Health and Fitness, January 2011

[Nancy]

Got a good walk in yesterday yea me!

Saw that One of the P & P sisters has a new book on dieting out;
fly*lady was promoting it in her e-mail I noticed today.

[Lilac]

They called from the urologists office on Tuesday and I went in and left a urine sample for them to do the fish test.

4 of the last 5 mornings, I have had great BS numbers.

My weight is trying to creep up and I already needed to lose the 5 lbs. that I have gained since I quit exercising. After this trip, I need to really hit it and start exercising again. Plus do a better job of not snacking.

[Twins' Mom]

I'm not tracking what I'm eating, but just (mostly) eating better.

I signed up to go to WW meetings at the JCC starting on Monday. Told them I won't stay for meetings, just will go and weigh and back to work, and I may not even show up all of tax season. But anything I can do for acccountability to keep the tax season weight away and even lose a little will help.

[Nancy]

Vacuuming was good exercise for me yesterday!
Exercise is such a key factor in my health.
My bs reading was great after that.
Plus I finally had a perfect # when I got up today.
I am hoping I have finally got the dosage right for now any way.
One small tweak I'm doing this year taking Metamucial in the morning and before bed
is helping.

[Harriet]

It is inspiring to come in and see that others are making new plans right now, because ME TOO. Happy to partner with you guys!

I'm going to start 21 straight days of exercise from today, Jan 20 through Thursday, Feb 10. This is to remind myself, even if it subconsciously, that daily activity is my HABIT. Also, this timespan spills out right at Valentine's planning time. So when I finish on that Thursday, I'll reward myself with asking my sweetie out to celebrate being such a lucky man, sometime on the weekend. Yay! Calendar Event Goal!

I worked on my "set up" of video exercise needs. This mostly involves getting my DVD player situation straightened out (having a backup plan, able to go immediately to the other player if something gets in the way downstairs). Workout clothing for me means switching to shorts, although I sometimes add in a hair scrunchie - that's about as sophisticated as I get, so there's not much to set up. I do have a mat, but I need to work up to a little more strenuous workouts before I "hit the floor" again.

Decided to take T-Tapp up on a one-day super price cut and spent $9 on a 2007 video as my January fitness treat. It's just shipped "ground" so won't be here for a while, but now I will have a surprise incentive of something different on one of my 21 days.

So today was my first day of 21 straight days of exercise! I did the Basic workout upstairs after the school run. Upstairs is definitely less comfortable and the tv is old and small, but it is more private. Sometimes being able to be private is a key.

[blessedw2]

saw a nutritionist/therapist to help me stay focused on my journey to healthier living. I can stay with something a month and fall off track. i am seeing her as a as needed experiment to see if I can work through the falling back part of dieting and exercise. She is helping get passed "I hope" those bumps in the road to sticking to a healthy exercise routine and help me with my night time eating.

things I have broken- I used to eat out all the time, now for a year I make dinner and lunch 98% of the time.

problems to work on:
walking in the neighborhood
exercising daily
having fun
break out of comfort zone. expand myself emotionally and physically (don't let fear guide me)
tv... still a problem (replacing fun things with tv that I use to relax at night)

so she is going to try to s-l-o-w-l-y replace habits with things I love and not stay into a rut.

my homework she gave me: write down when you feel hungry, instead of eating anything at night replace it with fiber rich whole wheat items. take time to talk with others between bites, don't rush like I do.

[Nancy]

I'm trying to get more fiber in my eating so
today I had pumpkin for breakfast.
BS #'s have been good the last two days yea!
Had an apple with my lunch.
BS is good again today oh-yea love these better numbers.

[DeeClutter]

I started the summer at 187#, and have flirted with 170/173 for the last 2 or 3 weeks. Time to get the habit of a little more activity each day. So I'm in with Harriet -21 days of exercise. At least my BS has been near normal or normal most days. Perhaps I won't be afraid to get my A1C done when we get back home and other various blood work. I was having trouble keeping my BS down, but it seems much easier now that I've lost a few pounds. With a few more I'm sure it'll be even more stable. I'm looking forward to that.

[Harriet]

blessed, I think everyone is an example of being able to stay with something a month and then falling off track. Don't beat yourself up about it. I'm glad you have someone to help you think it through, though - very smart. When there is real success, that can sometimes keep our attention. Or when something is a lot of fun (eating differently is seldom fun). Speaking of the whole wheat late in the evening, of course I can't try that because of tendency toward acid reflux, which whole wheat affects quite a bit. But I think it is wonderful you've found something that works for you.

Speaking of the something that is fun.. ... I thought again this week about the concept of starting something creative to satisfy your urge for a treat and you won't eat as much. I believe that is true. I was in the middle of a couple of creative things this week and I would experience that phenomenon of forgetting to eat.

I did the Basic workout again today, and again upstairs. I am liking the privacy, although I am carrying the water glass and the DVD around. Of all things, the new DVD arrived today, so that wasn't any wait at all. I may try it tomorrow, or wait for a real hankering for something new to hit me.

Oh, also I did shopping walking today. I maintain that is hard exercise!

Dee, that is a good weight loss to hang on to over several months. Congratulations.

Dee mentioned A1C. Last month I reported here my own dr's findings in a group of his own patients that a low-carb diet (like Atkins) was so helpful in reducing heart health markers (he was talking to me about cholesterol, but others, too). Well, today while organizing and decluttering my ddad's newspapers I noticed this articleabout a dr who is continuing very similar research and says A1C is improved with low-carb more efficiently that any other diet. Now, when dd12 studied this for school report, she found research that said something similar about vegan diet, suggesting it is animal products lingering in cells that cause a lot of the trouble in markers for heart health. Anyway, I find all of this very interesting. Big diet changes in 2 different directions show benefit in lowering A1C. Hmmm ...

I'm continuing OKay's advice about eating beans often for cholesterol. I have discovered Margaret Holmes brand in cans that just taste wonderful and have so many varieties in addition to the ones we usually think of in cans. If you have this brand near you, check it out. Crowder Peas are my favorite, and next I want to try White Acre Peas (that is a light colored large Field Pea - they also have regular Field Peas).

[Nancy]

Yesterday I saw 13 deer on my walk.