Health and Fitness May, 2012

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

In a bid to 1) save money, 2) keep track of my blood loss and 3) give my poor body a rest from tampons, I've bought a Diva cup and am trying that now. Will report back in a few days.

Judging from reading the instructions, it isn't quite as much of a money saver as I thought but that wasn't even the point, really. It was more to give my body a break. Plus, if I invest a ton of money in this, my period is sure to stop. Right?!!!

[Nancy]

Right K in C. !

I mowed and pulled weeds for my exercise today.

[Harriet]

Wow, Twins' Mom's wrap sounds yum. mie.

Mention of the phrase "low carb" shook a memory loose in my brain. I checked the Low Carb Friends forum and found that the Alternate Day Diet forums there (nicknamed JUDDD for Johnson Up Day Down Day) are still going very strong. Lots of tips on having enough food to satisfy while trying to keep calories low. I got pulled into the thread "Low-ish Carb DD Staples" where there are many mentions of how people use eggs, among other things. And now I know what my lunch is going to be several days next week. I'm going back to making large batches of egg salad - don't remember why I quit. I need to buy more mustard!

Kathryn, it's a known fact that the more prepared you are for an eventuality the less likely you'll get to use your preparations. I think it goes double if you had to spend money. Let's hope this was pretty much a waste.

[Lynlee]

Harriet What I got from the Lustig video was that there is nothing in HFCS that the body can use naturally.. A big long process he claims ends in making fat. And nasty things to blood that wreck its delicate balance.
I think the big problem of a big mac is you are still hungry afterwards. And tend to eat all the extras suggested w it. I once had a beef patty and the additive free salad - that would be the lettuce. It was the most horrid tasteless thing.

Kathryn I bought a big lot of supplies when I had a letts procedure (cone biopsy). That was it. Finis. Still need toss some of them .

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

My cunning plan seems to be working! (Blood flow was much, much, lighter today - I've just been using a panty liner since 4:30 because the flow was so light today.) I'm maintaining the ibuprofen only, no naproxen.

On the other hand, I've been feeling lousy - just 'low.' Came home to change between church and potluck and had to get a hug from dh when I got back to the church because I was feeling so very weepy. Hanging for an hour with friends (while we waited for the service at the other church to end so we could eat) cured me of that but I'm still feeling fragile emotionally. I recognize it is all hormones but that doesn't make it any easier.

Active day today, first exercise, then playing outside with the kids while we were waiting for the minister to come back for lunch (my soccer skills are still there!) and finally 2 hours of bowling which was very hard on my back. I may be paying for that over the next few days.

[Harriet]

Kathryn, at least you had the anti-inflammatory already in your system before soccer and bowling. Water, water. And after bowling? I'd drink so much it would make me get up at night and be grateful to have to!!!

This evening as I was finishing up Basic workout, dd asked me to hula hoop with her and put on "Mambo Number 5", which is our favorite team hula hoop music, so I couldn't resist. But I am feeling it in my lower back a little bit. She hoops until she has red marks around her middle from her much heavier hoop. Also in her play list for hooping is "White and Nerdy", which is a hoot since she can sing it while she hoops, and a lot of Japanese music to which she does specialty hooping I don't dream of doing. The requirement of hooping while thinking of the next move and getting ready for it in stance ...makes me drop the hoop! I think it is probably good for her mind-body connection. Tobias was funny, looking up from his nap with my frequent hoop drops, thinking, "What? Not this again."

I learned from the Low Carb site that my profile on my long-inactive account says I started it in March, 2009. So I checked in our H and F to see if I ever mentioned it. I didn't - I don't think I cared that much about it. But I got caught up in our village posts in H and F from March and April 2009. We were funny.

"Even" this morning on weight. Maybe, maybe, in the next few days!

Found this friendlier, more informative BMI calculator site that includes the percentile of your BMI relating to all Americans, set up by Dr. Stephen Hall. This page is the women's BMI, there's a link to the men's at the side, and a link to Ideal Weight Calculations where the finger icon is pointing. On the Ideal Weight page, there are also opinions, both Medical and averages of what other people think. Dr. Hall believes we should use a variety of criteria to decide if our BMI is right for us, and what our own opinions are about our BMI. For his own categories, he chooses to go back to the criteria used until the year 2,000, which you can find by clicking on "according to" beside the BMI calculation and scrolling down to the table there. He says, if a calculator's description of your body seems wrong for you, trust your own judgment.

[Harmony]

Harriet, thanks for posting all that information. I never did have the time to listen to that video, though I've been on this computer enough..

About the percentages on that calculator...I had clicked on the 20%...I thought that meant 20% less weight, calories, something... are there instructions on this thing that I missed? Or maybe you can just tell me what the % is about.

I did good on weight watchers when I went off my diet a bit toward the end of the week and on weekends, then buckled down come monday again because my weighing was Thursday. Sort of a modified up/down concept I guess; it worked well for me.

I'm going to be more diligent in staying away from HFCS. If I can. Post Raisin Bran prints right on the front of their box NO HFCS. Kellogs makes no such claims. I'm giving up sodas for good. If I can. And I'm happy to read fruit is ok because of the fiber. I'd wondered about adding all the extra sugar in my diet. Though, given a choice, I'd rather have more veggies than more fruit. I haven't been in a fast food place in weeks. I guess I'm doing better with my diet.

[Harriet]

Harmony, those percentages on the Alternate Day calculator mean how much of your normal intake you DO decide to eat on a low-calorie day. Therefore, 20 percent is the most restrictive. 25, 30, and 35 would be less restrictive but offer weight loss. 40 and 45 percent are slow weight loss/maintenance. 50 to 55 percent would be maintenance.

Cantaloupe I found at a two-fer price is delicious - very happy about that. HRH has been "taking" Sammie for a walk every early morning and missed today because he had an early day. Sammie was SO disappointed when he drove away.

That's interesting that Post has labeled to attract customers by bragging they have no HFCS. That's the largest company I've heard of really addressing it in packaging. If companies using sugar were smart, they'd jump on the concept that belly fat is more likely caused by HFCS than sugar. Not that sugar is good for anyone, but at least they could say consumer's tummies must be somebody else's fault. lol.

[Nancy]

My exercise yesterday was a walk plus I did at least 30 min. of weeding in the back yard it's looking better all the time now. Love to see the new blooms coming on iris are now out here!

[Harriet]

I lost another half-pound!

8 pounds lost since the end of October.
3 pounds lost in 2012.
Just 2 more to go to my 10 pound loss.

Sometimes I wish for a scale that measures in fractions beyond just half pounds, but I would probably be posting with every ounce, wouldn't I?

I'm so happy to have egg salad in the fridge again - added some to a big tossed salad yesterday along with salmon! I think I stopped making it because I was so determined about getting my acid reflux under control at one time, and read that sometimes egg salad sandwiches triggered it for some people. But I don't remember any time that actually happened to me. And the bread would be a lot more suspicious than the egg salad.

Here the iris are looking lovely, Nancy. We saw beautiful ones just opening up when we went to the Highland Games. I was showing the boys their "beards". Good job on all the yard work.