Health and Fitness, August 2008

[Harriet]

This is a thread about gaining and maintaining strength for our wonderful calling, homemaking. As we care for our own health, we grow more capable and competent to care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. As we grow more effective, our hopes for ourselves and those we care about get the best chance!

Wow, here's August arriving already and those of us in the western hemisphere are sweltering. How are you holding up in the HEAT? Drinking plenty of water? Trying out indoor exercise? Serving meals with light fruits and veggies? Watermelon... ... yum.

We had a lot of sharing last month - the July thread went to a 5th page as we reassessed at the half-point of the year. So if you missed any of the info, tips, opinions or complaints , do go back and check those pages out.

[Sadie]

Hello ladies,

it's the last day of July. How did you do this month?

Lost a little lonely pound this month. Lots of stress which tends to slow down my weight loss.

Also am still trying adding soy, which may influence the weight loss too. Hoping to add more exercise to my agenda.

How are all of you doing?

[DeeClutter]

Not doing so well in this corner, Sadie. My weight is still the same and I didn't do very well with my start at adding days to 'no-snacking'. So will start out a new calendar page with a clean slate. I CAN do this. I've done it before with great results. So today is the day -the first day of the string of no snacking days. I'll be back.

And no, I know I am not drinking anywhere near enough water, Harriet. Best be at it, right?

[Harriet]

Wow, if ever there were a water-drinking time this is it. Reading about "Dog Days" here. Hot, hot, hot. Here they come. As many as half of all Americans are dehydrating by first day of August every year, depending on the annual temp average.

Yep, gotta love that clean slate. It really gives a mental advantage, doesn't it?

Dh and I were saying to each other that summer sure is the right time to change to healthier habits, though, because the abundance of fresh foods is so tempting and if you give in you don't have as much room for the others! We need to hit the Farmer's Market in the morning.

Let's see, first of last month through several more days, all the villagers were having to "camp out". So our first posts in H & F came in on the 7th.

On the 7th, I committed to a goal of 5 pounds in 5 weeks, by mid-August, when there is a family event to attend. I lost 1/2 pound over the next 10 days or so, then joined dh on the 20th in his way of eating recommended in Prevention that "jumpstarted" you for 4 days. The idea of those days was very pristine eating of only light fruits, veggies, fish, chicken, turkey, brown rice, learning to use healthier oils, and even putting extra fruit/veggie in the water, 4 smaller meals a day. Lost an additional 2.5 pounds for 3 down, 2 to go by the 24th. By end of month, I lost one more half-pound, so have 3.5 down, 1.5 more to go and a couple weeks to do it. We'll see.

But that's only weight loss, which is not that important. Also made a goal to improve activity/exercise level to 2.5 hours per week. Last evening, dd9 and I went old-school and spent an hour Sweatin' to the Oldies with Richard Simmons. Fun, Fun, cardio-silly. With all the flailing arms and jumping, quite different from my usual measured, form-intense workouts! Dh came through and rolled his eyes and we got the giggles.

[Nancy]

I just ordered the diabetes management pages refill from day runner co. today
to manage my diabetes;
after a health crisis last mo.
I was lift flighted to a big city hospital and
was in there nearly a week and almost died.
I'm type one now
have to track insulin shots;
and all that.

[lucylee]

Oh, Nancy! (((BIG, BIG HUGS))) That is so scary! Glad you're better now!

Dee... IKWYM... * sigh * All I can say for myself is that I haven't gone backwards. Blood pressure was very good this morning. (I'm trying to check it on first of the month, at least, along w/measurements. Measurements are about the same as June 1 -- I skipped July.)
I like the clean slate. In some ways, I can do better when I'm in school b/c I do get in a better routine, even though it leaves a lot to be desired... bedtime, etc.

Harriet, YOU are doing GREAT!!! WTG!!! I know you'll get that last pesky 1.5 pounds by your deadline date!

WTG, Sadie, too!!! A loss is a loss!!! IKWYM about stress, too. I tend to eat when I'm stressed. (That's the bad thing about Paxil. Before Paxil, I'd get sooo stressed that I COULDN'T eat. But it's better to NOT be THAT stressed, LOL).

Jan. 2 -- 156.5 -- exercised 18 days
Feb. 1 -- 156 -- exercised 7 days
Mar. 1 -- 155 - exercised 14 days
Apr. 1 -- 155 --exercised 10 days
May 1 -- 153.5 -- exercised 6 days
June 1 - 155 -- exercised 10 days
July 1 -- 154 -- exercised 15 days
Aug. 1 - 155

[Harriet]

Nancy, thank heaven you are okay. I had missed you and was just teasing in a post Wednesday, saying where has Nancy been! We had done yard work here so that somehow reminded me of you! Well, don't dwell on the scariness of it, just go forward with all the good knowledge you'll have now. I didn't know there were management pages like that - they will be helpful and right up your alley. I know your dh is so relieved you are back home. Us, too!

Also, Nancy, there is a "Diabetic Diary" page for the pocketmod (the link is in the "Welcome, Links" thread for the pocketmod forum). You go to the link for the newer site, "rePocketMod.com". Under "Create" you look at "select a mod" and it's under miscellaneous. Someday when you are out and about that might be helpful until you can get home and transpose it to your management pages.

Hope everyone will remember and use Indiana's Healthy Snacks thread, below.

Also, use the Daily Logs idea here and post anything that is helpful to you. Use the thread I started last month or start a new one. Btw, I put a recipe for a sort of breakfast dessert in my last post there.

lucylee, I'm glad you are confident for me - don't know if it will be easy. Just trying on my own I only lost .5 pounds in 10 days or more. It was only the new way of eating that made a quicker difference, so now I'm back to plugging along! Already today I think I ate too much at lunch. I had a Greek salad and it just wasn't enough, so I added a leftover turkey taco (corn tortilla) and had a little peanut brittle, telling myself it was more nuts than candy!

One thing that is helping is keeping a food log and figuring out the nutrition a little. I still have a lousy reaction to too much sodium, so that's a biggie for me - keeping sodium in check.

[DeeClutter]

Nancy, I'm so glad that you're back with us -you've been missed. And had we known you were so sick, you certainly would have been part of our prayers -not that I don't pray for all of us here in this village every day! But you'll be at the top of my priority list for now. Did you have any symptoms before -post obly when you feel like it. DGS14 -then 12 -was diagnosed as type 1 2 years ago, but he's definitely not managing it very well.His bs is often over 300. Keep getting better.

[Twins' Mom]

Just a quick check in....after overeating and overdrinking at the Nashville party on Wednesday p.m. I'm trying to get myself back "on program." Yesterday I got into some Pringles and ate and ate, then we were out for dinner last night too.

My points for the week reset today.

Today I've been good, except that tonight at temple there was lots of unidentifiable middle eastern/Mediterranean food that I'm not sure how to record except as "Chazerrai." (Chazerai (chah zuh rye) n Junky, unsubstantial stuff. What you win at the state fair. For lunch your teenager has caramel corn, marshmallows, pizza and pop—that's chazerai! [from an online Yiddish dictionary] Anyway, I'm sure it was loaded with olive oil.

Trainer is on vacation also so not working out contributes to my attitude. I worked out on MTuW this week, and then will work out on WThF of next week.

Hip joints still hurting. Could be a little better but not back to normal by any means.

[Nancy]

Thanks for your concern
it's hard to see right now
my glasses are not working
for reading.

Hoping I can get that link when
things settle down
the pc is a challange for me.
Still on the mend.
I'm on light duty and
can garden did water and walked to the
corner safely!

Wedding rehearsal tonight picture me
with a big pring Bible mag. glass thingie
reading.

Things I'm learning what is a serving of carbs in stuff for when my sugar is low?
Do they have sugar free yougart sp? at the store. They were out of diab. bracelets.
[I'm good on testing sugars and doing
my shots.] The whole family is watching
their sug. / carb. intake now!

@ 110 I gained 2 lbs. all in my feet LOL!