Health and Fitness July 2014

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm still avoiding scales. Trying to make healthier choices and will hope things will start in a slow, downward, drift as a result. My weight has been pretty steady in the 180s for over 2 years now, so at least I'm not gaining dramatically as I age. The dramatic gain took place a few years ago and I've been struggling since then.

During, and still after the diet for the colonocopy, my right index finger and sometimes whole hand has been achy. I had to stop ibuprofin and Vitamin E for the week before the test, as well as give up seeds, which meant giving up whole grain foods and berries. I can't help but believe there's a correlation.

I found Dr. Weil's 8 Weeks to Optimum Health so pulled it out and am reading week 1. I'm not fully doing the system but I'm reading his logic. I refuse to throw out food because dh might want to use those oils, for example, in his cooking for himself. I will try and do some of the easier things. Like buy flowers and controlled breathing.

I'm really not sure about the vitamin C recommendation. I take a total of 1g a day (morning and night) and he's recommending 3 - 6g a day (morning, dinner, night) which I think would be too much for me. I'd consider adding another gram, assuming my body is OK with that, but beyond that, I'd be concerned I was hurting myself and leaving no room for using Vit C as therapy when I'm sick (which I do right now, when allowed by doctors - when I had hepatitis, I couldn't take any vitamins for several weeks while they tried to figure out what was happening - they didn't want my liver stressed trying to process extra vitamins.)

The 'walk 10 minutes' a day sounds like a bad idea for me. And he doesn't offer any other suggestions as an alternate. Biking an extra 30 minutes (I'm noticing a 1:3 ratio between the two) or swimming or something non-impact I'd be willing to do but I don't want to slow my perceptible healing by walking any more than I have to right now. I resent walking my bike along a sidewalk or long walks inside a grocery store, so I don't want to add pain to myself right now.

I think I'll spend a few weeks on Week 1 before moving onto week 2. And I suspect I won't perfect Week 1 at all, but at least I can be conscious about not following it.

Slept great last night. Didn't move around at all. In fact, my back was a bit stiff when I got up as a result. I think the bed may need more water in it because I'd like it to be firmer.

[Harriet]

Kathryn, regarding vitamins, in theory those marketed as "whole food vitamins", as I understand it, would be likely to contain powdered real foods (or at least a greater proportion of them) as opposed to chemical vitamins. I wonder if drs would be more receptive to these as substitutes which might not put strain on the liver. There is still some controversy out there even over whole food vitamins.

The one Dr. Sears suggests in recent books (which is the same one my hormone dr suggests, btw), Juice Plus, was criticized for claiming more (whoops, editing - LESS not more) calcium than it actually contained, and for looser distribution requirements (not necessarily having to be distributed by stores, but allowing individuals to earn percentage commissions). I was never sold on Juice Plus anyway, since it was vitamin-only and I want a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral, and there are already others in place.

There's Alive! by Nature's Way, which is highly touted by a lot of vitamin stores. They have an adult chewable with a good reputation. I like the old tried-and-true one, Source of Life by Nature's Plus, the makers of Spiro-tein. In its ingredient list there are 14 actual foods I can count (and I think some of the other words are plants, too), but I suppose there is no guarantee as to where the amounts of different vitamins it contains come from. For C there would be a lot of fruits there on the label to explain where their C comes from - but is there also any chemical C in it? I'm not sure.

[FelineFriend]

Been sticking to my food plan, no sweets, eating when needed, caffeine's controlled, and haven't been snacking on unhealthy things.
Been walking a lot today, while doing laundry and housework, to get in more movement. Worked up a sweat, so this is a good thing and just what the Dr. ordered- literally!
Will do my calf-ankle stretches for my plantar faciitis this afternoon and some body stretching and standing yoga/Pilates moves before dinner, too.
With the cut down to 1/2 pill on my anxiety pill at lunchtime and bedtime, I'm not a "zombie" needing to nap or go to bed too early, which makes me rise too early- according to DH. It's hard to have a dgs sleeping on the sofa, then my getting up too early, as dgs needs his "growing boy" sleep. When it's just DH and me, I can get up, read, journal and get connected with my soul. I also have a weight loss journey journal, too, to motivate myself along. It really helps to write and report to myself, just how I'm doing.
I was getting light-headed every time I bent over and came up for awhile, due to meds, etc.. So have a mini-tub of high-protein chicken salad, then felt much better. Then came seafood salad for lunch. Might eat a banana for an afternoon snack now.
Plan to eat a microwave dinner for dinner, as DH/Dgs are having a terriyaki chicken dinner with a sauce that's NOT Gastritis-friendly.

[Harriet]

Hope the small loss is the first of more, LadyM.

Good job on healthy habits, FFriend.

Walking and standing at mall on concrete floors today, until finally I had to tell dd that sitting down was absolutely imperative. I just can't do that on and on any more. I sat in a comfortable chair until they finished at one shop. I'm sure there was exercise value, but I don't know how to compare it. I almost begrudge whatever exercise there is, because it takes away my energy, time and ability to do other things, but also keeps me from being able to say I took the true day off from exercise that I want to take after an exercise day. It's like Kathryn said about "slowing perceptible healing". It tends to be more negative. Dd notices this about me and today walking to and from the mall past parking, she insisted we take the grassy areas - actually I think that is a lot better.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm starting to put less focus on steps and instead the quality of movement. Those days of 10 - 14K steps while packing and moving, left me injured. Sure I wasn't eating while making those steps (and probably the movement accounted for me not gaining weight despite my cheetohs and Dr. P energy fixes) but that benefit is far outstripped by the negative of my not being able to move hardly at all now.

So now I try and have 10 - 30 minutes of proper movement each day and not focus on the number on the fitbit. I'm still wearing it but I'm not attempting, in any way, to increase the number of steps I'm averaging each day. In fact, on days I don't bike, I hope to see under 3K steps because that tells me I'm staying off my feet in order to let them heal.

(I'm having the devil of the time double checking the word heel/heal each time I type it to make sure I'm using the correct one!)

Yesterday's swim had no immediate negative consequences. Tomorrow, I expect my shoulders to be quite sore. My left leg is no better nor worse at the moment. I do have a deep cough now I didn't have yesterday. Wouldn't be surprised if I picked up something in the pool. Will up my vitamin C accordingly.

I'll call the other pool and see when their 50+ swim is today and go a second time. I actually like the time in the water, it is the time in the change room I hate and that keeps me from wanting to go swimming. All the luxury pools ("if money can solve it, it isn't a problem") are off the transitway or in the east end of the city so there's nothing within biking or even bus that could solve this issue. I don't want to have to drive to the pool (that seems counter to what I'm trying to achieve here.)

Yesterday, dh commented on how much we'll miss the bikes once we can't use them to get around. He's missing the fact that I'm biking everywhere in order to be able to get back to walking and that by freeze-up (some time in October), I should be back to walking. It will take longer to get places but I'll still be able to do it without the bike. The pool will be the only exception since I won't be able to go out into the cold after being in the pool. That's where the new pool at the mall will hopefully be good enough for us so we can combine a trip to the pool with other errands since there is a good cross-section of stores, it is an indoor mall, and the library is across the parking lot.

[LadyMaverick]

I'm enjoying reading the post on this thread. Thought provoking and encouraging.

Kathryn - I am much the same with fitbit # right now in my life. The fitbit keeps me aware of how much I am walking, but it doesn't reflect the exercise I get in the garden. Squatting, stretching, pulling, lifting etc. I am okay with that. I tend to get bored doing the same thing. I expect I will become more focused on increasing steps when the garden time is less.

You know that pound I lost yesterday? Well most of it showed back up today. Such is the downside of weighing daily. I accept that because I know what happens when I quit weighing daily!! I am 4 days away from Monday when I wanted to be 2 lbs less. It isn't impossible so I'm not ready to give up or lower my goal (yet?).

Today I stayed on treadmill 5 more minutes than yesterday. My body is still fighting off this summer cold so I'm not pushing myself hard. I am focusing on drinking water, eating vegetables & fruit, and sleep.

Yesterday the cantaloupe and squash were finished. This morning I brought in a huge bag of turnips, tomatoes & peppers from the garden.

Did you know turnips have 1/4 the carbs of potatoes? I just read that when I was searching for turnip recipe.

[Nancy]

30 min. yd wk was productive today after winds yesterday it looks better. Ex. Bike yesterday wad some ex. For me.

[Ramblinrose]

Well I'm back and there wasn't much healthy eating while I was gone... I knew that would happen and was prepared for it.

My mom wanted to eat out as much as possible...including lunch...when I'm home. Most of the places we ate don't have healthy choices...and I probably wouldn't have eaten them anyway. When I go home I eat the things I loved as a kid...that includes great hotdogs, fried softshell crabs, crabcakes and ice cream....although I only ate one ice cream cone... and watching my mom eat her's was worth every lick

My mom doesn't have any friends left to "party" with so I'm it. When I go home I take her where ever she wants to go. Its one of the reasons I go home. She also likes to have a mixed drink but limits herself to only one during the weekends when she is alone. So when I'm there she likes to have a cocktail hour...can you tell what generation she's from LOL. She also enjoys a beer when we eat dinner out...and she won't do that if I'm not there.

So although I'm sure the scale is up, my clothes still fit, they're a bit tighter, but not that bad. I got up this morning and jumped right back on my plan. To tell you the truth I'm kind of tired of eating hamburgers, fries and other goodies. I never thought I would say this, but I'm kinda looking forwards to eating my chicken tonight. I ate beef the entire time I was home.

But in the scheme of things making my mom happy was what the visit was about and that was a success.

So its on to my 4th bottle of water...and a restroom break

[Nancy]

30 min. yd wk was productive today after winds yesterday it looks better. Took a walk pushing the stroller to see the wnd damage.

Ex. Bike yesterday was some ex. Plus doing lo aundry up and down the stairs.

[FelineFriend]

I was active today, but ate some sweet snacks.

TOMORROW'S ANOTHER DAY!

Also, Dgs-14 goes back home Saturday/26th, so I'll be back on track easier with him gone.