Health and Fitness, April 2013

[Harriet]

In which Harriet just talks and talks...

Today I did the floor workout after stretch again, so 35 minutes of exercise.

That's great to be at 7,000 when you know one walk was cut short, Twins' Mom. Sounds like you would be able to reach 10,000 sometimes without hassle.

Ivy, what you said about books you have saved rang a bell with me. I find myself looking back at all previous plans that worked for me and reminding myself of all the things I learned. Usually even plans that didn't work gave me some insight, and most gave me worthwhile tips, at least. I am probably keeping some books that would make others wonder why keep them, if they were not what I continued for the long haul, but I see something in them.

I remember lucylee asking something like, where would I be if I hadn't tried, all this time. (Well - something like that.) And it IS cumulative. The pounds I didn't gain because I learned good information in a certain year... there was value to that. The pounds I was able to shed, even though I later realized it wasn't a very efficient way for me - well, that loss placed me at a better platform for the time that followed.

Read in the dr's office today that there's a Journal of the AMA article recently that suggests those slightly over normal BMI (slightly into "overweight") may live longest. The expert they asked why, said 1) maybe slightly overweight people go to their doctor more often (eehhnn, wrong answer - no they don't) OR, 2) maybe people who are slightly overweight when facing an illness that causes weight loss, fare better than those of normal weight who face the same illness without a store of body fat.

Now, this is significant in our household because I have to admit that HRH has preached this very same thing often, talking about his observations of the many people with whom he's worked in big food industry plants over the years. He's long said that those with some weight to lose seemed to outlive everybody, even though they went through illness that made them "waste away" for a while.

Anyway, this article says don't all the slim people go putting on weight now, just because of this study, since these are averages and not prescriptions for anyone personally, plus further studies may not bear this out, plus the study didn't take quality of life into consideration, etc. etc.

Now, here's my thought - what if the "slight" bit more were about muscle? What if the BMI of those living long was higher because they were the ones who were "normal" (whatever that is), yet had put on muscle, which would not have impacted their size or compromised their agility or quality of life at all, but pushed the weight/BMI up. In fact it would have made them "slightly" stronger and perhaps more confident in life. Hmmmm.....

Also I wonder if they took into consideration that some in the "normal" range might have missed getting enough fat in their diets, while those slightly above might eat fatty fish or otherwise get enough healthy fats.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Interesting observations, Harriet. My goal weight is toward the higher end of the healthy BMI range (and at the top of the WW range) for my height precisely because when I get to the lower end of my WW range people complain I'm too thin when they hug me. I'm happier with my body image at the lower weight (132) and no-one complained I was too skinny when I married dh at 128. I associate some of the best and strongest periods of my life at the 128 - 134 weight range but my goal is still to get to the 140 and try and hold there.

Btw: I have a depressingly long way to go to that goal.

Back at the start February, I had hoped to be in the lower 150s by now but that was before I started the cycle of losing and gaining. I'm still the same weight I was then, but have lost 12 pounds since then (as well as gaining them back.)

Weight is up this morning and I honestly have no idea. The worst thing I had to eat yesterday was 1 can of soda and a bread roll. Life is easier now that I've stopped lowering gluten in my diet but I suspect my belly is a bit bigger than it was at the beginning of Feb. It is just very hard to cut out bread and flour, because many of my recipes include meat coated with some flour (I'm talking a tablespoon tops) and sandwiches are easy to make for lunch. When I have the chili, I have the whole wheat roll because I recall the protein in beans needs to have the wheat protein to become usable by my body.

Was shocked to learn that under 5K steps is considered sedentary. That's without exercise. I definitely do not do over 5K steps a day unless I work out. Yet I would have thought I had a slightly active lifestyle. So the 10K the fitbit sets as a goal is not unreasonable but what is expected from someone with an active lifestyle. The breakdown I found was

<5k steps sedentary/inactive
5K - 7.5K low active
7.5K - 10K somewhat active
10K 12.5 K active
>12.5K very active

Of course, I've also read that 30 minutes of strenuous activity is the equivalent of 10K steps. They aren't kidding since that would be the equivalent for me to be walking/run at 10 mph. Forty minutes for me on the treadmill, at 75 -80% maximum heart rate, gets me, at most, only 4K steps. I think that a more reasonable example of what 10K steps should have been given, because I consider my workouts to be almost strenuous (I'm soaked in sweat after a few minutes.)

Anyway, time to leave the treadmill and move onto the bike. My heart rate on the treadmill today was only 70 - 75% mhr, I walked for 21 minutes, did 1.08 miles and burned 113 calories. I've done 2700 steps so far today but that includes tidying the bedroom and putting away laundry.

[Twins' Mom]

Yesterday the Fitbit was showing 7660 steps but that doesn't make sense because I thought I forgot to have it on when I walked the ddogs last night. And then I couldn't locate it at bedtime so didn't wear it overnight. I'm considering this period to be a "baseline" of what I usually do.

I need to start logging what I eat at some point.

Btw: I have a depressingly long way to go to that goal.

Echoing Kathryn.

Breakfast this morning is two eggs scrambled with salami and cheese. Not a lowfat breakfast but what I wanted!

[Nancy]

The milage thingie I think is off on my ex. bike but I rode it for 15 min. and did 20 mi. according to it. But at least I did it and some out side stuff too! To do that much I used to only be able to get 5 mi. in 20 min. so I'm improving hopefully anyway.

[Harriet]

Sounds like big improvement to me, Nancy.

So Kathryn, are you thinking that you have a smaller midsection when you cut out gluten? I find midsection knowledge so interesting since that's my nemesis. I looked up BMI calculators yesterday because of what I posted and noticed Web MD has a new-to-me multi-page site of extensive calculation and opinion. Frankly, some of the opinion is knee-jerk repetition of questionable platitudes. However, some is helpful. Here it is. They ask pant size, which seemed odd to me, so I tested it by putting in a couple sizes and found it made very little difference in their calculations or recommendations.

Anyway, they are a little disappointed in my waist circumference, which they seem to know by psychic ability, but say it's not so bad. They do give a chart to let you find your own measurement and get another opinion. That other opinion says I'd need to lose 3 inches - three inches! - off my waist to be out of "increased risk" and into "healthy". That or grow taller - let's try that, it may be easier.

But.... I happen to be on the line between normal and overweight BMI right now and let me tell you, I get no more respect from clothes manufacturers than from that chart. I'd do fine in a maternity shop otherwise have to question the meaning of the phrase "elasticized waistband" in descriptions, or scrutinize to see if they are comfortable. My friend B was surprised yesterday to hear that I exercise as much as I do and had thought maybe I was just starting. (Of course she was nearly blind at the moment, but not any time before.) I know her gracious pause in conversation was the spot she almost said, "Gee, why don't you look any slimmer, then?" Obviously, I need to get back down to the lower part of my personal-opinion weight "range" to leave the waist-measurement category of "increased risk", and that keeps me from participating in any life-span advantage the BMI "overweight" category might or might not give. Plus I need to keep exercising with an eye to the midsection. But that does make me yet another of many examples that BMI calculations are far from complete knowledge.

I, too, am SO OVER this cycle of losing and gaining. (well, I'm sick of it. Time will tell if I'm over it.) I greatly appreciate my hormone dr's honest advice on that, suggesting Dr. Sears' books (balancing protein, carbs and fats at every meal). But I believe I have found the overriding answer, and it is a zero tolerance policy regarding the number on the scale that's over my range, no matter what my way of eating otherwise. Raising that flag (or whatever) and taking that moment SERIOUSLY. The scale alarm flag is funny, sort of, but the concept is solid. Just as soon as I blip up on the scale, I need to have a strong lower calorie day, and get serious handling the little problem while it is little.

"Ladies, haul your own freight." - Ann Richards

[Ivy]

I did well on W.W. until DH wanting to make us grilled ham & cheese sandwiches for dinner. It made me 6 pts. over for the day, but then, in the evening, I threw in the towel and ate ice cream, then granola.

Today, I've been much better and I've worked for 1.5 hours getting the ARC donation together. There has been much walking, lifting, reaching, and bending in those 1.5 hours, too. I'm exhausted.

Tonight, I'm staying away from ice cream AND granola because it caused terrible IBS today, from seeds, nuts, and things. I have diverticulosis and need to stay away from certain things. I only can tolerate Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese, and last night's grilled ham and cheese was with Swiss cheese and of course, ice cream doesn't agree with me either. I did the elimination diet under my doctor's advice and careful eye, so he's diagnosed me Lactose Intolerant, but cheddar and yogurt I can have. People are so different from each other. My Dsis has IBS, too, and Dmom, etc... so we inherited it. Childhood was full of visions of Pepto-Bismal, Kaopectate, etc.., too. We ate way so much dairy growing up, because of a fantastic dairy farm nearby. It's comical, looking back, how we never were diagnosed as kids, back in the 50's and 60's. But we didn't "talk about such things" in our family. But today, Dsis and my DD are very open about it, can share and sympathize with each other. My, how times have changed! I'm so much more open than Dmom was. It's a good thing because I can identify with family or friends who get this.

I believe I'll eat a banana or Nutrigrain bar for dessert this evening. I need to re-review books from the "Turn-Around Plan" I have, too. Knowledge is power!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harriet: I think you must naturally be an apple. So is my physiotherapist who looked at me and thought I only had 5 - 10 pounds to lose, not 30. She had no idea I was at a BMI of 29 (i.e. one point under OBESE).

I think people think the Obese sizes are in the plus department but I can't shop there (just a bit too large) so am a 14 or a 16 in pants (and a 10 or 12 in tops depending how stretchy/long they are (if they have to come down to my hips.)

Yes, my tummy felt slimmer with 2 weeks on the low gluten. My weight was down but has stayed at that lower level for the next 2.5 months yet my tummy got bigger again. I measured on Jan 3 but never measured again so don't know if that would show up.

I noticed it in my clothes, the mirror and in the shower (I didn't have to hold a tummy back when washing the lower parts of my body.)

I really should measure since I've done so much leg muscle work for the past 6 weeks. I suspect they are changing in shape, especially my hips (at least I perceive a change in the mirror although I'm still awfully lumpy and my pants size hasn't changed.

Yesterday I did 11,083 steps. Twenty minutes on the treadmill, the remainder was all movement and outside the house, although I don't walk much with my senior friend, I did leave her at the bank and did the grocery store for two items in the far corner and did a second grocery store (in and out for 1 item) after leaving her at home. I also did 12 flights of stairs but that is a new normal for me and expected since this is a split level house so I have stairs facing me all the time. (When my knees were hurting I seldom did more than 6 so you can see my movement within the house has gone back to normal.)

Treadmill time was 30 minutes today (I got distracted and am expecting a more sedentary day today so wanted to get some good cardio in before I settle in at my desk.

p.s. I measured. I'm exactly the same as on Jan 3 except my butt which is up an inch and my right calf which is up .25".

[Ivy]

I did well on my "Turn-Around" W. W. plan yesterday. My weight was the same for 2 days in a row and today I've lost .2Lbs. I know that's tiny, but tiny amounts add up! I will continue on my plan today, too, but will try to walk today, too.

[Twins' Mom]

I got in my "most ever" steps yesterday with 9300 or so and the equivalent of 10 floors climbed. Today will be lower, partly because I left my Fitbit at home when I walked the ddogs this morning.

[Cowinkie]

I have a very df who just lost 60lbs in 6 months doing a low carb diet. Wasn't sleeping, felt lousy and had no energy. Went to a female PA who had help another friend of my df. The PA did a bunch of blood panels trying to figure out what was wrong. Came back that my friend was pre-diabetic and her liver was not functioning right because of it. The PA scared the begee bees out of my friend. The PA put her on a very low carb diet, and was told what specifically she could eat...not sugar of any kind, no bread, no pasta....etc. She was even told NOT to eat mushrooms which somehow effect the liver. I forget why.

My friend is the most anti-exercise person that I know. Three weeks ago she told me the PA was going to re-introduce her to some additional foods. I have a lunch date with my df on Friday and then she will tell me more.

When I was 9 I was 15 lbs over weight and the dr and my mom put me on a diabetic diet. I was eating lettuce wrapped sandwiches long before they became popular. I lost the weight and stayed at normal weight all through HS. My mom was way ahead of her time when it came to nutrition. She seldom fried any foods, no sodas were allowed in our house and my father always dished out our food so I never had to worry about portion control. My mom was so good at it my friend that WAS diabetic was always allowed to stay over at my house and her mom never worried about it.

I've tried every diet on this planet. After talking to my friend who recently lost her weight I began thinking back on my life and what I was eating when I was at "normal" weight. What an eye opener....I had been eating low carbs all those times. I lost 40lbs in my late 30's by doing low carbs..My motivation was I just wanted to know what I would look like as at a nomal weight as an adult. It took me 4 months and I kept it off for 20 years. I ate low carbs the entire time....only adding fruit, never bread. Bread is my enemy...it sets my body off into a tissy.

I can not eat certain carbs just like a recovered alcoholic can't drink. Period....it sets me into a free-fall when I do.

Last week I had an Ahhh-haaa moment. I want OUT of this body. I want my old one back. One week ago I eliminated ALL carbs from my diet...well a few come naturally, but I'm trying to stay under 18 grams. Now I'm back to eating like I used to. No surprises here except...duhhhh what took me so long???

I have lost 4.5 lbs this week.Four of them before I started excersizing. Like my friend I am sleeping better, but more than that I have lost all cravings that just a week ago were driving me wild. I have a large bag of potato chips, prezels and an angel food cake sitting in my pantry...they've been there a week and I haven't been tempted to touch them yet...that in its self is amazing to me. I don't feel like I'm deprived or on a diet. This morning for breakfast I made myself an amazing omlett of eggs, bacon and peppers...something I might not have eaten in the past. And it was so good. I'm not thinking about food every waking minute of the day. When I was doing WW there were tooo many carbs involved for me. I always wanted to eat.

I love the way I am feeling...I think that is the biggest part for me. Yesterday I brought home a grilled chicken sandwich, fries and a pint of chocolate ice cream for Sweetie. In the past I would have "sampled" a few fries and ice cream before I got home. I know I could of yesterday, but here's the best part....I didn't want to. I think to many carbs in my body just poisions me...and I didn't want to go through that cycle again.