Health and Fitness, December 2011

[Lynlee]

Harmony - I have found natural sheep milk yoghurt w live yoghurt cultures - acidophilus, bifidobacteria - if I can read the lable accurately.
I've heard that 8 min is a tipping point you need get to for exercise to be benificial - can do multiples of that thru the day to get to bigger total.. It all adds up.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm well enough to be on the treadmill today but it will be for just 30 minutes because I'm tiring out fast. That could be the lack of food.

Tuesday I had a banana, a jello, 1/2 bowl of soup and 4 crackers, slice of raisin toast, plus gatorade and 3 cans of soda. Yesterday I had a small bowl of cereal and fruit, 1/2 bowl of soup, 4 crackers, slice of raisin toast, banana and some cheetos, glass of milk, a salad and a small sandwich made up of 2 oz of turkey, some dressing and 2 strips of bacon. Oh, and 3 chocolates. I managed 5 glasses of water through the day (and 2 diet pops.) So I'm figuring I'm slightly dehydrated as well as under-nourished. At least I got my vitamins in yesterday.

Today will be better for eating healthy except we're having ribs tonight. At least they are portion controlled at 3 oz of meat.

[OKay]

I got on the scales with one eye closed this morning. I only had enough courage to peek with one eye at what horrors the scales were going to tell me
It's sad to say, but I'm pleased that I only gained 1.8 lbs during the past couple of weeks. I have been eating everything in sight at all hours of the day/night without restraint so I expected to see at least a 10lb gain.

I've restarted my "What I ate" spreadsheet and am tracking my food using lessons learned from Indiana. After inputting my food, I saw i was getting too much protein and not enough dairy, vegetable and fruits. I will be monitoring it for a few days and getting back on track with healthy eating/weight control.

[Harriet]

Harmony, funny you mention that now as I am seriously considering trying Dr. Mercola's whey protein powder. He has a long list of things to look for in a protein powder and why, and the ones I find at the grocery certainly don't measure up to his standards. I think it will be twice as expensive as the grocery brands to order that, if I'm figuring right. He says about the same price as vitamin store brands (probably right). A compromise for me may be to check Vitamin Shoppe but I haven't had the chance to look at their ingredient lists yet. At the grocery, I am likely to choose Designer Whey 100 calorie Protein, Chocolate, which is better than some. I make it with coconut milk after reading that that is best for the thyroid.

You probably don't need to hear from me again about the other things, but my tummy does best on Fage yogurt, especially the honey one, or adding my own honey, and I like PB-8 probiotic capsules, one a day on an empty stomach, although dr told me 2 (spaced) a day when I was coming off the antibiotic. Some other yogurts seem to threaten acid reflux with me - that could be very specific to me and nobody else. Perhaps if I could find what Lynlee found I'd be better off.

Popping up from desk often is wise. We shouldn't sit too long.

Kathryn, I'm so glad you got in enough water during the sickness.

I'd like to end the month at the same point I last reported as far as weight. This cold has kept me from exercising, feeling weary. It is on it's way out at the 48-hour mark right now. Happy I had zinc in the house, assuming it does indeed minimize the duration.

The propane guy who delivers in our area is also a nutritionist and body builder. He always asks about my ddad and today suggested protein powder shakes for him in place of some of the Ensures during the winter when he can't get in as much walking, especially if we got foul weather and would appreciate a powdered product on the shelf. So I told him I had a conversation going with some friends about this and asked him for basic recommendation. He said by far his general recommendation for most people would be MyoFusion which can be found at GNC. Something about having several different proteins including casein for bioavailable amino acids? (went over my head) Online I notice that it is cold processed, one of Dr. Mercola's criteria, but it has sucralose just like the grocery brands. He says everyone likes their vanilla and it supposedly blends with just shaking in 3 seconds.

[Cowinkie]

Tomorrow I will get on the scales. I did get to wear my Christmas red dress, but my jeans are feeling tight. Won't be surprised to see the scales up, but geesh, it Xmas time and I don't go home very often. Not time to scold myself. After all, this is only a tiny pebble of sand in my beach life. I've already started back on my low carb program, but will allow myself some fun for New Year's Eve. Life is too short to always be tied to a scale. One I get to my ideal weight, and thats not too far away, I plan to monitor my week day meals and give myself some lee-way during the weekends. That's what I did the last time I lost 40 lbs, and I was able to keep it off for 15 years.

Remember it was meds and my night time- sleep eating that put most of this weight back on. I am hungry at the moment and that means it time for eggs and turkey sausage. I ate a lettuce wrapped burger for lunch today, so I am well within my limits. Trick for me I've learned is to eat protein when I'm hungry and not skip meals.

[Nancy]

Got in two walks today and did 5 mi. on the ex. bike today.

[Cowinkie]

Way to go Nancy! I'm going to check out a gym that is closer to me in the next day or two. I've been at my other one for 8 yrs, but think I would use this one even more as it is where I do all my shopping and errands.

As far as damage control, I'm up 4.5 lbs. Hope to have 2 of them off by Mon but it will depend on what we do for new years. Should have it done by Wed. I need to go riding with Nancy ; - )

[Harriet]

Damage control report here, too:

have see-sawed and as of this morning whittled the gap down to only one-half pound over my last report here.
That's all I'm asking - to start the New Year without losing my bit of fall-to-winter progress.
Or, without losing my trend, let's say.

Cowinkie, I am so happy for your red Christmas dress success. You can be your own refrigerator photo inspiration.

Twins Mom, if a more personal interaction is what is needed, go for it. Gyms aren't like a person asking questions of you. If what you are missing is enough accountability, we are here as cyber exercise buddies and can nag very happily if you tell us what to say! But certainly a real-life person with hands on hips, expecting you to show up could be priceless.

A little private on my part as I try stating health/fitness resolutions and have to admit they can be answered simply by my normal Healthy Habits I've always known. It's not a very impressive resolution when you're essentially saying, "Do what you already know to do, girl!" is it?

Continuing at 2.5 pounds less each month will allow several closet items to re-enter my wardrobe. I want to get my waistline down but don't know any formula for setting expectations right now. Thinking about how to state resolutions, then. Stamina, etc. It will come to me.

[Nancy]

Doing a bit of research so I'm sharing Dr. Tony Horton's 10 min. work out here too. Don't know if I can do all of these w/out the modifications. But thought I'd share http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tony-horton-workout-plan
ony Horton's 10 min. miracle plan / on dr. oz. show

90/10 09% clean eating 10% not
salasa on veggies
he's 100% clean some days some days not so much
salmon asparagas broccoli
1/2 brownie

accountability calandar fitness write it down x on the calander the more days the better 2 days off 5 days a week minimum
----
A push up oppsite arms,opp. leg on knees modified be moving.
freeze sprint, {I do some thing like this on the ex. bike during the
commercials I pedal really fast.}
End with the prayer pose reach up look up bend forward. don't forget to flex.
----
I over did it on food last night so no breakfast for me this morning.

[Harmony]

The information I read here is very helpful.

What is sucralose, is it artificial sweetener?

Harriet, the wedge pillow I had was a true wedge like a giant wedge of cheese. It was big enough to lift my body up from just below shoulders to head. Do you think maybe one that didn't lift so high with the contour pillow you use on top of that to hold my neck securely would work? I seriously need to do something about this.

DD2 had one of those big long body pillows, but she had it across the top of her bed up against the headboard and her regular pillow propped on that, and I felt like that was comfortable and secure and had the lifting ability. I've been wondering about that too.

I'm half pound higher than pre-Christmas weight. Not too bad. I'm getting some exercise every day. must check out Nancy's link too.