Illness, and Successes!

It has been a couple of days, due to illness. It seems I managed to come down with the same thing the whole family has. Summer colds, compounded by allergies. But I am pleased to say that even through that I have managed to stay on target.

I have worked real hard to stay with my appropriate meals. And even though I don't eat as much because I have been asleep for the last couple of days -- I have been really careful when I do eat. I have managed to get some walking in, but I have had to be careful -- due to the fatigue. This illness has left me really tired all the time.

However, the great news is, I am happy to report that I am down 6 pounds! So I am feeling really good about that! Nothing feels better than seeing that all the hard work is actually having results! Hang in there everyone! You can make it!

A Tough Morning

I'm having a really hard day today. I just did not want to get out of bed this morning. And walking was just something that my body was NOT interested in. I made myself go out and walk for at least 15 minutes. But that was about all that I could talk by muscles into doing this morning. And then all I wanted to do was go back to bed. My body is having a really anti-healthy attitude day -- and I am refusing to give in.

So in keeping with my healthy living suggestions, I came across an article that was published through MSN. I don't usually like to use the news articles, because it is hard to tell how much is hype, and how much is fact or fiction. But this one seemed pretty sound in its common sense. It was on the possibilities of cutting out calories through sugar drinks. And if Diet Soda Pop was a good alternative.

Now anyone that knows me, knows that I am a diet soda junkie. However, I have also learned that I drink much more of it when I am at home, than when I am out and running. (Weekends are my big problem times.) So I am never going to be the one to tell you that you have to cut out your soda pop. Especially since I have learned that you can't make all of these changes in one fell swoop, and hope that there isn't kick backs.

So when I started this process, I focused on my food intake, and my exercise. I have pretty well left my diet soda alone -- and haven't put any restrictions on it. And yet I have found something interesting. The farther I go into this process, the less I crave the diet soda. I will usually have 1 to 2 cans in an evening, after I get home from work. But over all -- my diet soda intake has decreased dramatically. (Except, of course for those weekends. My intake goes up then but not as much as it use to be.)

I have also found that having alternatives available in the home, is a great solution to drinking excessive amounts of soda pop. I have started carrying a water bottle with me -- and I am just as happy to drink water. I have also found that the more energy I expend in exercise, the more I actually crave water. I couldn't tell you why, other than I feel like I need more water in my diet, and it has actually become a craving. Having light fruit juices, and veggie juices around, also seems to help reduce my diet soda intake.

So -- for those who are interested, here is the link to the article that I was reading. And there is a link within the article to takes you to a site called eat this, not that, that has some interesting best and worst articles in there that looks at various drinks, restaurants and other foods as well. It might be worth the look. http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100236887&GT1=31036

Keep up all the good work -- and remember, even on these hard days, doing a little bit is better than doing nothing at all.

Relections, and Congratulations!

First off, I need to give a great big congratulations to Kris, my sister - in - law, who informed me last night that she has lost 2 pounds! Way to go Kris -- keep up the hard work. It is always great to see people succeeding in making the changes in their lives that they want to make. Keep going, and I know you will make it.

Now for today's news. This morning I had a great experience, during my walk. I decided I had better go over early -- it being Memorial Day and all. So Dad came along, and we went for our walk about 6:30 this morning. We went over to the Brigham City Cemetery -- a place with a lot of history, and a neat feel to it. It has become one of my preferred walking places when I visit Mom, and Dad. Lot's of history, and a great place for reflecting. It has a beautiful little meditation garden, and lots of room for walking, and reading.

This morning we arrived just as the color guard was out, presenting the colors for the day. They had this huge flag that took several people to even hold it up during the process. Dad suggested we stop, and watch. There were several people that were doing the same thing. As we were standing there, a red car pulled up, and a soldier -- dressed in his camo pants, and army boots, with his green t-shirt, got out. He had seen the flag, stopped and saluted the flag, as the colors were raised. He watched, in a soldier's salute until the flag had been taken to the top of the flag pole, and then lowered to half mast -- in recognition of the Memorial Day holiday. When it was over, he promptly got back in his car, and went about his business in the cemetery -- before going on with his day. I found his dedication to his country, through is simple example of respect, and inspiration, and a reminder of how we should all be a little more respectful, and mindful of all that we have. As well as the myriad sacrifices that have been made on our behalf -- so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we do.

I am so glad that I was able to witness this event -- during my 30 minutes of exercise this morning. Thank you to this soldier, and all those that serve -- for the sacrifices they make each day, in providing each of us a home that is free from tyranny, and oppression.

For those of you who are working on your goals of changing your life habits -- remember today is a new day, and it is the beginning of a new week. Renew your commitment -- and hang in there, it is worth it in the end.

A Good Weekend

Usually, I have a lot of trouble with the weekends. My life isn't quite as structured -- and I am not as diligent with my eating times as I should be. I also struggle with the exercise, because I tend to get more lazy on the weekends. But this weekend has actually been pretty good. I have come across some great ideas to share that I have found to be helpful.

First, since I have been at my parents house for the extended long, Memorial Day weekend, I have had to make sure that the food was available -- so it wasn't as easy to reach for the junk. Making sure that any home where you are staying is sufficiently stocked with the good foods -- makes it much easier to stay with the eating program. Fortunately, Mom and Dad have been very supportive in this process -- and they make it much easier to make sure I have the kind of foods that I can, or rather I should say I prefer to eat, available. This is a must. If the good food is easy to get to, and the junk isn't available -- then the diet becomes much easier.

One way that I came across that really makes this work well is that Mom always carries a cooler in the back of her car. This is for her drinks, because this is a less expensive way to have your drinks available, than stopping at every quickie stop for refills. But this also works great for me. She kept ice in there to keep the drinks cold, so it made it possible for me to carry the foods that I needed for my snack meals. Beef or chicken jerky, string cheese, and either fruit, or fruit drinks. Just make sure the fruit drinks are not loaded with sugar, but that they are all natural. This made eating healthy on the go, much easier -- and helped me to maintain the eating times.

We were in the store as well, this weekend, and I happened to pick up one of the advertisement brochures that was posted in the store. They frequently have interesting tips, and suggestions, so I took it along. This particular one came from Kashi -- and was an advertisement for their cereals, and products, with some coupons inside. But it also had a little suggestion list inside, that I though I would share with you.

"Seven Little Steps to a healthy happy you.

1. Set a weekly goal. Once a week, write down a goal (e.g. running for 5 more minutes, losing a pound, getting to the gym) and make a plan for the next seven days for getting there.

2. Give rowing a go! Instead of running on a treadmill, try something new -- spend at least 10 minutes at the gym trying out the rowing machine or even try it outdoors.

3. Mind your omega-3's. Challenge yourself to make at least 3 meals that are high in omega-3s (salmon, tuna, soybeans). Once you see how easy it is, you might do it more often.

4. Eat fruit every day. Eating fruit increases the nutrition in your diet and may make you less likely to eat less healthy options. Try to eat one whole fruit every day.

5. Grow an organic garden. Before you dig, learn about organic gardening options and use them instead of conventional ones.

6. Inspire positive change. Be a leader in healthy living by volunteering, community organizing, writing an article for a publication or just connecting with others.

7. We heart whole grains! Grains are your ally in health. They're full of nutrients and they help keep your digestive system running smoothly. Make your mamma proud. . . incorporate grains in every meal."

These are some great ideas, and they are all simple -- but they help keep you motivated, if nothing else! Also, the Kashi website has a lot of other suggestions for healthy living. They provide challenges, and a wellness center, in order to provide more information on changing over to a more healthy lifestyle. It is a website that offers lots of good ideas, and I would recommend some time there: http://www.kashi.com/challenges.

There is one thing I have learned also, that I thought I would share -- more for comedy relief. Memorial Day weekend is not a very good time to choose for walking -- if your favorite walking spot is in a cemetery! :)

Sleep Disruption

My sleep patterns have frequently been an issue in my life. The most minute change can really disrupt my sleep on a fairly regular basis. I am noticing that this is also the case with this weight loss program. I have been an insomniac for years. And I am sure there are any number of reasons that can be tied to this problem. But, I have noticed that my sleep is less restful -- when I go to bed and something isn't quite right. I am usually pretty set in a pattern to make sure that I can sleep at night. But with this new weight loss, I seem to struggle with that pattern. Some nights I find that I need a snack before going to bed -- or I am up in the middle of the night -- hungry. Other nights I am just not interested at all.

I have never been one for eating in the middle of the night. When I am awake, I will more often than not grab a book and start reading. But I find -- like today -- that when I have had a bad night, it makes getting through that exercise the next day like torture. And I also find that following a night of disrupted sleep, I will have several days of exhaustion, where every little movement is a major effort. It just seems to take me longer to recover from a bad nights sleep since I have started this diet. I am not sure if that is because generally my body is feeling better while I eat the right foods, and get more exercise -- so I notice the fatigue more when it is present, or if it is something else.

I have done some looking into this, and there is some studies out there that lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Two of the articles I found are located at

www.thedietchannel.com/Weight-Loss-and-Sleep.htm

and

www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping.

But I don't know how much validity to put on them, since they are not commonly mentioned in direct relation to weight loss.

I do know that for me, the fatigue can be quite debilitating. It is frustrating to try and push through it. And there is nothing worse than a bad night!

Exercise?

So -- if you are anything like I am, exercise has been one of those activities that you maintain an on again, off again relationship with. Your body tells you it is one of those masochistic activities that are not very appealing -- and your brain isn't much help, since all it ever maintains is questions. How much? What qualifies? How long? What type? Do I have to?

Sound familiar?

I come from a family in which my mother loves a good walk. If she can get outside and walk -- she will just go. Time doesn't matter, location doesn't matter, destination doesn't matter. In fact there have been times she has had to call someone to come an get her because she ended up walking farther than she anticipated. One brother is passionate about any form of activity, and loves to get together with friends and play a rousing game of Frisbee, volleyball, basketball, hockey -- and the list goes on. And my other brother loves his martial arts. He earned his black belt, and has now moved into biking, walking, jogging -- and anything that keeps him moving.

When we get together as a family, I look around and wonder where on earth did I come from, and how did I end up in this family? I have only ever tolerated exercise at best, and given the choice -- I would gladly take a quiet corner with a book, over physical exertion any day. So when I started looking at getting educated in this new life style, I had to do some serious looking -- because I had endless questions. I knew my body was going to fight this new system, by inventing, and magnifying every ache and pain it could possibly find. (And it is doing so) But I also realized that I didn't even know the basics of exercise. So here is a great website that gave me exactly that -- just the basics, in simple to understand -- and even intelligent form. http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html#Aerobic.

What I like about this is it not only breaks down the exercise levels, but how much of each need to be achieved for each week. This particular approach is actually doable -- even to my out of shape body! It is also nice, because it helped me to realize that everything qualifies. It can be done in 10 minute increments, and then spaced out throughout the day. Even as out of shape as I am, I could manage 10 minutes -- and I have been able to work up to 30 minutes at a time fairly quickly.

I even have a knee that gives me a lot of problems with pain, due to a previous injury, and then compounding the problem with excessive amounts of weight. When I sit still for very long, the knee becomes stiff, and very painful. This gave me a lot of concern -- and yes, I even used it as a great excuse that this might not be a good thing. (I think that was my body's whole idea). But I have found that when I start my walk, I do the first few minutes at an easy pace for a warm up -- and suddenly the pain is gone. Oh, yeah -- everything else in my body complains. And it is a lot easier to stay in bed some mornings. But my knee doesn't give me any problems, if I do those first few minutes of a warm up pace. Not only that, but it buys me several hours without pain, before it stiffens up from inactivity again. Granted, I avoid stairs, and I am very careful to remain on level walking ground for now. But this website makes it clear that exercise is exercise, and it all qualifies.

Also, I have learned that location is important for several reasons. Some people love to go to the gym, for a good intensive -- all in one work out. They have the cardio, on the treadmills, stationary bikes, areobics classes, and more, as well as the weight training available, and they can do it all in one stop. I have never been comfortable in gyms, however. I walk in the door, and suddenly feel very self-conscious. Too close a confined space -- where everyone can see what everyone else is doing. But for some people, this is a great option. You just have to be sure to consider the financial obligations -- and your committment level -- to justify using the gym.

I prefer being outside. The fresh air, the increased activity, and the beauty of being able to see that I am going somewhere -- even if it is just a trip around the cemetery, or park is a great help. (Yes the cemetery. Not only is it a quiet place to walk, and meditate, but it is never crowded, but there isn't the concern about cars, other exercisers, and the bustle of the whole world raging around you.) This helps me immensely to clear my mind, and enjoy the world, at a much slower pace.

Since I have been exercising, I have noticed that while I am almost never thrilled to be out there and doing it -- when I am done, I have a great rush of well being. I come back feeling like I have actually accomplished something. I think clearer, and I am even happier for the remainder of the day. I have even started adding in a second 30 minute walk in the afternoon -- because it helps me get through the day -- I am happier and more focused. And for the actual exercise time -- I have found it is easier to walk with someone, so you can talk along the way -- or have something good to listen to on an mp3 player. These are just a few options that work for me. But I am coming to realize that there is something out there for everyone. The trick is just to keep looking, until you find SOMETHING. Something is always better than nothing.

Daily Update -- and Other Ideas

I have begun the information gathering process. I have come to realize that a life change, means a mental change, as well as a physical one. And for me that means understanding what I am trying to do, and not just randomly changing things and hoping that I stumble on the great answer to all problems. I know a lot of people feel that positive reinforcement, and that constant positive thinking approach to things is new age medicine. But there is a great deal to be learned from understanding what the battle is that you are truly fighting. Since this blog is serving the purpose of not just being my written record of starting that battle, and engaging the problem head on -- but I would hope that it will serve as an inspiration for others to take on the same challenge.

That said -- I have also taken to studying about healthy lifestyles, and things that can be done to improve the lifestyles that a person (specifically me) can do to become healthier. My information to share for today is a website provided from the Center For Disease Control, (CDC). I started with looking into their weight loss suggestions -- and actually the entire website has some great information. But the specific area I wanted to share with you is a section on getting started in weight loss. For those who are interested the specific website is http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/getting_started.html.

This breaks the process down into five steps that have great ideas for not only loosing weight, but for being successful at loosing that weight.

One thing I particularly liked in this article is the importance that it places on identifying things in your lifestyle that need to be change. It really helped me to be able to sit down and identify the specific things that I was doing OK, and the things that could use improvement in. I actually made up a list, divided in half. One half were the changes that I needed to make, and the other list was things that I simply needed to maintain. This helped me to put into perspective the things that were actually leading to many of my problems, such increasing my fruit and veggie intake -- as well as my exercise. It also helped me to realize that I was doing pretty good with the type of carbs I was choosing to eat.

This is also great for its suggestion to set not only realistic goals, but goals that are forgiving. This is an area that is frequently forgotten. As my father often points out to me, my body has spent 30 plus years forming the eating habits I have developed. And while it is great that I am going back to all this healthy food -- my body will remember that the good stuff is out there, and it is going to want it on occasion. When these situations come up, I need to be not only vigilant -- but I also need to assess the situation, and make allowances, as well as game plans on how I can make these situations less damaging.

Finally I love how this article puts emphasis on the fact that this is a journey, and not a destination that I am trying to arrive at. all the support I can get the better. If there are more people around to help me make the journey -- it becomes easier, and less burdensome. I have found both of these ideas to be true. It is absolutely essential to quit thinking about the temporary -- and start looking at the long term picture. I to see my life as being different -- not just getting to a road stop along the course.

These, as well as the other ideas presented in this article are great for inspiring, as well as providing ideas for how to make these changes. Use them, and remember to find a method that works for you. I know that if I try to do something the way some one else might -- I am not always successful. But if I take the time to find out what works for me -- I accomplish so much more.

Now for the suggestions that have been provided to me, from my sister-in-law. She has been great to come up with a lot of great snack ideas, as well as a couple of recipes that I have listed in my healthy living recipe site. Some of those suggestions are sugar free Jello, almonds with sea salt, 94% fat free popcorn, lite string cheese, fruit, fat free yogurt, and fiber bars. Thank you Kris for all of your suggestions! I appreciate all of your help.