Tuesday, June 26, 2012: Reporting on Day Two,...

Just a quick check in to report that day two (Sunday) of juicing and blending went well!

In fact, the drink I made for breakfast, with nuts, seeds, berries, pineapple, and coconut milk was enough for two meals.  In the evening, I biked 10 miles with a friend, and later enjoyed a decent dinner of salmon, salad, and steamed beet greens with a glass of Cabernet.  The next day I weighed in and results = a total 2 day weight loss of 2.8 lbs!  That was a good feeling!  I ended up using my blender and juicer for breakfast/lunch Monday and will do so for breakfast again today.  I may even do another two-day juicer/blender mission down the road. 

Okay, I'm off to start my day!   Have a Tenacious Tuesday!

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June 24, 2012: Blending & Juicing,...

Hello and Happy Sunday!  

Life has been full of changes for me lately, both personally and professionally.  I have traveled back to Wisconsin twice, have pending career changes, enjoyed time with visiting relatives, and other significant changes going on in my personal life.  So in typical foodie pattern, I turned to food for comfort and enjoyment.  (I do enjoy good food!)  And yes, the waistbands on my slacks once again appear to be stretched to the limit.  That means it's time to incorporate some changes to shed a few pounds. 

I have been reading up on juicing, both the pro's and con's, and watched some interesting videos on the subject.  A friend highly recommended viewing Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead (2011).  This is a documentary about a man who was 100 lbs overweight who had an autoimmune disease, and about his journey back to health.  He traveled 3,000 miles and interviewed others across the states, and inspired life changes in several others.  I also highly recommend this video.  (You can rent the video or watch it free by clicking on this link.)

So, newly encouraged, I decided I really wanted to purchase a nice juicer, but couldn't afford it at the time.  And even if I could, I was afraid it would end up sitting on the shelf like so many other gadgets, once the novelty wore off.  I tried blending smoothies for a while, but was really interested in seeing what the juicing craze was all about. A friend contacted me with the news that she wasn't using her juicer anymore and that I could just have it.  (Thank you Wendy!)  I am really grateful!

Yesterday was Farmer's Market day!  I loaded up!

I downloaded the Juice Lady's Weekend Weight-Loss Diet to my Kindle and found some great recipes.  (BTW: You don't need an actual Kindle to read Kindle versions of books.  There are free Kindle readers that you can download to your computer.)  Of course I modified the recipes to suit my taste and availability of ingredients.  

My intention in juicing was not to cut out whole food over the weekend, but to supplement it.  I decided to substitute my regular breakfast with a healthy berry, apple, and greens juice drink.  Lunch consisted of a juice concoction derived of a wide variety of dark leafy greens, beets, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, etc.  It wasn't bad!  Okay, it's not quite a substitute for steak and lobster, but I found it filling.  And I was actually excited about the thought of consuming a super nutritionally-packed drink with very little calories.  Healthy does feel good!  Throughout the day I also consumed sunflower seeds, hummus, vegetable soup, etc., so again, I didn't adhere to the "fast" portion of the diet completely, but found after taking the time to create two very healthy juice meals, I was less tempted to eat junk in the evening.  The temptation wasn't completely gone, mind you, but it was easier to tell myself I would first eat something healthy, like yogurt, before considering raiding the cupboards.  It worked!  I didn't go on an evening binge!  I felt good about myself.  And as a bonus, I am down 1.4 lbs this morning!  

When I was talking with a vendor at the farmer's market about my intention to juice for 2-days, she mentioned that several other people approached her recently, stating they were going on 10-day juice fasts.  I admire the motivation and dedication, but decided that 10-days was too much for me at this time.  Two days, however, was something I thought I would be more willing to commit to.  So now it's day two, and I continue to be motivated.  I am going to make a breakfast smoothie of berries, nuts & seeds that have been soaking overnight, pineapple, & coconut milk.  Lunch will consist of another vitamin-packed green concoction.  Sometimes we need to keep things novel in our weight loss journeys to keep the momentum going strong!

There is a lot of information on the web about juicing, both pro's and con's.  If you are considering it, please read up on the subject so that you approach juicing in a manner that contributes to overall, sustained good health!

Happy Juicing!   

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May 26, 2012: Notes from the Nutrient Seminar,...

Is it Saturday already? And almost the end of the month??  Time sure does fly!  But hopefully we are all taking time out to stop and smell the roses this weekend, take a walk, spend time in the garden, and/or with family and friends!  I am going to make a point to do just that! 

But first, I promised I would share more about the seminar I attended on how nutrients affect the brain (Michael Lara, M.D.; Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Green Bay, WI, April 30, 2012):  Aside from talking about nutrients, much of the presentation was focused on the role of inflammation.  “Chronic inflammation is a response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli” (Lara, 2012).  Chronic inflammation can lower mood and has a role in diseases, including depression, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Dr. Lara shared numerous scientific research articles supporting these findings:

• Depression and type 2 diabetes: inflammatory mechanisms of a psychoneuroendocrine co-morbidity. (TIP: Here's a Memorial Day Weekend sobriety test:  Say "psychoneuroendocrine co-morbidity" three times fast!)
• Inflammation, depression and dementia: Are they connected?  
• Psychoneuroimmunology meets neuropsychopharmacology: translational implications of the impact of inflammation on behavior.
• The role of inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Controversy: I found it interesting that evidence presented suggested that long-term use of NSAIDs, such as Ibuprofen, helps protect against Alzheimer’s Dementia (but not vascular dementia).  In doing my own investigation of the research articles, I found there are more recent studies that contradict this finding.  In fact, they show that there is an increase in the risk of dementia with heavy NSAID use.  Here are a few light read articles that summarize some of those findings:   

• Conflicting results on Ibuprofen Preventing Alzheimer's Disease. 
• Pain relievers ibuprofen and naproxen may delay, not prevent, Alzheimer's Disease. 
• And a link the the research article: AreNSAIDs useful to treat Alzheimer’s Disease or mild cognitive impairment?

Back to the seminar: Dr. Lara suggested our food and eating pattern can also be inflammatory.  Here are some additional thoughts/reminders/tidbits in bullet-point format taken from his lecture: 

• Fat cells have the ability to release active hormones.  They communicate about how fast the store of food is coming in.  
• "Inflammation and stress can lead to an accumulation of visceral fat, which in turn can produce inflammatory cytokines and other hormones that affect appetite” (Lara, 2012).  
• During times of stress, regions of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, are signaled to release the stress hormone, cortisol, and to lower mood and suppress the immune system.  Increased cortisol = an increase in glucose in the blood, which over an extended period of time, is harmful to blood vessels and the circulation system.   
• Chronic elevated cortisol can lead to type 2 diabetes.
• Loss of sleep, psychological stress, as well as extreme diet and exercise programs can increase cortisol levels.  It is important to allow the body a chance to recover from stress.  And be sure to get plenty of sleep (7 ½ hours per night on average). 
• Cortisol also increases activity in the amygdala, which increases cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.  
• In order to lose weight, one must have ability to tap into self-control.  This requires that the prefrontal circuits in our brains are working properly.  Our prefrontal circuits utilize glucose and is the most sensitive area when glucose runs low.  We need good glucose regulation in order for the prefrontal portion of our brains to function properly and to maintain self-control.  
• Fiber helps regulate blood glucose.   
• Sugar, fat, and salt activate the more primitive reward circuits in the brain, which override the prefrontal circuits that govern higher function, such as self-control.  The more sugar, fat, and salt we take in, the more difficult it will be to maintain self-control.  The more stress we are under, the more difficult it will be to maintain self-control.  
• Effects of chronic cortisol elevation may be mitigated by omega-3 supplementation.  (Eat your fish!) 

The Paleolithic Man:  If we look at evolutionary history, it appears that our bodies were not meant to utilize as much food as we currently take in.  The Paleolithic man (or woman) likely walked 15-20 miles per day in search of food.  Humans likely did not eat three meals a day or have access to convenience stores and drive-thru restaurants.  They ate natural (not processed) foods and used up a lot of that energy throughout the day hunting and gathering (not sitting back on the sofa watching American Idol or Friends reruns).  Dr. L. suggested that periodic fasting actually helps to regulate our appetites.  “Our bodies are designed to go for days without eating.  We effectively store fat.” He went on to explain how the mechanism for storing nutrients in now backfiring.  The epidemic of obesity is out of control in this country.  His suggestion to remedy the problem was to incorporate more of the Paleo diet into our lives, which is supposedly similar to a Mediterranean diet, but with key differences.  (Also see Robb Wolf's Paleo Diet website and Wikipedia for more generic info on the diet.)

Here’s a brief article comparing the two diets:  http://www.livestrong.com/article/551929-caveman-diet-vs-mediterranean-diet/

The following research article discusses a study in which patients with heart disease and either glucose intolerance or Type II Diabetes were randomly placed on either the Caveman (Paleo) Diet or a Mediterranean Diet.  The Paleo diet appeared better at improving glucose tolerance.  The downside of the study is the low sample size (29 patients). It would be great to see this study duplicated with larger numbers.    http://www.springerlink.com/content/h7628r66r0552222

Dr. Lara encouraged people to get into the habit of practicing occasional fasting, provided you are not diabetic or it is otherwise contraindicated.  By fasting, he meant skip two meals a day and eat a sensible dinner.  Do this twice a week.  He suggested that people who graze throughout the day are always thinking about food.  On the contrary, people who are intermittent fasters typically don’t think about food all day.  They know they will be able to eat an evening meal so they resolve to put it out of their head until that time.   

  

So that’s an abbreviated version of some of my notes.  I am looking forward to reading a book on WheatBelly soon.  (Thanks, Dan!)  Then I think What Diet? Dukan Diet? Paleo Diet? Wheat Belly? Choose The Diet ThatWorks For You. Ultimate Guide should be next on my reading list.  

Well that should be enough reading for one day!   

Have an memorable, healthy, & happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!  
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May 14, 2012: Post Mother's Day Recovery,...

First, Happy Belated Mother's Day to all those moms and pseudo-moms out there!  I will make this a quick post as I am on my way out the door.

Sometimes there are situations we encounter on the path in life that are simply difficult to tackle.  Whether it's hearing bad news, losing a loved one, stress at work, losing a job, receiving a financial blow, loneliness, relationship issues, or even simply facing our own mortality, we have to make a decision to make the right choices and do the best we can with the resources we have.  Having a plan of action helps protect us from falling into a negative spiral and keeps us in the game! 

Today I am choosing some healthy habits to get me through my day.  Here's my Monday, May 14th Plan of Action:

1. Drink lots of water.
2. No alcohol today.
3. Eat three healthy meals.
4. Keep the snacks healthy.
5. Eat fruits & veggies.
6. Leave work at a decent hour.
7. Get some exercise in.
8. Use a positive mantra (such as "I'm a good person who deserves to be healthy & happy and is capable of achieving my goals"). Kick any negative, self-defeating self-talk to the curb.
9. Post back results on the blog.
10. Get to bed before midnight. 

Have a healthy, happy Monday!  
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9:18pm:  So far, so good!  I achieved goals 1-9 and anticipate that I will meet my final goal (#10) tonight!  :)

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May 6, 2012: Post 90-Day Reflections,...

We have officially passed the 90-day marker.  I am still on vacation in WI but decided it was time to step on the scale.  Even though it isn't the scale I use regularly, I thought it should give me a fairly accurate idea of how much damage I have done while visiting family & friends in the Dairy State.  As luck has it, the scale is not working.  The battery must be dead.  And please trust me when I say this: I don't want you to send new batteries.  I prefer it this way!  :>)

So here is what I learned about myself,... or should I say relearned:  Setting goals is an important part of the process of making lifestyle changes.  It helps to keep me motivated and focused.  Goals remind me of why I am making the sacrifices in the first place.  Sharing goals with others can also help to motivate and hold us accountable.  On the flip side, 90-days was too long and 3 habits were too many to focus on changing at once.  I liked the idea of having a longer-term goal in mind, but in the future, I think I will make the longer-term goal more generalized and return to focusing on specific shorter term goal(s), such as a weekly or even daily goals.  Although I attempted to incorporate short-term goals, there were several weeks in which the schedule was thrown off and the healthy habits program took a dive.  For example, the week I had to prepare for court testimony was super busy and a bit stressful.  I couldn't get to the gym and didn't really watch what I ate.  Another time that I allowed the habits to slip was when a friend came to visit and we hit wine country.  And going on vacation, well,... that's the best excuse I have for enjoying life's guilty food pleasures!  Those activities became priority and I allowed the healthy habits to take a back seat.  I didn't take time out to officially shift my goals during those weeks.  I just went with the flow.  And then at the end of the weeks where I didn't adhere to my 3 healthy habits that I was agreed to change for the entire 90-days, it felt a little like a defeat.  I need to allow for more flexibility in my planning, without going off the deep end.    

I learned that I really felt good on the days that I worked out and ate healthy.  Working out in moderation and consistency were both key.  I enjoyed trying new healthy recipes and sharing recipes with family/friends.  I also find that the presentation of food is important.  I am less likely to overeat if I take time to prepare healthy food and present it in a manner that is pleasing.  Preparing good food forces me to slow down and think about why I am eating - not only as a means of relieving stress, or as a drug to simply feel good, but to nourish the body.  Eating good food and exercising definitely has an impact on mood and cognitive function as well.  While it is true that none of us will exit this world alive, we can make the most of life while we are here.  We do that, in part, by taking good care of the vehicle we have been given to navigate this world; our body and mind.                   

Points: You didn't think I forgot about the points, did you?  Cheri, Karen, and Gale earned 5000 points for posting their goals.  They will earn another 5000 each if they post again to tell us how they did.  Everyone who joined this site earned 2000 points.  Those who have read the blog can claim 1000.  And 50,000 points goes to anyone who adhered to changing their 3 habits for the entire 90-days!  For those that got anything positive out of this blog or who made any healthy change for the better during this time, a million points to you! 

I am going to continue to use this blog to work on improving healthy habits and share good tidbits that others share with me.  For example, someone shared with me a story of two coworkers who both lost a lot of weight.  One was using Weight Watchers program.  Another simply eliminated drinking alcohol during the week.  I found that story quite interesting, but not surprising.  Although we know there are health benefits associated with drinking wine, even one drink could potentially negatively impact the diet.  Often people crave alcohol due to low blood sugar.  When they drink, they get a quick rush, and then the blood sugar crashes again.  I am one of those people who, after having even just one drink, I have to eat.  The cravings kick in like crazy, and then watch out carbs!  Alcohol consumption can contribute to a drop in blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.  Symptoms of hypoglycemia include anxiety, dizziness, sweating, pounding heart, confusion, weakness, unclear thinking, and depression.  It really does become a vicious cycle.  Not drinking during the week sounds like a wise plan in the weight loss scheme.  But also eating healthy fiber-rich, low-glycemic foods to avoid the blood sugar crash and lessen cravings will also be a vital part of the ongoing plan.      

Well, time to run.  I have plans to spend time with friends and enjoy my clean & organized kitchen!  Happy Sunday! 
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May 3, 2012: May Showers,...

 Has it really been almost a month since I've posted?  Yikes!  Well I will have to get back on the ball!
It rained hard last night and this morning.  Now everything is so green and fresh!  

I must admit, I am having a wonderful time on vacation.  Yes, this is the start of the 2nd week of a two-week vacation to Wisconsin.  I love this part of the country.  The air is so clean.  It's just very peaceful.  This photo was taken at a state park - one of my favorite spots. 

So even though I am on vacation and technically not paying too much attention to my healthy habits, I have had an opportunity to attend a daylong seminar sponsored by the Institute for Brain Potential, titled Food for Thought: How Nutrients Affect Mental Health and the Brain.  The presenter was Dr. Michael Lara, Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  His credentials include degrees from Harvard, Stanford, and UCLA School of Medicine.  The seminar was packed full of good information on nutrition, supplements, the cortisol/appetite/weight connection, blood sugar and the brain, etc. I will try to share some of this information on this blog over the next few weeks.

Neurotransmitters are those chemicals that communicate information between nerve cells.  They control many functions of our body, to include mood, memory, appetite, and the sleep-wake cycle.  Dr. Lara reviewed neurotransmitter function and talked a lot about nutrients that influence the key neurotransmitters identified as major players in mental health (serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine).  Norepinephrine and dopamine, for example, are thought to have an impact on attention.  Norepinephrine and serotonin both play a role in anxiety, impulse, and irritability.  Serotonin and dopamine together are thought to influence appetite, sexual drives and aggression.  All 3 of these neurotransmitters influence mood and cognitive function.  While psychopharmacology focuses on mimicking or altering the effects of these neurotransmitters, there are also natural ways to influence or mimic these neurotransmitters.  For example, SAMe (a naturally occurring compound found in all living things) is often used to treat depression and helps with joint health.  It was reported that it compares favorably to anti-depressants and has less side effects.  Here are a few links to research articles on SAM-e:

• Nelson, J.C. (2010). S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) augmentation in major depressive disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 167(8), 889-891.
• Papakostas, G.I. (2009). Evidence for S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM-e) for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 70 Suppl 5, 18-22.           

Additional supplements of interest in the treatment of depression and/or anxiety include Folic Acid and St. John's Wart.  Of course, it is important to do your own research and discuss the idea of taking supplements with your medical doctor prior to doing so.

So in my quest to ward off potential stress, depression, & attentional problems, I am on a mission with my spouse to organize our kitchen.  It's time for me to run and get productive!  But I will be back, and promise not to wait so long in between posts this time!

Breathe deeply and have a super healthy, peaceful day!

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April 8, 2012: Easter Confessions of an Affair!

Happy Easter!  Now put down those chocolate bunnies and Cadbury Eggs!

So I have a confession to make.  I have had an affair.  Don't jump to conclusions.  It's probably not what you're thinking!  I've had an affair with food & wine for the past few weeks!  I must admit, it was fun to indulge.  I mean, it was really fun!  I toured 3 wineries with a friend who was in town for the weekend and sampled several varieties of whites and reds.  Gotta love the names of some of these local varieties: Cari's Crush, One Night Stand, Floozy Red,...   

The names were sinfully appropriate, much like my little tour away from my healthy habits plan,...

Regretfully I must admit, the indulgence didn't stop there.  I purchased some artichoke brochette and gourmet cheese.  We also stopped at a chocolate shop and sampled some sinfully delicious delicacies.  And in the same vein as some of my intellectually disabled clients who get chided by peers for being so forthright about telling on themselves, I willfully posted my sins on Facebook.  One of my brothers defied me to post my confession in my blog.  I had to laugh.  "Of course!" I told him.  "There are health benefits to be touted in both wine and chocolate!"  


Professional Friends of Wine write:  

The medical profession has recognized the healthful and nutritive properties of wine for thousands of years. Recent archeological evidence shows wine was in use as a pharmaceutical as early as 3,150 B.C.¹ Hippocrates recommended specific wines to purge fever, disinfect and dress wounds, as diuretics, or for nutritional supplements, around 450 B.C. A French doctor wrote the earliest known printed book about wine in 1410 A.D. (Retrieved 4/7/12 from http://www.winepros.org/wine101/wine-health.htm). 

And don't forget that "moderate consumption of red wine on a regular basis may be a preventative against coronary disease and some forms of cancer" (WinePros.org).

Here's a recap of a study that compares red wine to the non-alcoholic components of red wine, as well as to another alcoholic solution.  The title of the article is "Beneficial effects of a moderate consumption of red wine on cellular cholesterol efflux in young men". Results indicated that in young men, a "modest, specific beneficial effect of moderate red wine consumption was demonstrated in comparison to an alcoholic solution".  (Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2000 Apr;10(2):63-9, as cited by the National Institutes of Health.  Retrieved on 4/7/12 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10919170.)

And the research goes on and on,...

Now about chocolate,...

Here's one study that demonstrates the the acute ingestion of both solid dark chocolate and liquid cocoa lowers blood pressure: "Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial function: a randomized controlled crossover trial" (Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jul;88(1):58-63 as cited by the National Institute of Health; Retrieved on 4/7/12 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18614724.)

I could go on and on about the health benefits of chocolate as well.  When it comes down to it, we can find research to back us up, no matter what side of the coin we are on (or no matter what type of chocolate or wine we are consuming).  Most of us probably have a good idea about what is healthy and what is excessive.  And we have markers in our everyday lives that tell us when we've gone overboard, whether it's the button on our slacks, the pain in our joints, the number on the scale, or the results at the doctor's office.  Sometimes it's just the lack of energy or that feel-good feeling one gets from working out and eating right.  I know it's time for me to get back on track and shed a few pounds.

We are all human.

That is the bottom line.

I know many intelligent medical doctors, psychologist, psychiatrists, etc. who struggle with the same health and weight issues.  It seems to be part of the human condition.  It is not easy to make permanent lifestyle changes. Sometimes we try to blame the problem on laziness or lack of drive.  In my experience, however, that is usually not the case.   

Sometimes things crop up in life that cause us to go way off course.  This can include reactions to crisis events, overwhelming emotions, such as depression, stress/anxiety, etc., battling fatigue and attentional problems, specific developmental markers that are navigated unsuccessfully, and/or existential issues.  (Interesting to Note: Several of my psychologist friends have gone into full blown binge mode when studying for the national EPPP licensing exam.)  Sometimes genetic factors have to share the blame.  Consuming food that tastes good helps to alleviate the negative emotions.  I have found that people generally do not willfully choose to be unhealthy.  It's just that the unhealthy options seem more gratifying in the moment.  The decision to rely on food as a source of comfort is a learned habit.  And it’s not necessarily bad in moderation.  We just have to intersperse those habits with more of the healthy ones, such as walking and taking time out to cook and consume nutritional meals. 

In a way, it is kind of like someone who's had an affair.  Having sat with couples who have been in that situation, my experience as a psychologist tells me that not all relationships are created equal and not all stories of infidelity are the same.  Sometimes a spouse faces life choices that appear overwhelming and instead of turning to their partner for support, they turn elsewhere.  Maybe they didn't have the tools to communicate what they needed to effectively.  For others, however, their spouse was unable to listen or reciprocate in a way that seemed appropriate.  The person having the affair may have felt the need to fill a void, escape a seemingly unacceptable emotion or situation, or simply to feel heard or to share a reality.  They needed to feel loved or just to feel again, period.  It can be a wake-up call.  Sometimes the affair has seemingly very little to do with the spouse.  I am certainly not advocating the idea of having an affair.  However, an affair doesn’t have to necessarily equate the end a relationship.  Some relationships are not meant to be.  An affair may be a stepping stone to the end.  For some people, the mere thought of their spouse being disloyal is unforgivable and the consequences are nothing short of tragic.  Yet for others, as difficult and painful as it may be, the aftermath of an affair is often very telling of the strength of the relationship.  It can force the couple into learning to connect on deeper levels than they would have ever attempted prior to such a situation.  When facing a relationship crisis and potential loss of a marriage, suddenly the sanctity of the union becomes crystallized and worth fighting for.  Adversity can and often does brings people together.   With guidance and hard work, a couple can improve communication and the relationship in general, if both parties are dedicated to doing so. 

Diets, like relationships, can go stagnant if we let them.  Using the affair analogy, the marriage between longevity and healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to divorce as a result of a temporary human slip up.  We are all flawed, after all, but we also have the ability to make choices and do the right thing.  What's most important is that we do somehow grow along the way.  And we love ourselves enough to be supportive in our own self-talk and not adversarial.  We need to get the walking shoes back on and eat our fruits & veggies, while understanding that sometimes in life, we also need to sip the wine and taste the chocolate (as long as it doesn’t become a full-blown affair)! 

Happy Easter Everyone!

               

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March 22, 2012: New Day, New Beginning!

 

This was the beautiful sunrise scene out my front door this morning! 

 The morning sky makes me think about how beautiful the day is.  Any day that we wake up and experience the gift of life, we need to be grateful!  Think about it,...  We have a chance to make a difference today.  Despite our lives to this point, today we have options.  We can make choices to honor the gift we have, and honor our bodies.  Today we can make the choice to do something good for ourselves, such as deciding to nourish our bodies by the food we eat, rather than abuse food.  We can make choices to limit the processed junk that we take in.  We don't have to enjoy the choices in the moment, but we can start making decisions to change the way we think about our options.  We can start to embrace a healthier lifestyle (and yes, actually start to enjoy it, in fact crave it, especially when we begin to see positive changes in our bodies). 

Today is a new day!  Embrace it! 
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March 17, 2012: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 This is one of my favorite youtube videos.  You really have to watch the entire song to experience the goose bumps! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Here's a few Irish quotes to start the day: 

"I often take exercise. Only yesterday I had breakfast in bed." (Oscar Wilde)

"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine; something Brussels Sprouts never do." (P. J. O'Rourke).

"Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much." (Oscar Wilde) 

"I can resist anything but temptation." (Oscar Wilde)  

I've had a busy week but a good one.  Being too busy can sometimes equate to stress, so I was careful to find time to unwind and destress.  I was out of town on business for two days and paid very little attention to following my healthy goals.  Sigh,...  I guess, in the words of Oscar Wilde, "the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it".  All things are good in moderation, I am told.  In general, however, I had a fairly good week.  Having an exercise friend has helped me be a little more consistent with my workouts.  Yesterday I went to the roller rink with several friends.  I didn't think my 40-something year old body would be up for it, but it was a great workout, a lot of fun, and surprisingly, I didn't fall once!  (I came close a few times.)  There were a few people in our group who didn't know how to skate very well and others who were quite seasoned skaters.  Regardless, everyone put forth good effort and worked up a sweat.  Everyone's skating abilities improved before the end of the night.  I did learn that I will probably never play Red Light/Green Light with elementary-aged children on skates ever again.  (How do those little tikes move so fast on wheels?)

I was reading some articles about managing stress through food and other techniques.  People who are conscientious about health and dieting sometimes get in a habit of punishing themselves emotionally for resorting to food as a source of comfort or relief from stress.  Again, the word moderation comes to mind.  Finding balance is so important.  We cannot stop living, after all.  We need to find time to savor & enjoy life. The following quotes sum it up nicely:
 
"The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind." (G.K. Chesterton)

"There's lots of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven't the time to enjoy it." (Josh Billings)


Green Mountain at Fox on the Run published the following stress management strategies: 

Use food. While this isn't the best strategy for managing stress, we've listed it first because it's the one thing that weight-struggling women use often, yet believe they shouldn't use at all! But denying ourselves comfort food when we really want it can be just as stressful as the stress we're trying to manage in the first place. The key is to make sure it's not our only tool for managing stress - using food too often also adds the unwanted stress of weight gain. If you're out of balance in this regard, expand your stress 'toolbox' with strategies such as those below. For more about using food, read Stress and Eating.

Get active. Physical activity immediately makes us feel better and more energetic. But part of our stress is that we're already short on time and long on things to do. But are we really too busy to take a walk? Generally, saying we're too busy indicates resistance to the idea of physical activity in the first place.

Why do we resist such a feel-good strategy? Often because we're doing it to burn calories, believing we have to hit target heart rates and walk a certain length of time for it to really 'count.' But that attitude again creates more stress than the physical activity resolves.

Think instead of moving for pleasure. What's more relaxing than pleasure...walking on a sunny day, enjoying the sweet smell of spring, what a delight! If you can manage 30 minutes, or just 10 minutes here and there, whether you walk with a friend or alone in a beautiful scenic area -- it all counts!

Other fun ideas:

• Dance. Put on a favorite CD and dance around the house, or join a ballroom,
  jazz, tap, salsa, country line dance class!
• Join a women-only fitness club. [Of course, this does not include the guys, lol..  Sorry.]  Extra motivation: Join with a friend.
• Grow tomatoes or flowers. Gardening works like a charm at relieving tension.

Pamper yourself-and give up the guilt. You deserve it!

• Glory in a bubble bath.
• Relax to calming music.
• Bury yourself in a good book--or at least a chapter or two.
• Play with your dog.
• Take a nap.

This entire article can be found at http://www.fitwoman.com/support/fitbriefings/stress-less/

Time for me to get off the computer and enjoy the rest of the day!  Hope you do the same!
 

Erin go Braugh! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Click on the "Join This Site" link on the right hand side, under the heading "Followers".

Read more about the 90-Day Challenge!


Also, don't forget that you can post YOUR GOALS HERE
Click HERE for additional Weight/Nutrition/Health resources.
Click HERE for Hep C resources.

March 12, 2012: Spring Ahead!

Did you remember to set your clocks ahead?  Nobody likes losing an hour of sleep.  The good news, hopefully for me, is that it will be lighter out when I leave work tonight.  Hopefully the same goes for you!

So my weekend went well.  It was busy, but I managed to get in a good workout at the gym with a friend.  I found that by having a "buddy" to work out with, I am less likely to find an excuse to delay going to the gym.  It helps to motivate each other!  Went to a dance on Saturday.  That was a fun way to burn calories.  And let me tell you, I was sweating buckets by the time the dance was over!  Tonight I meet with my trainer after work.  

My time on the computer is short this morning.  With that being said, I want to start the day with a message I received from Green Mountain: "You can't hate your body to a healthy weight."  "You must establish a loving relationship with your body and yourself."  We need to start feeling good about ourselves now.  Not when we reach a certain weight.  More on that at another time! 

Have a wonderful spring day! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't forget to join this site!
Click on the "Join This Site" link on the right hand side, under the heading "Followers".


Read more about the 90-Day Challenge!


Also, don't forget that you can post YOUR GOALS HERE
Click HERE for additional Weight/Nutrition/Health resources.
Click HERE for Hep C resources.