at an art museum. The race finished at Horseshoe Falls in Canada. I used chia seeds to get through the first 12 miles of race and 3 jelly beans every 10 minutes with water stops to get through the remainder of the race. I also used Gatorade instead of water at mile 20 and 23.

Picture of me with my wife and 3 other runners before the race.

I was happy to complete my first marathon since being diagnosed with diabetes in April of 2007. It was great to have a goal to work toward to, to keep my diabetes in control. Niagara Falls Marathon did a good job with plenty of support from volunteers at mile markers 12 through 24 who cheered you on and it helped motivate you to get to the next one. The finish line was the Skylon Tower (Space Needle) which I first saw from 10 miles away. We finished battling rain and high winds which you can probably see in the below picture.

Niagara Falls Marathon finish

The next challenge for me is to get though Christmas and the Holidays. With Thanksgiving coming I will have plenty to say.

Here is a female Ultra Marathoner champion who uses chia seeds for energy and recovery. She is from Littleton, Colorado.

http://drymaxsports.blogspot.com

Top 10 Reasons people use Chia Seeds

10. 1 ounce of Chia uses 2.8% of the calories in a 2000 calorie diet. The full daily servings only add 139 calories.

9. Chia Seeds are high in calcium and naturally have boron in them which tranfers the calcium into your bones.

8. Chia Seeds fill you up when they come in contact with liquid and slow down the

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7. Gluten free Chia Seeds are very good for a Raw Food Diet because they are high in protein, calcium, omega 3 and 6 and don’t need to be cooked. Unlike Flax Seed, you do not have to
ground up Chia Seeds when you make a smoothie.

6. Chia Seeds are great for workouts. Prior to a run or an athletic event in which you need to
hydrate, take a tablespoon or 2 of Chia Seeds in a 8 ounce bottle of water which will help you
hydrate. They will also help with protein to do the event without cramping up. Chia is good for the digestive system because it is a hydrophillic colloid.

5. Chia Seeds are high in Omega 3 – 1 oz of Chia Seeds has 4915mg of Omega 3. Omega 3 fatty acids are loaded with protein which is great for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

4. Chia Seeds are good for Diabetics – 1 oz of Chia Seeds have a Glycemic Index of 1. Chia seed supplies fiber in 2 forms: insoluble (won’t dissolve in water) from its outer coat and soluble fiber (will dissolve in water) from its inner shell. Soluble fiber has been found helpful in lowering cholesterol and diabetes

3. Chia Seeds are high in dietary fiber.

2. Chia Seeds are good for your Thyroid – They are known to help deal with thyroid medication symptoms like lack of energy, dry skin and hair, thyroid weight problems, and colon issues.

1. Chia Seeds are good for lowering cholesterol – Chia seed supplies fiber in 2 forms: insoluble (won’t dissolve in water) from its outer coat and soluble fiber (will dissolve in water) from its inner shell. Soluble fiber has been found helpful in lowering cholesterol and diabetes. Also the omega 3 and 6 has been shown to help.