Health and Fitness, February, 2016

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harmony: I think the avoidance of fat in our diets is part of the problem with general weight gain. I noted that on days I'm trying to eat more protein for breakfast my fat is way up. And my breakfast looks a lot my dad's was - 1/2 grapefruit, egg, bacon, toast, cup of coffee. The other day it was 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 pieces of whole grain, WW raisin toast (small slices), two pieces of bacon, 1/2 grapefruit and a glass of milk along with my tea and chocolate. That carried me through in the mid afternoon (that was the day I ended up skipping lunch and just having a protein bar in the afternoon but then went a bit overboard on dinner.)

The book I'm reading (written by a cartoonist so this isn't scientific) maintains you don't need willpower if you are only eating healthy things. So train yourself to choose the healthy by not putting limits on quantity. To make things more tasty, he adds salt and butter (along with other seasonings) and is satisfied by the fat in his meals. He also eats nuts daily and cheese. In other words, all those things that 'everyone knows' you shouldn't have.

The only thing I disagree with is reliance on coffee. He considers 3 - 4 cups a day a necessity in order to have energy to be successful (which is the focus of the book.) I'm wondering if he's ADD and using the stimulant in the coffee to settle his mind (much as Ritalin will make a non-ADD person go nuts with energy but settles an ADD person.)

Not that using other tricks to keep on task works for me. Maybe I should start drinking coffee! (Never had and have decided to avoid it now that I'm older.)

[Harmony]

Kathryn, that was interesting comment about using coffee for Ritalin effect. I know the more stressed I get the more I head to the coffeepot...and I consider that counter intuitive, but was doing it anyway.

Till recently I thought, the caffeine is getting way out of control and began cutting back. I am down to about half what I was getting.

I got another book out of library about cholesterol and I'm in the process of making notes to keep for when I return it. This one makes so much sense and it's a later copyright than the other book I just read. It gives some science for the results in the first one but other science that makes so much sense that I just have to follow it for a while. I'm sorry I got off track for a while, but I'm back to it now. I go to the doctor in about 6 weeks and will get tests then.

I've lost the pounds I put back on and lost another one. I have a plan. I am doing things way differently than most of you, but if it works, I'll consider it right for me.

Editing because no one's been here since I posted. Tonight I jumped on the elliptical and I thought my stars what's wrong with me I can hardly get this thing to move. I forced myself to stay on and pushed through, watching each second tick away, and I was really breathing hard. I could feel my thigh muscles working, it was so hard. When I had done 5 min. I decided that was all I could possibly do and stopped. Started fiddling with the gauges and found somehow the resistance had gotten set on 7 . No wonder it felt like it did. Got it back down to the 1 and did a little at twice the speed. Yikes. I'm surprised I even managed that!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm up a pound for no good reason. (I never mind when there's a good reason!)

No guess at all unless the increased time on the treadmill is causing my muscles to hoard water to repair. But that doesn't really compute - my step count is only up 500 - 1000 steps per day. I can't imagine that I'm developing way more muscle from 30 minutes spent on the treadmill vs 40 minutes walking around the neighbourhood in the cold (same step count just I'm moving slower outside due to tricky footing.) Unless I burn way more calories keeping warm when outside which is a possibility although you'd think that'd be off-set by burning more calories moving faster on the treadmill with no pauses for red lights.

No high salt yesterday (was the day before but I should have dealt with that on Thursday when I deliberately didn't weigh in due to pizza the night before.)

Oh well, it is a system not a goal so I've been a success - I've been on the treadmill every day breaking a sweat each day. And I've managed to mostly track my food each day - so partial success. I did do all yesterday and the calorie count is not why my weight is up.

There will be no treadmill starting on Sunday for 10 days. Hopefully there will be walking although that depends on the safety of the area we are staying in. This is just an inn on a beach, not a resort compound and it is a tourist beach so a magnet for petty criminals.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Filled in my food diary for today. So now I have a plan for tonight's dinner before the theatre. We go to a food court (we aren't fancy diners) and I'll pick a Subway salad with double meat for tonight. That will keep me within my calories for the day.

Breakfast has been strung out over quite a long time but has been a healthy mix of whole grain, peanut butter, fruit and yogurt for protein with milk (also protein) to wash it down.

[Nancy]

Took a med. Walk w ddog getting used to the cane.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Missed the treadmill this morning. Will easily get my steps for the day so that isn't a big deal but I've had much less water since I missed the 4 glasses during the workout.

Duly noted.

Eating healthy today except for 3 very healthy muffins (whole grain banana but loaded with chocolate chips.) I will be over my calories for the day but there was no junk food so that's a success.

The Scott Adams' book says you can eat as much as you want as long as it is healthy. Therefore, unlimited peanuts, but stay away from the potato chips. I'm not sure he fully grasps how much I can eat of items that are healthy but not low-calorie. Oh well, I can grasp it so am doing my best to keep within the moderation. The point of is system is that by not limiting the healthy choices, you break the addiction to the junk food. Which is more important than calorie control at first.

[Nancy]

Shopping & housewk my ex today took ddog to corner.

[LadyMaverick]

I'm trying a couple new things. I am in a rut and not having success so decided to make a change.

I happened to see My diet coach app and it immediately felt right. I am a visual person so this app appeals to me. I am going to give it a try instead of MFP. I'm not deleting MFP but just not going to use it for a bit.

I just discovered Snapz Organic Apple Cheese Crisps. The combination of apple/cheese snack is very tasty. They are too expensive (IMHO) to eat frequently but they are a wonderful treat.

[LadyMaverick]

Thanks to Dee for telling us we needed a once-in-lifetime shingles shot. DH asked family doctor about it today. Doc gave DH a prescription which he took to Sam's Club pharmacy for the shot. It was no charge to us.

DH had a good quarterly diabetic checkup today. AC1 was 6.5. Blood pressure was 120/80. He had lost 10 lbs since last appointment. Dr was happy.

[Harriet]

Tried to see how close I could come to 1250 calories today, as the online counter suggests for me. Managed to do it mostly by tweaking my whole foods shake recipe. That was a diversion.

breakfast - my homemade "McMuffin" version
lunch - veggie ravioli
supper - whole foods shake
snack - raspberry yogurt

LadyM, I'm so happy for your dh - good work!