Health and Fitness, March, 2009

[Harriet]

Welcome!

In this thread we chat about keeping ourselves strong and capable as we pursue our calling as homemakers. Our family members may need to lean on us, and we may need to lean on them. Proactive medical answers, sensible consumption of healthy food and water, getting enough rest, and getting enough activity, too - these are all part of our plans! Helping each member of our households work in all their healthy habits is priceless!

[Harriet]

Well, last month I was trying to lose two pounds. This did not happen! Interestingly, it seemed to be because I got sick with a lingering cold. I was looking for comfort, maybe? Or more likely, was not able to think things through well/shop for exactly what I wanted. Anyway, I stayed the same. Let's try this again! 2 pounds in March - not asking for much!

Exercise in February was good - my month average was 2 hours, 30 minutes of exercise per week. How virtuous!

HRH got his B-12 level tested to see if he will have to take the shots on an ongoing basis - still have not heard.

Okay, we heard :
previous level was 127 pg/ml, with acceptable U.S. levels being approximately 190 to 900 (in Japan and some other countries, 500 to 900).
level on 2/27/09 after 4 weekly injections was 336 pg/ml
the prescription is to continue B12 injections monthly
I'm not sure how I feel - a little disappointed I think, although pleased the injections are working. I wanted this to be a quick cure for HRH that found him obviously holding his own fast, without dr's further invention. But possibly the doctor will rescind that after the next follow-up visit.

[Harriet]

Even though this quote is specific to those who want to watch pounds, I found it so inspirational and full of "been there" wisdom, I felt led to post it here while I had my hands on it. It was in a spark people post I ran across while checking links from amazon. It was written by a 69 year old woman who had lost 50 pounds in one year, and become a leader there.

"You have to think like this: if I lost a lb a week, in a year I'd be 52 lbs lighter. If you gained 52 lbs in a year you'd be blown away. If you start now, in a year you'll be thinner, if not, you'll still be where you are or with even more weight.

I'm sure you will lose faster than I did, but do not look at it like a quick fix because it has to become a way of life to get you there and keep you there. As you go you will find things that help you that are unique to your life style.

You have to keep your mind thinking in the right direction. You have to start somewhere because the time will pass whether you're losing or not and if you don't lose now, next year will come and you'll still have weight to lose and the years will slip by. We can do this."

[lucylee]

I'm sorry you seem to be all alone over here, Harriet! I'm still plugging along. DH is on a grilled fish kick, so I've actually been eating a little better lately. Until tonight, that is, when I totally rebelled!

Stomach has been rebelling lately, also... at the risk of TMI, I seem to have reversed my constipation problems.
Now, w/out changing eating habits at all, I seem to have the opposite problem. I guess this has been going on about a week. I blamed Aunt Flo at first, but she's gone now... so... I don't know. It may be stressed related. What's been coming OUT of my big mouth may be causing as much trouble as what goes INTO it. * I am behaving myself and keeping quieter lately.
Considering dmom's Chron's disease (sp?) this makes me a little nervous, but I guess I may be leaning toward hypochondria. Right now I'm kinda glad b/c it seems to be helping weight loss efforts! A silver lining behind every cloud, right?

[Harriet]

lucylee, my first instinct is to suggest yogurt - I suppose absolute best would be plain yogurt that you could sweeten yourself with a little honey, but frankly, we buy cutesy brands and flavors as often as we do the sensible ones. I could say it's to get dh (Key Lime Lite), DangerBoy (Dora the Explorer) and dd (any with something to sprinkle in) to eat them, and it is, but I like the cute ones, too. All have some good "flora" for soothing tummies.

Is dh taking advantage of better weather for grilling or trying out recipes on an indoor grill?

Today is the 12th of March, and I've just hit my Feb 28 goal of losing 2 pounds. Both of them came at once - just my body's way of w-a-i-t-i-n-g to make SURE that I wanted to lose them, I guess . My mini goals set first of Feb were 2 pounds by the end of each month, for 4 months, to be 8 pounds slimmer by June.

Btw, I have learned to lay off the "daily small Pepsi" that followed me around for a while. Our food diary threads pointed out to me the Truth that it really had become daily - I was in denial. I am making up more veggie trays lately.

Dh's dr called him in yesterday, a little concerned that he has gone back into another cold, and reports energy seems down. He took another blood sample early and gave him his monthly B-12 shot early. This makes me ... ... apprehensive.

[lucylee]

Jan. 5 -- 160
Feb. 2 -- 159.5
Mar. 2 -- 156
* I cannot explain this, but today, after a week of stress and/or virus-induced stomach trouble, I am at 154! I just hope it lasts.
I can't help feeling a little pessimistic b/c I've felt so bad that I've only exercised ONE day this month, and here we are at mid-month.

Yogurt, Harriet? Hmmmm... it all seems to have that little bitter "whang" to it. I'm not crazy about yogurt... * Unless it is the frozen kind w/probably a million grams of sugar in it!

Is dh grilling out? LOL... not hardly. We're still doing lots and lots of pick up and take out... just smarter choices. Tonight was Subway.

I hope HRH feels better soon, too! Y'all take care. Thanks for the input on tummy trouble. I knew you'd know something to tell me.

[Harmony]

Now wouldn't you think non-stop landscaping work would result in weight loss? You have no idea how very hard I worked over there. Lots of kneeling or sitting on the ground and up and down to load and empty the garden cart, and raking, etc. etc.

And wouldn't you think up and down a ladder and moving it every few feet, hauling buckets of water, scrubbing non-stop, hauling around a heavy garden hose, etc. etc. would also result in some weight loss?

After all this and really no change in diet whatsoever I am up 2 pounds. No I don't think it's muscle. My clothes are tighter. Lucylee I am just about the same as you.

It gets really discouraging sometimes, doesn't it?

[Harriet]

That is a wonderful "new normal" lucylee, a very nice number. You'll bump around it, up and down of course, but you "caught" it on the scale now, you saw it and so its resistance is futile! Grilled fish meals are wise - I misunderstood and thought your dh was experimenting with them himself, but if he's taking you OUT for them, I'd actually give him TWO pats on the back.

Harmony, you're building strength, for sure. Your stamina is bound to be high. You probably just haven't had time to concentrate on weight loss (at least I find it takes me time to make a plan, or I won't see any loss). What I wish for you right now is that your injuries heal quickly, you get past all that and can enjoy viewing all the improvements you've done at the house.

Being so sick this past week (and still not over it yet) has reminded me that Smile Lee has been going through months of it, head and chest, bless her heart. Smile, I did the T-Tapp workout through lunges today (Monday), and then I quit while I was ahead! It was tough but I was grateful to have that much strength back - first time I've been able to work out since March 6. What a change from getting 2.5 hours or so in per week in Feb.

blessed, dd19 has young, supple skin - what a blessing as she can expect to be rid of the excess skin from weight loss naturally with time. Skin brushing is supposed to help and I just thought I'd mention it - lots of people seem to feel it worked for them.

[lucylee]

Oh crud. Weight is back up. Of course, it is no real surprise. The fact that I have eaten PIZZA 3 out of the last 5 days, might just have something to do with that. I also have been doing NO exercise at all... so that's gotta change. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.

Jan. 5 -- 160
Feb. 2 -- 159.5
Mar. 2 -- 156
Mar. 9 -- somewhere around 155
Mar. 16 - somewhere around 154
Mar. 23 - 156

[BookSaver]

Lucylee ~ Remember that pizza ingredients contain a LOT of salt. Part of the number on the scale might be fluid retention. Drink lots of water to clear it out of your system. And stop beating yourself up, lady! -- You're still making progress from the beginning of the year.