Thinking about juice fasts

A while back I watched Joe Cross in Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. I was extremely touched and went out and bought a juicer. I tried it for a while but struggled. Then recently I watched another documentary about juicing and raw food, etc. called Hungry for Change. I tried juicing and making smoothies, again. Then I read about this great product you can actually buy to do a juice cleanse called Suja juice.

Every single one of those things has something in common and it's using fresh (and organic) produce to create juices or smoothies to cleanse your body, rid yourself of toxins, lose weight and/or cure chronic illness.

I say yes to all of the above.

Here is my problem (and maybe how I will fix it);

1. I did buy a juicer but I tend to let fresh produce rot before I get it made into juice or a smoothie.
2. I tried freezing some of the ingredients but for the Mean Green Juice made by Joe Cross, you can't do that.
3. I have a lousy blender (that's a good one, don't you think?) and can't afford the fancy one.
4. The Suja juice cleanse is too expensive, my spouse would never go for that... they do have another brand, however, that I have found at Costco that I am considering...
5. I do not plan to do something like this for more than three days at a time. I know myself. 3 days would be a max, although after three days I think the headaches go away, etc. etc. ...at least that's what they say.

So, I may or may not be doing this on a regular basis. I would like to use my juicer since we bought one and all... So I might just have to get a little more organized in the kitchen...

Still Not Dieting...

I don't believe in diets but  do believe in dietary changes (even temporary ones) to lose weight or improve health. The last time I visited my doctor she listed "Obese" as one of my "illnesses" and told me I have a "Sluggish Metabolism." Really? I've been saying this for years. I know I can't eat like anyone else, I have to think about everything that goes into my mouth. It's annoying. I don't like the message it sends to my kids and I don't like how it makes me feel about myself. 

Recently I have been really trying to be better about my eating because I can tell the difference on how I feel. That's what I think a "diet" should be about. Yes I want to lose weight but it's mostly because at my current weight things are uncomfortable for me. That's what matters. That and the fact that my blood pressure is too high (I have to take meds and I'd rather not). I know what to do and I've been striving to do it but when I don't have the "right" foods available it's difficult.

Yummy!

I also crave sweets. Chocolate mostly. Which isn't taboo on my "diet" but I have to be careful of sugars so I have to make my own sweets and --to be honest-- I don't like taking the time. So if I cheat it's to sneak a Reese's cup or a handful of chocolate chips (with peanuts, yummy!) to satisfy the craving. 

The eating plan I love and know works for my body type is outlined in The Metabolism Miracle. I learned years ago that I have "Metabolism B" or what is also known as a sluggish metabolism. So the information from my doctor was not news, nor was it a surprise. I know what I have to do and I know it works. By eating the way I know I have to I lost 5 lbs in about 10 days. Yay! But I haven't lost anymore because I've been "cheating" too much with the carbs lately. 

We went shopping and now I have a house full of the right foods so I should be doing better soon and when I lose a little more I will feel more comfortable with exercise as well. It's a Catch-22 for me. When I'm too heavy even walking is painful. That's bad. And that's why I "go on a diet." Because it's not really a diet, it's the way I have to eat. 

I highly recommend The Metabolism Miracle to anyone that struggles with a sluggish or slow metabolism. That's who it's geared toward. A sluggish metabolism is connected with pre-diabetes, PCOS, Type 2 Diabetes, menopause & a myriad other dis-eases. I recommend taking the test on the website to see if it would work for you!

In the meantime I am off to eat my cottage cheese & protein shake!

Healthy Behavior

In February I took a class on teaching Health, part of the class was creating a Behavior Change Contract then at the end of the course we reviewed our contracts and analyzed our progress.

The behavior I chose to "change" or work on was to de-stress and the tools I planned to use, or as noted, "mini-goals" were:

1. Set a time and space to sit, relax and meditate daily.

2. Keep a stress journal.

3. Create and stick to a time-management schedule.

4. Walk 30 minutes 3x/week.

The one I expected to use the most was to meditate more. I don't care if it's done via taking a walk, sitting & staring into space while burning incense, prayer; whatever works for you, or me as the case may be. What I did not count on during this time was the extreme drama from Crackle/DS#2. He kind of wiped me out and I admit my final report was kind of dismal.

Here are my final reflections on this "experiment":

What is working?

I started handwriting journaling and this works for managing stress and an overloaded mind. I also spent more time in meditation, however I would like to spend more time.

What challenges have you encountered that were already anticipated in your contract?

I knew that I would encounter unforeseen crises because I always do. This is distracting and makes me feel like I am just putting out fires rather than actually accomplishing my tasks. I knew this would happen and allotted for those crises in my plan. My hope is to be able to stick to the/a schedule (time management) as closely as possible in spite of the/a current crisis.

Did the strategies you wrote work to solve these challenges? Explain.

Yes, and no. Yes, I was conscious of my schedule (time management), however, I had difficulty refocusing and staying motivated. I did not feel that this was different than before the contract as staying on the schedule is always a challenge for me.

What new challenges did you encounter?

One of my children (my special needs son) had his spring break and a mental health emergency during this period. The added stress of his behavior and resulting hospitalization was extremely stressful on some levels, while having him out of the home relieved other stressors. Also, as a result of this added stress my body responded poorly and I was unable to continue the physical activity that I started (walking daily).

What other strategies might help you with these new challenges?

I have learned that I have to forgive myself for my shortcomings. This does not mean that I accept failure, but that I recognize something as being beyond my capability at that time and accept that. I can then re-adapt my schedule or requirements; such as delegating household chores because I am too stressed out or tired.

What, if anything, about your mini-goals do you want to change or alter?  Describe and explain..

I don’t know that I want to change any of my goals. I still want to stick to a schedule (although this is a work in progress), meditate and incorporate physical activity into my daily life. These are good goals for me in order to manage stress and stay focused on the things that are important (prioritize). When I am able to manage my stress my familial relationships thrive and the household runs more smoothly. It’s true that “When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”

Surprisingly Yummy & Sweet V-Day... Top 5

I have very low expectations for Valentine's Day. Our wedding anniversary is just 2 weeks exactly before it so I figure they get lumped together as far as romantic dinner/flowers/gifts goes. But Superman surprised me. The whole evening did, actually...

I am trying to stay on my Metabolism Miracle plan (not a diet, it's a way of life or WOE/Way Of Eating) and struggling. For our Valentine Dinner my sweet Superman took me to a local place, 49ers and we had the specials. it wasn't a "deal" really, but not expensive and it was yummy. Which surprised me.

Superman likes to ask the server what they recommend. I have done that but it's hard for me because I am kind of picky... okay, I'm quite picky and there are a lot of things I cannot eat, like fish for instance.

Anyway, Superman picked Prime Rib which I had last time and it was just "okay," in my opinion. This time I wanted something different. They had two chicken dishes and the server recommended the Marsala and I went with it.
I was very pleasantly surprised. 

So... Why my Valentine's Day was pretty good:

1. I went with the server recommendation for the Chicken Marsala and actually liked it. I don't like wine sauce but the chicken wasn't bad, not too "wine-y" if you know what I mean.

2. I was able to stay on my eating plan. I got the veggies on the side instead of a traditional carb, like potatoes. The green beans were saute'd with mushrooms and bacon. Mmmmm... bacon. The other mixed veggies were perfect and nothing I couldn't have; Broccoli & cauliflower mix, & cooked to perfection.

3. We skipped dessert but I have a new yummy treat I can make with Almond milk, chocolate protein powder, extra cocoa powder & a bit of Splenda. And ice. Yum. Very yum. It's a Faux Wendy's Frosty and Yes, it works.

4. Superman brought me tulips. I am not a huge flower person because they die (depressing) but I love getting them. We discussed no gifts but he came home with a bunch of tulips anyway. I love tulips. He's Dutch so it works. Made me feel very Very loved.

5. I talked with my mother-in-law. Her wedding anniversary is on the 13th and my heart was hurting because it's been 2+ years since we lost my father-in-law and it still hurts. It will. 

We do not talk much, no reason really, we just don't. I don't talk to very many people on the phone at all so it's not personal. We had a nice chat and I shared with her a dream I had about my father-in-law the week before. I dreamed that he was alive and we just pretended that he passed away so they could have some privacy... like they're celebrities? I don't know what that was about but it was during my "vivid dreams" symptom-time so I woke up sad. I just wanted her to know they are both on my mind, and I care. I think she got that.

The In-Laws 1957

Hope you all had as wonderful a Valentine's Day as I did... if not, might I recommend lowering your expectations? It's awesome when you expect Nothing then get some things! Haha!

Fabulous, Soon Fit

This week I did a three day juice fast. I made myself three to six juices a day from fresh fruits and vegetables. Monday was a holiday and we went to the California Science Center (which was wonderful, by the way, and if you haven't been and live close, I recommend it!) so I waited to begin until Tuesday. 

Along with spinach we bought green apples, celery, cucumbers, mangoes, pears, oranges and lemons. I couldn't find ginger or kale so I had to do without. I think my favorite flavors are cucumber (it can go in anything!) and celery. Cucumbers have a lot more juice than you might think, and celery adds a lot of flavor. 
One day I made a parsley, cucumber celery juice and that wasn't as good as the ones with apples or pears or mangoes. The mangoes were delicious! The fruit didn't even have to be completely ripe, just enough to have good flavor. Mostly, I am proud of myself for doing it!

I read this week about how exercise might not help Fibromyalgia patience until they've been exercising six months. Six. Months. Boo. I also read that using resistance bands is the best way for Fibro peeps to do toning exercising. So I bought a Long Resistance tube to use. Not really sure how to use it but it will be a learning curve. I need to get over my Fear of pain from exercising. 

I am still living on Excedrin and Advil. I am hoping that juicing will help my body to heal some and I can ease off the OTC medicines. I still have not renewed my Gabapentin prescription but it would be nice if I didn't have to! 

I am feeling positive and hopeful. It's been a while since I have felt this good. It's been almost a year since my last bout with Shingles when this physical hell started. I still think I'm suffering from something related to that, more than a segue to Fibromyalgia. I don't know how to find that out but I'm doing my own research, of course.

I know things will get better. I'm feeling an inner peace I haven't felt in a while.
That's a good thing... Actually, that's a Fabulous thing!

Glycemic Load

I learned something new this week! I learned about Glycemic Load. The Glycemic Index has gotten a lot of attention the last decade or so but this is the first time (that I remember) hearing about Glycemic Load. Basically the Glycemic Index tells you how much a piece of food will increase you blood glucose levels while the Glycemic Load has more to do with available glucose for energy. Basically the Glycemic Load has to do more with the effect of the glycemic carbohydrate level to your body.

Wow, not sure if I can explain it but I got the difference.

So my goal is to be familiar with not only the Low Glycemic Index but the know the Glycemic Load or the impact of those carbs on my body. That seems to be how my body functions and I have to be careful of the impact of the carbs I eat.

Erm. Well. I guess I get what I'm talking about and it really excited me because I have been so confused.

I also have decided that I am going to be doing a monthly juice detox/fast. I'm planning on doing it for three days and I'm currently researching the different recipes. From what I understand I can have as much Fresh, homemade (from preferably organic) fruits and vegetables. I really like the Mean Green juice from Joe Cross but I'm looking at other juices as well. Surprisingly I really like the fresh Ginger, cucumbers and green apples in my juices. Kale? Not so much, but I know it's good for me. I also like spinach, herbs, parsley and cilantro.

Yummy.

I plan on doing those the first week of the month. Then going low glycemic load and watching my calorie intake.

I'm feeling much more in control and less confused about my "diet" or rather, my eating plan.

I can do this for the rest of my life. Also, earlier today I saw a post about Fibromyalgia and exercise. Basically it said to know your body and the time cycles. Be aware of how you feel and then you can participate in a variety of exercise programs to help you. Here are the tips:

Exercise at the time of day that you feel best. For many people with fibromyalgia, this is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. But your best time may be different.Stretch. This can help warm up your muscles and minimize pain after exercise. You can stretch while lying down, standing, or sitting in a chair. Some people may find it helpful to stretch in a warm bath or shower.Take small steps. When walking, try not to swing your arms too much or take big steps. Walk on flat, even surfaces to reduce your risk of falling.Ease into strength training. For strengthening exercises, consider using elastic bands instead of weights and start with a single set of repetitions.Pace yourself. When doing stretching or strengthening exercises, alternate sides often and take a short rest between repetitions.Take breaks. Again, listen to your body. “When I was first starting, I’d rest after just a few minutes of exercise,” Matallana says. “Don’t be afraid to go as slowly as you need to.”Pamper yourself afterward. When you’re finished exercising, take a hot shower or bath.

Movie Review: Hungry for Change

   

Hungry for Change

Released: 2012

Tagline: Your health is in your hands.

Documentary.

HUNGRY FOR CHANGE exposes shocking secrets the diet, weight loss and food industries don't want you to know about deceptive strategies designed to keep you coming back for more. Find out what's keeping you from having the body and health you deserve.

Review:

I watched this movie after reading about it on another blog I follow. I was immediately impressed with the cast because it included several people that I already admire and trust. Joe Cross of “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead,” is in it, as well as Kris Carr from, “Crazy, Sexy Cancer.” I saw a few glimpses of Dr. Andrew Weil, and quite a bit from Dr. Christiane Northrup of Oprah fame and who has helped me several health issues over the years through her writing. I found a couple of new people that I now love like Jon Gabriel and Daniel Vitalis whose stories and comments were amazing and fascinating.

What I learned: I would say that most of what they talked about I already knew but it’s good to get another reminder. I guess I shouldn’t say that I “knew” it because if that were the case why am I not following their advice? I guess I should say that I have heard it before. Avoid highly processed foods. High fructose corn syrup is bad because it is an ultra-concentrated form of sugar and our bodies simply do not know what to do with it so we store it as fat. Avoid preservatives because in certain quantities they are POISON! Beware of chemicals and other products that are put into or onto your food because our bodies (specifically our livers and pancreas) do not know how to process them. Is there anything particularly new to that information? Maybe, but not so much for me.

They all talked about juicing and the best thing they said about it was that you can concentrate good nutrients and get them in large quantities in your body through juicing. No other method allows for that kind of intense surge. Taking your vegetables in liquid form, with the fiber included allows the maximum amount of benefit to your immune system and overall health.


I gotta do this! It’s a book, it’s a movie and I’m already following my favorites on Twitter and subscribed to their blogs because I need all the help I can get!

Another Traveling Day

We came home from our "Christmas Vacation" on Friday. It wasn't a bad drive, it's not too long either, only about five hours. We stopped at Costco on the way home and got most of our shopping done, just a few odds and ends.

My diet starts Monday.

Now, remember, I don't believe in Diets, per se, and after watching Hungry for a Change, I am just going to do what they recommend. The biggest changes to my diet will be in sweets and simple carbs. I plan on incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Reducing and/or eliminating high glycemic foods. I got a little mouth when I nearly blew a gasket over the, "Pick either canned chicken versus the pre-grilled chicken strips," ("They're Different Things!") but ended up with both. 

I am loved.

I know this works and that's why I'm refocusing. No more Oreos or that amazing Brownie/Oreo/Chocolate-chip Cookie concoction. It's back to the low-carb sweets and natural yummies.

I really liked Hungry for a Change! It talks about the same things that Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead and the Crazy, Sexy Cancer people talk about. It's basically about getting the right kinds of food into your body and instead of treating illness with medicines using food for good health. I totally agree with this. There was even blurbs by Dr. Andrew Weil (who I LOVE) and Dr. Christiane Northrup, both of whom I have read and followed their advice before.

Good stuff.

And also I plan to move more. Three days of "toning" in the sense of Yoga and stretching and three days of cardio, running, walking or Walgging as I like to call it.

And we're off!

Food as Medicine (or Drug!)

I was doing a little prep work for my New Year's goals toward better health and fitness and came across a list of the 10 Worst Foods you can eat. Really it was a (Too. Long.) sales pitch for a service that I don't need. There wasn't anything they said that I didn't already know. So what does that mean? It means that I know the right way to eat (and don't) I know that it's more about nutrition than it is about exercising (although exercise is GREAT for overall health and well-being). Yeah, it kind of made me feel smart.

Since I missed what some of the Ten Worst were I thought I would encapsulate it to a Top 5 and give a list of the Top 5 things you should most definitely NOT be putting in your mouths or bodies... 

Like, ever.

1. Simple sugars.

The website said fruit juices, but I think it depends on the juice. Obviously if you are making your own with a juicer that's not bad but most juices in the grocery store are horrible. They have been over-processed and have added sugars that are terrible for your body. Soda was another thing. Full-sugar sodas are terrible for you. Even diet sodas have some issues, but mostly it's the sugars.

2. Margarine.

This is not news to me. I would rather use butter anyway and now they are saying (no surprise to me) that margarine is actually higher in trans fats then butter. Smart Balance is a good substitute if you just can't bring yourself to eat butter but truthfully, butter won't hurt you!

3. Low Fat

This is the biggest lie our food industry is feeding us --literally. Most low fat or fat free foods are substituting sugars for the fat. This is much Much worse! I have a distaste for most things low or non-fat but now it's coming out that these so-called "healthier" choices are really worse for you than their higher fat counterparts. Just eat less, they say. Well, try anyway. The truth is what they are substituting in place of the fat they are removing is so much WORSE for you!

4. Microwave popcorn.

Huh? Really? This was news to me but apparently the crap they put in those bags is so bad for you that there is actually a disease that has occurred because of it. From Oprah.com, ""popcorn lung"—a.k.a. bronchiolitis obliterans—a severe respiratory disease." Yep. It's that bad for you. Pop it yourself. In butter.

5. Almost all carbs, including "whole wheat bread"

Well, if you don't know by now that "whole wheat" bread is really made from the non-nutritious part of the wheat that's left after they've processed it to death. Basically it's not the wheat (or the sugar, or the fat) that will necessarily kill you but the processed stuff that does it.

Processed foods can be linked to Cancers, diseases, obesity, etc. etc. etc.

Not a shocker if you're a student of dieting like I am.


Which one will you add to your New Year's Resolutions to eliminate?

Physical Devotion

Several years ago I went to the Temple seeking answers to our financial dilemmas which have always been a struggle and challenge for us. The answer I received confused me. I was told to "Exercise." I kind of "argued" with that because I could not see or understand how this would help. I knew I was out of shape and lacked energy and thought maybe this was the connection. Either way I struggled with this directive and kicked against it for a long time.

I tried. I tried often. I fail at consistency which is evident from the fact that I have to write four blog posts today to be caught up. I hate this about me and am always trying to be better about it but it is really just something I struggle with. 

I believe this will always be an issue. My father claims that it is my struggle with self-discipline that causes my inconsistency. Maybe. I have been accused of being lazy but I disagree with this because when it comes down to it I rise to the occasion. Also, I don't think it's about my lack of ability, or lack of desire it's more a lack of energy. 

I have always struggled with depression and all the physical issues that come with that. I know I struggled in different times in my life where I can see that depression ruled my life but had no idea that's what was going on. Depression was neither recognized nor treated the way it is now. My ancestors basically self-medicated, which was the common way to deal with this dis-ease back in the day.

I was a severe naysayer when it came to the early claims of Fibromyalgia among my friends. What it looked like to me was just another way to say "depression," because many of the same symptoms accompany depression. But now I can say I am a true believer in both the side effects of Depression as well as the different kinds of symptoms that come with Fibromyalgia. I have both. Whether one beget the other I'm not sure. I actually believe my Fibro was triggered by a Shingles attack that was not treated quickly enough and just lingered until now I consistently feel like crap.

Feeling like crap is not about being lazy or low motivation or lack of energy. It's about sore muscles that make no sense. It's about feeling sharp or "prickly" pain that makes no sense. Fibromyalgia is like having a limb removed but still feeling the itch. The itch however is more of a pain, an ache or like someone is torturing you with stick pins. Yeah. I get that.

Still, I feel this drive to exercise. I want to do it. I am surprised, really Shocked! that I like running. I have been doing C25K for a bit and it's amazing. For the first time in my life I LOOK FORWARD to going running -- which I have mentioned for me is more like walk-jogging or Wogging. (Walgging?) I can't really get past Week 1 but I still like it. I am thrilled if I can go Walgging at least once in a week! Thrilled! This is more than I have ever done in my entire life!

When I was a teen I was diagnosed with Caustic Chondritis which I basically interpreted as the Wimpy-mans asthma. Basically whenever I ran, or walked too fast or worked too hard my chest would swell up, get tight and actually cause me PAIN! It was hard to breathe. I still have this but I can do the Walgging without it bothering me as long as I stay on a level surface. I still consider this a Wimpy excuse.

I am actually harder on myself than others are on me.

Last week was difficult. I don't want to whine on and on about how much pain I had or how tired I felt or whatever because it is what it is, all I'm saying is that I barely sufficed in my capacity as a mom and family member and I have learned to forgive myself for this. 

I ran one day. One. Day. This made me sad. I did no strength training at all. I don't know what is going on but I increased my Gabapentin to three pills on another day (usually I take 2 pills 4 days/week and 3 pills 2 days/week and I just increased it to 3 days/week). We'll see if this helps. I felt pretty good yesterday but I also took caffeine twice. Meh. I don't want to have to rely on that to function. I timed my pain relievers to every four hours pretty much throughout the day and I managed to NOT fall asleep! AND I actually Made Dinner for the first time in a few days (since Thursday? --I did start the Split Pea Soup on Saturday, & Superman finished it). 

Beh. This existence ticks me off.

I think increasing my activity is supposed to help with the Fibro but occasionally that backfires so I have to be careful. Lame. 

I have decided to start Yoga. I'd like to do it every day but for now I'm going to shoot for 3 days per week. I have a 10 Minute Yoga DVD and that is totally do-able. I worry about doing it "wrong" but I'll just have to take my chances. I am flexible so I have that going for me. 

I will continue to do my Walgging as often as I can, I am shooting for 2 days per week and if I have to do Week 1 over and over and over, then Oh. Well. LOL. 

And, I also plan to do the strength training at least one day a week. I will have to stick with my 2 lb weights for the time being and build up. 

Grrr. It bugs me to be so Wimpy!

So the GOAL for this week is to:
1: Yoga 3-7 days.
2: C25K 2-3 days.
3. Weights 1-3 days.

(The first number is the "realistic" goal, the second number is the "desired" goal. Baby steps.)

I feel good about this and in my pondering yesterday at church I felt that God has something in store for me and just by being obedient I/We will be blessed. I believe this. I believe that God Loves Me and His ideas are beyond what I can comprehend. IF I Believe that God spoke to Me then I need to Listen!

"Diet" Decisions

I have been amazing this week! I am so excited that I was able to run two more days of C25K (Couch to 5K). I also did one day of strength training. It's full body and I used my weights for the first time in months! I am sore from my heal to the top of my head (it isolated behind my eye). My entire right side aches. That kind of sucks but I'm still proud of myself for sticking it out.

My personal fitness is a point of concern for me because my ability to function is reliant on my health. I was reading some posts on a friends Facebook status and got some excellent pointers:

A Jenny wrote: successful weight loss is 80% nutrition, 20% exercise. Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. Muscle is greater in density. Make sure you are consuming minimum of 72oz of water per day! Make sure you are consuming enough calories per day. If you are not, you are putting your body into starvation mode. What you do eat, your body will hold on to and store as fat because it doesn't know when you are going to feed it again. Versus when you eat every 2-3 hours your body knows its ok to expend that "energy" because it will be replaced.

This is very good advice and I'm going to take it.

One thing I mentioned is that for good health and weight loss, AND for a vegetarian, gluten free lifestyle I recommend green smoothies and juices. My brother and his wife, who practice a lot of vegan and gluten free eating styles said I could make the smoothies in my food processor with the blade attachment. I have never tried that so now I have no excuse not to take my own advice!

I'm not sure what goes in the green smoothies but I know Kale is nasty stuff and that seems to be a key ingredient to the best/healthiest juices and smoothies. I'd like to have something else if anyone has suggestions.

I like spinach and cucumbers. I'm good with most fruit, especially apples and berries.I guess I'm going to have to start researching and figuring out how to do this and stay away from the cookie dough. ::sigh:: Yes, that's what I've had this week. The sweet craving usually hits me in the afternoon then I can skip dinner. I don't skip breakfast but I can go without eating pretty much after 4.

I also know that carbs mess with me and I have to be careful. I can't seem to go without them anymore like I could before (the Fibro diagnosis). I haven't quite figured out the connection yet and that annoys me. (LOL)

So my focus is on the 80% nutrition. Getting the amount of water I need. I'm usually good with my water drinking but I haven't been measuring it lately. So I need to be sure whatever I eat is enough calories to keep my body from starving, and that my carb calories come from fruit and vegetables.

So here we go! Fitness, health and wellness, in spite of the holiday craziness. Bring it on!

Why it's okay to be fat!

It turns out that researchers are discovering that being fat is not necessarily a bad thing.

This report talks about the same gene that causes obesity also fights against depression!

"They" have also discovered that "even" if you are Obese (even morbidly Obese) exercise is so beneficial that it can counteract some of the "bad things" that obesity causes, like diabetes. (Thank you Betty Fokker for posting about this!)
Who Knew?

Doing It All... NOT! 2/40

Technically I missed yesterday but I was busy being good and doing good/right things with my time; specifically spending it with Superman. I like it. I get to do that all next week along with ALL my kids and even my extended family and probably a stranger or two. In the meantime, here is a recap for Friday...

1. Christmas Movie: I watched about 5 minutes of  "Crackling Fire" with music. Awesome. 

2. House & Home: Even though I had three kids to get out the door, myself to get ready & All-That-That-Implies, I did get laundry started and moving. Go. Me. AND the bed got made, always a good sign.

3. Write: Late blog and no fiction or work writing done. :(

4. Serve: Because I served in the temple yesterday, I did serve someone outside my family. It was kind of cool though because I got a Family File name from a friend and it turned out to be a Dutch name; Cornelia van de Vlerge--who may or may not be related to Superman's family (all 100% Dutch). Cornelia is a nice name. I am considering it for a character now...

5. Pray & Read Scriptures: No reading or studying but I did pray. I struggle with my nighttime prayers. Partly because I am in pain at night. Bummer. Working on that.

Today is Stake Conference (tonight) but I'm not feeling well. Superman got to go to Thousand Oaks with his car-show/fishing buddy. It looks like a night in because I'm not feeling well and basically put on sweats and am sitting with my laptop, in my lap. Lots to do. Homework notwithstanding.

I checked my school schedule today and turns out I have another class that I started and had to drop so I thought I had already taken it. It's Development & Learning. I think. Another doozie, in December. Loveliness. I just have to wrap my head around it early. I should have my current class done by tomorrow night (a week-ish early!) so I can enjoy my "vacation." 

I am looking forward to the holiday week. We leave for St. George, UT on Tuesday, early enough to be with the family by dinner time. That's the plan anyway. I am not tracking my eating so much although my current nausea could be because all I've had today was bagels. Western Bagel bagels but still, way too much carbs for me. 

The other thing I have done today is PLAN! I Love Planning. It's a thing. I planned through December and just short of all of January because I need to see if this method works--I am always changing how I list and plan because I haven't had anything that really worked for me since I started having kids. I love Flylady but I just can't seem to "stick" to anything. I have to rework my routines (again) and make sure I know what they are (simple but do-able) and then make sure I check my calendar every day. 
Yeah, not really my strong suit, truthfully.

So, I'm not doing it all yet, but I have plans and I have plans for those plans. IYKWIM...

Bocce Ball Body

Today I report on how I’m doing with my physical state.

What I can tell you is that Excedrin Migraine is back on the market.

This makes my life so much easier. That and my Gabapentin is kicked in so I’m feeling pretty good, generally. I am not eating “clean” and I have not been exercising except for doing approximately 50 crunches five days this week.

However, that being said I think I am only physically good for one game of bocce ball per week with the shape I’m in. Also, my weight is argh. It makes me mad. I have been doing some yummy cookie making and even a little bread and rolls. Oops. Yummy, but not good for me.

Rather than go on and on about what a loser I am for how I have been eating or not eating I want to talk about what I am going to do differently this week. I would like to add two days of walking this week as well as continue my sit-ups and add at least two days of full-body strength training.

My eating needs to change to more vegetables. I am considering the Dukan with nuts and cheese, but I doubt I can stick to that, it’s a hard one. And I don’t really believe in a “diet” so I need to just figure out what is and is not okay for me. I want, No NEED, to reduce the amount of carbs I’m eating and replace them with healthy fruits and vegetables. I am thinking of adding fresh fruits, which I have heretofore avoided because of my commitment to the Metabolism Miracle, but truthfully I think fruit & smoothies, yogurt would be way better than eating cookies, plain bread and empty simple carbs. YATHINK?

So, here I am, on the brink of the weekend and thinking about being more active, eating more fresh foods and reducing the amount of simple carbs. So maybe next week I can report a little more activity ability then a stinking Bocce Ball game. 

Top 5 Foods That Wrecked My Diet

I don't believe in "diets" per se, but that "Diet" refers to your Way Of Eating (WOE). In the last year (I can actually pinpoint it to last Halloween) I have gained back 15 pounds that I had lost in 2009 (of the almost 30). Very sad. Very, very sad indeed. 

The main reason I'm bothered by it is because I feel unhealthy. Bleck. Also, and kind of important to me, my clothes don't fit anymore. I actually had to buy a couple of outfits in a bigger size. NOOOO! This makes me so very sad! I have forgiven myself because over the last year I know my health took a hit when I got Shingles for the third time and that became Fibromyalgia. I am still trying to figure out what will, can and does work for me. In the meantime, here are my biggest weaknesses.

1. Sweets: 

I can't just say "candy" or "cookies" because it's both. I know my "cheating" started last Halloween because I decided to indulge on some Reese's cups. I love them. I missed them. I also indulged at Thanksgiving. My mother's Pecan Pie is To. Die. For. (I have mentioned this--lol). I also made a killer Pumpkin Cinnamon pull-apart bread thing (drizzling with butter). And the Brownie-Oreo-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie monstrosity. I made that a few times over the holidays last year. Mmmmm. Yummy. Oh and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough... Yummy! (But so wrong, I know.)

2. Bread:

Especially my own homemade bread. And rolls. Yummy. I make these Delicious Sweet Potato rolls for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are hard to resist. But really I just miss bread. I have always loved bread. 






3. Potatoes:

Another one of my absolute favorite foods that are so bad for my blood sugar. Even sweet potatoes are semi-taboo and sometimes I have found trying to substitute a sweet potato for a Russet just doesn't do it for me. 

4. Cereal:

It's the easiest breakfast (lunch and dinner, anyone?) on the planet. It's crunchy, sometimes sweet (sometimes too sweet), it's "wholesome" or at least you are led to believe it is. I am not that picky either. I mean I don't really like sugary cereals but I like granola, corn flakes, Corn Chex, Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats (HELLO!) and UGH! They are all bad for my blood sugar!

5. Ice cream:

You know, it's weird because I was not a huge ice cream fan or eater before I got married. Superman loves it and I kind of got hooked through him. There are a couple of flavors I can't resist; Chocolate Chip Cookie dough is one. And it's hard to resist the swirl cup at Costco (that is technically yogurt, but still). 




So there it is. All the things I had removed from my diet that slowly eked there way back in and that's why I'm struggling. I must resist but some days it just feels like Resistance is Futile! 


::sigh::

Fit Friday Definition

The point behind Fit Friday is for me to assess my eating and exercising goals for the week.

Eating:

This week kind of stunk, partly because of my medicine; Gabapentin. I forgot what it does to me when I first start taking it. I was off of it for too long so it’s like starting over and that’s a bad idea. I need to be better about getting my medicines renewed on time. Pain-in-the-butt stuff. Meh. But if it stops me from going through this re-acclimation stage then it is worth it because this stinks. Period.

Also, yesterday and today I have had the 24-hour stomach flu. I don’t vomit very often and haven’t this time either but, yeah, the other end is giving me trouble. I was up until after 2 a.m. this morning. Just saying.

So that might be good for my weight but probably won’t matter, truthfully. My eating is all over the place. Superman wants cookies but guess who eats them? Well, the dough for sure. I know, I know, I shouldn’t but it’s so yummy! Also, I can’t seem to stay away from bread and other carbs. I need to find a balance. I need to figure out a way to get more vegetables and my way of choice is through juicing. The problem I’m having is that my veggies rot before I get the motivation to make a juice. Lame excuse, I know that. So this is my sounding board for pulling out the b.s. in my excuses. Call me on it! We bought a juicer, I can do this. I want to do it.

I also want a new blender so I can do smoothies. Our blender is at least as old as our marriage and at our last anniversary we celebrated 21 years. Unfortunately the kind we want/need to do the smoothies the best (i.e.; grinds up the veggies and fruits best) is a $300-$500 unit. Do you have that kind of cashola lying around? Yeah, neither do we. And what we did have has gone to car repair. Welcome to the lower middle class (or maybe the upper lower class?) peeps. It’s freaking fun down here!

Said nobody, ever.

Exercise:

I rode my bike on Saturday. Woohoo! I just about died doing it. I rode from our house in “Downtown” to the high school. It’s approximately 2+ miles in a mostly uphill climb. Easy peasy, I thought. I mean I rode up and down hills in Japan, I can do this. Um. Hello Katrina! That was freaking twenty-five years ago (give or take), five kids, +/- 30 lbs., and after six months walking all over London and Europe getting in some kind of “shape.” Granted I’m not totally out of shape but certainly not in my 21-year-old body!

I also did one day of strength training. That’s not enough. Two days of each would make me happy. That’s not a lot. I can do that. I can. I need to. I really need to. I need to step it up. I cannot do all the other things on my “list” if I’m not feeling good.

And then…

There is another aspect to this Fitness concept. I have to forgive myself. I need to be in tune with my body and make allowances for my challenges without being too easy on myself. I need to do a little every day to be stronger overall. Eating and exercise are how I plan to do that.

The entire idea of this “blogging everyday” is to better myself. To become my “true” self; who I know I can be, who I know I am. I have already outlined how to do that so now it’s a matter of Doing It. It’s not a surprise to inform you that I have issues with motivation. It’s not about commitment. I know when I make a commitment that I do it, I just basically do it my way. (Thus you see late blog posts now and then… okay more often than I like.)

However, I don’t make commitments because I know that my mood, my health, my psychological state, my time, etc. are sometimes not in my “control.” The only way I know how to bring that part of me under management is to live by routines. My routines are not established consistently and they currently do not seem to flow with my natural biorhythms (yes, I think that matters). Nor do they allow for lapses or flexibility. I am still figuring that out and it’s a constant process that is too slow for me. I mean this is something I’ve been trying to figure out since … um, most of my life.

So I guess I can’t expect it to change overnight but I’m as frustrated or more than I have been in the past with this seemingly inability to change in the manner I think is necessary. Yeah. See, that’s why I need to forgive myself but I make myself crazy. I’m still working on it, I have ideas, I have plans. This is the time. This is my time. I’m doing it. I am. It is what it is. And I will keep getting up until I figure out how to stay up and then? Be careful if you knock me down.

Argh. 

The Friday Thing

It’s hard for me to blog when Superman is home because he distracts me.

Not like that. We go shopping and stuff. Today he took me to “brunch” at Jack’s, nothing fancy. We had an awesome visit –hmm, I just realized I did all the talking; ergo good visit. That’s funny right there.

Okay, so I remind him that I made goals for this year because it’s my “odd” year and I hate the “odd” years. He says, “You gotta get over that.”

“Yeah,” I says, “I am. Mostly. But really all my odd years have sucked so this year is going to be different! It already is!”

He nods, encouragingly. Then our food is ready so he goes to pick it up.

“You know,” I says, “I made a goal to blog every day and I’ve been doing pretty good at that!”

“That’s good.”

“And I’m not exercising every day (like I want) but I am averaging two or three days per week and that’s an improvement I’m happy with!”

“That’s good.”

“But…” I then go into a diatribe of how I’m not doing all my “Mom” jobs. I know these are my jobs. I am home all day and I’m okay with them being my “jobs.” Those include getting the house clean, laundry, dishes, and making dinner (meals). That about sums it up.

He says, “You don’t have to do it, but it’s your responsibility to make sure they get done.”

“Yeah,” I nod. But in my head I know I’m on my own because my boys are not as helpful as I’d like. Even Snap doesn’t respond as well as he used to. I will ask and it doesn’t happen. Usually it does, though, I shouldn’t criticize.

Oh, Superman helps. Don’t be thinking he doesn’t because he gets that I have Fibromyalgia and that I don’t do heights and we both hate the dusting thing but we got the house really Really clean last week and now I really Really just want to maintain that. And that was a really Really long sentence.

Oh and Laundry is still a pain-in-the-butt because we don’t have a dryer. The weather is starting to change and I can’t count on my outside dryer so much. Not sure what’s going to happen next.

“So…,” I says, “That’s not really what I wanted to talk about.

What I really want to talk about are my other goals. You know I’m going to publish a book this year.”

“That's what you said,” he says.

“Yes.” I say. “I will,” then I sip my drink. I am drinking Diet Dr. Pepper because they have it at Jack’s. Otherwise I have to drink [gasp] a sugary drink. “My other goals include doing a crafty thing every week. I have stuff I want to do for Christmas and I need to get started.”

His eyes widen over his drink (He is drinking Diet Coke--which I gave up in September!--FYI).

“And,” I continue, “I want to start doing an, I don’t know, I’m calling it my Be Beautiful Campaign where I get my ‘girl’ time and talk about make-up and stuff.”

“I want some tacos, do you want anything?”

“Yeah, I’ll have a shake,” I says. And there goes my “diet.”

When he comes back I hop right back on my subject because I have not gotten to my point which is that I want to “invest” in something that provides the “tools” I need to help women be beautiful; aka Make-up. You know, Mary Kay or now I’m considering my options. 

Anyway, “So,” I says, “what do you think?”

He’s chewing. I’m sipping and stirring my whipped cream into my yummy Oreo shake.

“I think it’s a good idea to build on your success.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. Then of course, I answer my own question. “You mean after I’m exercising more consistently and getting the housework and other things done more consistently, then add the beauty stuff?”

He nods.

And I know he’s right.

So I’m not ready to start that part of my life. But I am already writing. Sometimes at the expense of my home and family so I either need to learn how to delegate better and be satisfied with the results OR do some things ahead of time. I also need to either repair our dryer or just make the time to do a Laundromat run weekly until my dryer is fixed OR hire a maid/nanny/housekeeper/cook. Right.

As far as my diet/exercise routine? I rode my bike today and walked a little. I did strength training once. Most days I eat okay (staying away from the cookies/cookie dough!) but not perfect. I haven’t decided what way I’m eating yet. I would like to add at least one juice per day and stay high protein but not totally carb free because I go nuts (my body needs it? I am not understanding that so much).

I need low-carb/low-fat sweets to eat… That’s where my lovely Gypsy comes in… and my Pinterest board. 

Saturday Summary

I have not been on board with my fitness or dieting. I did run one day but unless I’m on the Cookie diet, my eating has been atrocious. Meh. I really only care about fitting into my clothes. Ugh.

Extremely busy yesterday. Pop had a football game about an hour away. After that we went to an Apple store to get a special cable so we can watch stuff off the iPhones on the TV. (Like Football games and LDS General Conference). I have never been in an Apple Store before and it was a madhouse! We got to see the new iPhone 5 and the Macbook Air… Yes, very cool. We got our cords and Superman got some fancy headphones and we headed out.

The next stop was a Sport Chalet for Soccer shoes for Snap. He didn’t want to play football but he’s going out for soccer. He’s picky, like his dad so we didn’t find a pair there. We drove over to Big 5 (still not happy). We also went to Spirit Halloween store because Snap is looking for a Captain America shield—I told him I could make one with a trash can lid. He wants something a little more “classy.” Whatever. At that same mall was a Hookah Resource shop. Does that mean what I think that means? Ugh. I do live in Los Angeles County.

We drive a while and Superman took me to Costco so I could get some Splenda. Then we try Dick’s Sporting Good’s where Snap actually finds a pair of Soccer cleats. After that we took the kids out to The Habit for dinner and next door to the Golden Spoon for dessert. It was nice.

By the time we got home I was completely exhausted. Also, I’m sick. I have a cold.

We did catch a few snippets of Conference (audio). The absolutely most exciting thing to happen today (Saturday) was the announcement of the age changes for serving missions. Now boys can leave at age 18 and girls at 19. This is HUGE and I’m rattled by the overthinking of it. I admit it excites me to no end! We talked a bit with Snap about it because he will be the first affected, well… Actually, my first indication of the change was not from hearing it myself but by getting a text from Princess. She says, “I’m going on a mission in a year!” I had to ask to clarify and she told me. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit that I started crying. I am so excited.

So we talked as a family about this change. Sunshine says it confuses her a little because she thought she would have more time to consider and think about it (she’s already 19). Princess thinks she’ll be ready in a year and Snap is a little befuddled but since he still has two years of high school left I don’t think it’s an issue. Superman didn’t have a lot to say. I keep pondering the bigger picture; if they are allowing younger missionaries what does that mean?

President Monson said, "Let me be clear, we are not suggesting that all young men will or should serve at this earlier age," he explained. "Many will still prefer to start at age 19 or older. Neither are we suggesting that young women are expected to serve or that they do so at age 19. Many will still prefer to serve at an older age or not at all. Their voluntary service is valuable and most welcome.”

In a later Press Conference regarding the change, Elder Holland said, “many will wonder how the growth that comes with the change will impact missionary work.

"We have a very simple answer," he said. "We don't know."

He also said, “"prospective missionaries will be asked to enhance and improve and take more seriously their pre-mission preparation.”

Other changes will be made as well like reducing time at the MTC and creating more missions. 

Finally, the last thing Elder Holland stated answered my question,

Speaking to prospective missionaries, he said, "What does this mean for you? First of all it means that God is hastening His work. And He needs more and more willing and worthy missionaries to spread the light and the truth and the hope and the salvation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to an often dark and fearful world.”

Short, Sweet and To The Point.

Another Friday and another day of cleaning.

I spent most of the weekend working on my teacher education class. That’s what I get for putting off four lesson plans. I just don’t like doing them. Not the lesson plans so much but doing it their way. KWIM?

Anyway, took the final (got 90% YEAH!) and it’s all done. Now I have a Bio class.

Bleh.

I weighed myself Friday morning and I was 166. That’s okay. Not where I want to be but I found a weight loss post from about a year ago and I was 158 so that’s less of a gain than I thought. I still want to be under 150 (preferably under 140) but we’ll see.

I walked last week but that’s about it. I need the strength training but my lower back has been aching.

Yeah. That’s my whine/mantra for the year… for my life?

Whatever, I’m tired of feeling lousy! I watch these young lithe ladies and their smooth swift movements and :::sigh::: that’s not me. Not sure if it’s ever been me. Haha.

My goal for this week is to walk more, maybe even run again (Yay!) and do the strength training!  

According to my calendar I start with toning/strength training routine “B” on Monday, Tuesday is a “Cardio” day, then Wednesday is “A” routine. Thursday is “Cardio” again, “B” on Friday then “Cardio” on Saturday.

I can do it!