Lots happening with getting ready to move my Mother to Texas a week from now. I could go on and on about her, my love for her, how I admire her, how none of us ever expected her to live so long ... but I'll just leave it as a great deal of gratitude for all the good she brings and the strength she possesses and shares with the world. And what it all inspires for our family and far beyond. She practiced sitting in her wheel chair for a couple of hours today, getting ready for sitting a long time at the airport and on the plane. Good for her!
I think I could live this program forever. Eating 6 times a day, knowing that there's a day you can take off ... Although quite truthfully, my Freebie day will never be based on mindlessly eating sugar, cookies, cookie-dough, dessert or "whatever comes along". If I have it, it will be a CHOICE, and for something very special. It is very different know than back in October when I thought about it all the time. I just don't think about it the same.
As I chatted with my sister about it (who had read through the blog here) I voiced again the social elements that are involved. I'm working my way through them. But 98%, quite honestly, are not big enough at this point to get too twitter-pated. Lots of people don't drink alcohol or soda, smoke, eat certain foods, wear certain items of clothing, etc., etc. I don't do sugar. As a matter of choice.
"Ain't no big thing" -- as they used to say in Hawaii.
But it was until 5 months ago.
Tonight as we were watching the Olympics, I ate the rest of the green salad from dinner with my fat-free Italian dressing. It lasted ever so much longer than a cookie or a bowl of ice cream. And totally satisfied that need for "something to crunch on".
To not be done eating ... but quite honestly with those 6 little meals a day, I'm often eating, and even well into the evening, which is a lovely change of pace!
I think the biggest thing happening is my increased stamina. I'm getting excited about being able to lift more, and last a little longer with my workout sessions.
As we watched the gorgeous women figure skaters tonight, just little wisps -- dancers really -- yet so incredibly athletic, I refuse to get involved in any kind of judgment on my own lack of athletic prowess. Or really any athletic interest, to be honest. My sons Spencer and Justin got it all for the whole family.
But the lifting is REWARDING, and my classical music on WETA radio is just perfect for it.
Can't wait for my upper body workout tomorrow morning. Ben (my neighbor/trainer) is going to come over at 7:00 a.m., and he's so fit and such a fun contrast age-wise and every-wise that it's just plain FUN. It all (including his company) gives me a lift that lasts all day. I love to see how he has taken his work/talent as a gymnast and professional clown seriously. He's got some great abs exercises, and is patient with me just finding my wings with all of this. It's like having one of my kids root for me.
YAY for today. Yay for tomorrow. Yay for how 10 glasses of water a day is blessing my SKIN. YAY for how comfortable it is quickly becoming as a way of LIVING.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
12-Week Challenge Day 8
A full week of living the program, journaling, blogging, and looking at my 12-month planner. Can I REALLY do this for 12 weeks. The answer is: YES. I'm doing it, having an OK time, and this morning my workout left me energized after working so hard. Love that feeling! I think I'll continue to get better as time goes by.
Am really glad again, that I bought the journal, as there are messages that I need to hear ... and those before/after pictures are really inspiring. If even a small percentage of those blessings came my way, I'd be thrilled.
Perhaps the most important part of the day was helping mom to bed last night, and she said, "If I'd known I was going to live so long and get so old, I would have taken much better care of myself."
Wow.
The truth is, this taking care of yourself takes TIME. What you spend exercising and chopping veggies cannot be used elsewhere. As far as mom, I KNOW she used her time so well and so beautifully in serving others constantly! Perhaps she could have eaten better, but here she is at 92 and very alive. Too bad her lower body didn't really work for the kind of exercising I'm doing now due to her accidents and injuries ... so I'm surely not blaming her.
But message was heard, even so. (She also put off carpel tunnel surgery until it was entirely too late ... that was a shame, as she really has so little use of her hands now.)
SHE IS INSPIRATION to me, in so many, many priceless ways.
(Tomorrow I'll write about Scot Proctor's mom, and what she's doing at 95 ....)
The part I'm struggling with is wanting more carbs to eat, since my beans/legumes AND fruit are considered complex carbs on this program. But overall ... doing GOOD and feelin' the luv.
Am really glad again, that I bought the journal, as there are messages that I need to hear ... and those before/after pictures are really inspiring. If even a small percentage of those blessings came my way, I'd be thrilled.
Perhaps the most important part of the day was helping mom to bed last night, and she said, "If I'd known I was going to live so long and get so old, I would have taken much better care of myself."
Wow.
The truth is, this taking care of yourself takes TIME. What you spend exercising and chopping veggies cannot be used elsewhere. As far as mom, I KNOW she used her time so well and so beautifully in serving others constantly! Perhaps she could have eaten better, but here she is at 92 and very alive. Too bad her lower body didn't really work for the kind of exercising I'm doing now due to her accidents and injuries ... so I'm surely not blaming her.
But message was heard, even so. (She also put off carpel tunnel surgery until it was entirely too late ... that was a shame, as she really has so little use of her hands now.)
SHE IS INSPIRATION to me, in so many, many priceless ways.
(Tomorrow I'll write about Scot Proctor's mom, and what she's doing at 95 ....)
The part I'm struggling with is wanting more carbs to eat, since my beans/legumes AND fruit are considered complex carbs on this program. But overall ... doing GOOD and feelin' the luv.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
12-Week Challenge DAY 7
I am writing this, actually on Day 8 ... A Sunday.
Yesterday was a great day. I did the aerobics session, the full 20 minutes, and made it my best intensity possible. That really feels good.
The anniversary celebration for our friends turned out to be an 80th birthday party actually. Same difference. I KNEW there would be a full array of easy fruits and vegetables. And it was. Subway sandwiches. Easy to choose a section, and get rid of all that bread. Ate the turkey, and a bit of the cheese, along with all they yummy red and yellow peppers on the veggies tray along. They had the heavenly mango salsa from Costco, and I loaded up.
I'm finding that MUSTARD is my friend ... stretches everything out, like salad dressing, with 0 calories and lots of flavor.
There were 2 enormous Costco cakes, that ordinarily would have had me all abuzz, all over the place. But my inner being knows now that that is not part of my deal, as in the same way that we show up at parties where alcohol is being served. No alarms, because it's just not part of my true identity.
Wow. If this is not the "change in heart" that the gospel and the scriptures speak of, I don't know what is.
Today's sacrament meeting was on "The Power of The Atonement -- Beyond Repentence" and for me, yesterday and the cake was a true manifestation of that change in my own life, peace and overall spiritual identity.
I am finding more and more how much I NEED and ENJOY these mini-meals every 2-3 hours.
Ended the day in great shape with burritos, my Mom's favorite, for dinner. But I just put my beans on top of a big bowl of spinach leaves, put in all the other veggies, added a bit of cooked chicken, and lots of salsa, and was JUST FINE. I know I could have added that whole wheat tortilla, but counted the beans as my carb instead.
Awesome.
Yesterday was a great day. I did the aerobics session, the full 20 minutes, and made it my best intensity possible. That really feels good.
The anniversary celebration for our friends turned out to be an 80th birthday party actually. Same difference. I KNEW there would be a full array of easy fruits and vegetables. And it was. Subway sandwiches. Easy to choose a section, and get rid of all that bread. Ate the turkey, and a bit of the cheese, along with all they yummy red and yellow peppers on the veggies tray along. They had the heavenly mango salsa from Costco, and I loaded up.
I'm finding that MUSTARD is my friend ... stretches everything out, like salad dressing, with 0 calories and lots of flavor.
There were 2 enormous Costco cakes, that ordinarily would have had me all abuzz, all over the place. But my inner being knows now that that is not part of my deal, as in the same way that we show up at parties where alcohol is being served. No alarms, because it's just not part of my true identity.
Wow. If this is not the "change in heart" that the gospel and the scriptures speak of, I don't know what is.
Today's sacrament meeting was on "The Power of The Atonement -- Beyond Repentence" and for me, yesterday and the cake was a true manifestation of that change in my own life, peace and overall spiritual identity.
I am finding more and more how much I NEED and ENJOY these mini-meals every 2-3 hours.
Ended the day in great shape with burritos, my Mom's favorite, for dinner. But I just put my beans on top of a big bowl of spinach leaves, put in all the other veggies, added a bit of cooked chicken, and lots of salsa, and was JUST FINE. I know I could have added that whole wheat tortilla, but counted the beans as my carb instead.
Awesome.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
12-Week Challenge DAY 6
So, yesterday was Valentines. A day filled with chocolate and desserts, frosted cookies with sprinkles, pink & red M&Ms, not to mention the Russel Stover cream-filled chocolate hearts, right????!!!!
WRONG: To tell you the truth, I didn't even THINK about it. What's that all about. A bag of little foil-wrapped chocolates that we got to send with our kids valentines has SAT on the kitchen table all week. I don't know what I was going to do with it -- maybe give some to a neighbor, or "decorate" a little corner with some. I don't know. The point is ... they're still sitting there an I have absolutele zero interest in them.
All other years, I was eating (make that gobbling) those little things. Getting sick on them. By the end of Valentines my stomach was churning and my head ached from the chocolate.
As it is, I DID get up with a stomach ache. But not from chocolate.
I think my body has changed/aged.
We went to the Afghan Kabob for dinner. I used my "FREE" Day for our dinner. We had an order of the delicious NAN bread, and we ate it all. We had our veggie dumpling thingies that are SO delicious and just the right amount of spicy.
FOR DESSERT: We went to McDonalds and had their teensy-weensie (how did that get so small???) fruit parfait, and finished reading our hysterically funny JUNIE B. JONES book, "Mushy Gushy Valentine." I know it sounds like a lame thing, but we had SO fun. Not really time for a movie, and it was a super fun date.
When I came home and helped mom, I had a little of the leftover Chinese fried rice from the night before as part of my "Free" Day.
And went to bed. And WOKE UP WITH A STOMACH ACHE and that sweet taste in my mouth as if I'd eaten nothing but Costco Chocolate cake all day.
In thinking about it, it must have been the extra bread at dinner, and that rice, because there surely wasn't enough in the yogurt parfait to make a difference.
THE POINT IS: Wow. The pleasure is SO gone from eating sweets.
I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about that, as you need some treates every now and then ...like on Valentines. But it's clear, my body is moving on, and so must my mind ... and Heart.
Thus, 'twas Valentines. Today is a special lunch for an anniversary celebration ... but I know I'm going to be able to find some veggies, some fruit for a carb and a little protein and call it good.
YAY B4L. You are my friend.
I did the 20 minute aerobics workout this morning, and you just feel SO good after exerting that 100% effort!
WRONG: To tell you the truth, I didn't even THINK about it. What's that all about. A bag of little foil-wrapped chocolates that we got to send with our kids valentines has SAT on the kitchen table all week. I don't know what I was going to do with it -- maybe give some to a neighbor, or "decorate" a little corner with some. I don't know. The point is ... they're still sitting there an I have absolutele zero interest in them.
All other years, I was eating (make that gobbling) those little things. Getting sick on them. By the end of Valentines my stomach was churning and my head ached from the chocolate.
As it is, I DID get up with a stomach ache. But not from chocolate.
I think my body has changed/aged.
We went to the Afghan Kabob for dinner. I used my "FREE" Day for our dinner. We had an order of the delicious NAN bread, and we ate it all. We had our veggie dumpling thingies that are SO delicious and just the right amount of spicy.
FOR DESSERT: We went to McDonalds and had their teensy-weensie (how did that get so small???) fruit parfait, and finished reading our hysterically funny JUNIE B. JONES book, "Mushy Gushy Valentine." I know it sounds like a lame thing, but we had SO fun. Not really time for a movie, and it was a super fun date.
When I came home and helped mom, I had a little of the leftover Chinese fried rice from the night before as part of my "Free" Day.
And went to bed. And WOKE UP WITH A STOMACH ACHE and that sweet taste in my mouth as if I'd eaten nothing but Costco Chocolate cake all day.
In thinking about it, it must have been the extra bread at dinner, and that rice, because there surely wasn't enough in the yogurt parfait to make a difference.
THE POINT IS: Wow. The pleasure is SO gone from eating sweets.
I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about that, as you need some treates every now and then ...like on Valentines. But it's clear, my body is moving on, and so must my mind ... and Heart.
Thus, 'twas Valentines. Today is a special lunch for an anniversary celebration ... but I know I'm going to be able to find some veggies, some fruit for a carb and a little protein and call it good.
YAY B4L. You are my friend.
I did the 20 minute aerobics workout this morning, and you just feel SO good after exerting that 100% effort!
Friday, February 14, 2014
12 Week Challenge DAY 5
Yesterday and Today Are Snow Days! Something we all look forward to. I remember that Emily would always make a coffee cake. We'd make scones (fried bread dough). Even when I was a Weight Watcher leader, I can remember my supervisor saying, "Snow Days are all about the food!"
Well, I wrote down in my journal as the day started that I would eat right and stick to my plan. And I DID. All day. Both yesterday and today.
My sister Susan was cute and called to say she was arranging Chinese food for dinner as a Valentines Day present for us all. I chose, instead, to have another bowl of Bob's delicious lentil soup.
The workout is harder than anything I've done before. A good challenge. Today I did the 20 minute aerobic session again, the full amount of time. Pooped when it was done, but still a GREAT feeling.
I read in the Body For Life book today that much of the change that people experience is from the head and heart first .... isn't it funny. That's what I've taught in all my sessions too, and I'm very excited to see if the effort will make any visible difference.
Well, I wrote down in my journal as the day started that I would eat right and stick to my plan. And I DID. All day. Both yesterday and today.
My sister Susan was cute and called to say she was arranging Chinese food for dinner as a Valentines Day present for us all. I chose, instead, to have another bowl of Bob's delicious lentil soup.
The workout is harder than anything I've done before. A good challenge. Today I did the 20 minute aerobic session again, the full amount of time. Pooped when it was done, but still a GREAT feeling.
I read in the Body For Life book today that much of the change that people experience is from the head and heart first .... isn't it funny. That's what I've taught in all my sessions too, and I'm very excited to see if the effort will make any visible difference.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
12-Week Challenge DAY 4
I did my aerobic exercise yesterday, and thanks to the success journal that requires you to write down the exact time spent, I wondered why I was 4-5 minutes short on the 20 minute workout. I HAD totally miscounted the number of times you work your way up in intensity from minute to minute. It's 4 cycles, rather than 3. No wonder!
Gotta say again, I'm glad I bought the journal.
Even with the snow forecast, I forced myself out and over to the one store in town that has the body fat calipers. I am committed to do this according to THE BOOK. Whether I lose a pound, or an inch or change my body/muscle percentage is not nearly as important as doing the for 84 days, and jumpstarting the state of my bones and muscles.
I had known from the beginning of my October Beat Sugar Cravings month that I was eating too many carbs -- even healthy carbs i.e. whole wheat -- but that was way better than candy.
COMPLEX CARBS: With this, the program outlines the truth that FRUIT is a complex carb in the same way WHOLE WHEAT IS. They both count as a carb. Same for legumes. All carbs, and you get ONE portion per meal. So it's weird to see myself choosing to NOT eat fruit if I've got my lentils or barley going, as in the delicious lentil/barley soup we had tonight. (Bob's recipe. A gem.) For years I have always had my fruit right along with the legumes (in the soup), and a piece of whole wheat toast -- AND THE SOUP as well. Hmmmm. Wow.
TOFU: YAY! I added it to my carb of choice (Oatmeal) today to make it a complete meal. You don't even taste it. It's just a healthy easy protein. I actually added a scoop of canned pumpkin to it as well, along with my Truvia and some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. ... More like a dessert than a meal. But YUMMY, and so filling, and a big portion. I just need my big portions. I JUST DO.
WATER: Emily (my daughter) uses an amazing program for helping her babies sleep enough called "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child." It's counter-intuitive that putting your child down for a nap or the night BEFORE they are tired is the ticket and that "sleep begets more sleep."
I am finding the exact same thing true for me. The more water I drink, the thirstier I am. 10 glasses of water seems to be a lot, but whereas 6 glasses has been a struggle for forever, now 10 is no big deal at all. Go figure.
The real point is that I am DOING THIS FOR 84 Days, and we'll see where we are at the end, how I feel and what tweaking I need to do to make this right for me.
I am excited, learning and getting comfortable with the whole up- leveling involved with this.
Gotta say again, I'm glad I bought the journal.
Even with the snow forecast, I forced myself out and over to the one store in town that has the body fat calipers. I am committed to do this according to THE BOOK. Whether I lose a pound, or an inch or change my body/muscle percentage is not nearly as important as doing the for 84 days, and jumpstarting the state of my bones and muscles.
I had known from the beginning of my October Beat Sugar Cravings month that I was eating too many carbs -- even healthy carbs i.e. whole wheat -- but that was way better than candy.
COMPLEX CARBS: With this, the program outlines the truth that FRUIT is a complex carb in the same way WHOLE WHEAT IS. They both count as a carb. Same for legumes. All carbs, and you get ONE portion per meal. So it's weird to see myself choosing to NOT eat fruit if I've got my lentils or barley going, as in the delicious lentil/barley soup we had tonight. (Bob's recipe. A gem.) For years I have always had my fruit right along with the legumes (in the soup), and a piece of whole wheat toast -- AND THE SOUP as well. Hmmmm. Wow.
TOFU: YAY! I added it to my carb of choice (Oatmeal) today to make it a complete meal. You don't even taste it. It's just a healthy easy protein. I actually added a scoop of canned pumpkin to it as well, along with my Truvia and some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. ... More like a dessert than a meal. But YUMMY, and so filling, and a big portion. I just need my big portions. I JUST DO.
WATER: Emily (my daughter) uses an amazing program for helping her babies sleep enough called "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child." It's counter-intuitive that putting your child down for a nap or the night BEFORE they are tired is the ticket and that "sleep begets more sleep."
I am finding the exact same thing true for me. The more water I drink, the thirstier I am. 10 glasses of water seems to be a lot, but whereas 6 glasses has been a struggle for forever, now 10 is no big deal at all. Go figure.
The real point is that I am DOING THIS FOR 84 Days, and we'll see where we are at the end, how I feel and what tweaking I need to do to make this right for me.
I am excited, learning and getting comfortable with the whole up- leveling involved with this.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
12-Week Challenge DAY 3
As I was reading my scriptures this morning, I read the story of Mary and Martha when the Savior came for dinner. (Luke 11:38-42) I'm a Martha. So BUSY and involved with SO many things, it's hard to know what to cut out so that I can be more like Mary, got her work done, then sat down to listen and receive.
One thing I know: it is my pattern to get too busy to exercise.
It's interesting. My mom, a spiritual giant and totally confined to bed now, said she's going to contact my brother, who is not at all interested in religion. He's very diligent, however about taking care of his body. She wants to share with him that he's got his investments reversed. The care of the body will not take him very far into the next life.
How am I putting this all together? That I want and need to take care of BOTH. I want my physical body to be in the best shape possible so that it will be a clean, strong vessel to allow me time and energy to study and serve my Heavenly Father and family WELL. I want someday to hear those words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
My mom can only serve from bed now. And she's coming to terms with that. Right now for me her service is an example of good cheer and enduring faithfully.
I bought the plane tickets yesterday for us to take her to Susan's (my sister) in Texas. This is a huge deal on every level for her and for all the families. She had SO wanted to have returned to the other side before she became this dependent on family.
It will be quite the undertaking to get there. She needs to strengthen her body and practice sitting in a wheelchair. We will need two cars to get to the airport, as she cannot get into anything higher than a compact, low-car, and there won't be room in that car for all our luggage ... The same for the pick-up at the other end of the trip.
God bless her heart -- none of us ever imagined that she would get to this point.
DAY 2: I found it amazing that mid-afternoon on ONLY DAY 2 that the thought came into my mind, "This isn't going to work. Why are you going to this much effort? Nothing's going to change."
I was glad for all the examples and lessons of endurance that came to mind .... YES. It's all to easy to just say, "Why am I doing this? I'm at a fairly healthy weight."
BUT ... I have made a commitment. I WILL DO THIS for 84 days and see where I am at the end. I WILL DO THIS as I have made a public commitment on Meridian, and a private one with myself and the Lord -- and equally important to my darling Kelly.
A-HA MOMENT Yesterday: At work one of the gals had brought in (I don't know why) a gorgeous white and chocolate layer cake with lots of buttercream frosting. If this had been pre-October, I would have eaten a piece then (at 10:30 in the morning when we take our break) and again as often as I could snitch ... and thought about it the whole time.
As it was, I looked at it and remembered my obsession with these things for most of my life and felt relieved that I didn't have to get involved with that stupid cake.
When they asked me and got out my plate, I just quietly said, "Oh, I'm not a cake eater."
AND IT'S TRUE. I'm NOT A CAKE EATER anymore. And the weird thing is ... it's not big deal.
It' just a piece of cake.
I wonder what Mary and Martha served the Lord for dessert when he came for dinner? I've a feeling it wasn't a cake with buttercream frosting. But I'll bet there was a little indulgence of some kind. Maybe some special fruit or other natural delicacies.
.... HIS word and HIS company in your home .... can you imagine? Now Who would EVER need dessert with the sweet experience of having the Savior in your home for dinner?
It's a lovely thought, and I'm going to pretend that he's eating with me today as I focus on DAY 3, and my 6 lovely little meals!
I am focusing on CHANGES THAT I CANNOT SEE that I know are happening as I am wise ... to my bones and muscles.
One thing I know: it is my pattern to get too busy to exercise.
It's interesting. My mom, a spiritual giant and totally confined to bed now, said she's going to contact my brother, who is not at all interested in religion. He's very diligent, however about taking care of his body. She wants to share with him that he's got his investments reversed. The care of the body will not take him very far into the next life.
How am I putting this all together? That I want and need to take care of BOTH. I want my physical body to be in the best shape possible so that it will be a clean, strong vessel to allow me time and energy to study and serve my Heavenly Father and family WELL. I want someday to hear those words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
My mom can only serve from bed now. And she's coming to terms with that. Right now for me her service is an example of good cheer and enduring faithfully.
I bought the plane tickets yesterday for us to take her to Susan's (my sister) in Texas. This is a huge deal on every level for her and for all the families. She had SO wanted to have returned to the other side before she became this dependent on family.
It will be quite the undertaking to get there. She needs to strengthen her body and practice sitting in a wheelchair. We will need two cars to get to the airport, as she cannot get into anything higher than a compact, low-car, and there won't be room in that car for all our luggage ... The same for the pick-up at the other end of the trip.
God bless her heart -- none of us ever imagined that she would get to this point.
DAY 2: I found it amazing that mid-afternoon on ONLY DAY 2 that the thought came into my mind, "This isn't going to work. Why are you going to this much effort? Nothing's going to change."
I was glad for all the examples and lessons of endurance that came to mind .... YES. It's all to easy to just say, "Why am I doing this? I'm at a fairly healthy weight."
BUT ... I have made a commitment. I WILL DO THIS for 84 days and see where I am at the end. I WILL DO THIS as I have made a public commitment on Meridian, and a private one with myself and the Lord -- and equally important to my darling Kelly.
A-HA MOMENT Yesterday: At work one of the gals had brought in (I don't know why) a gorgeous white and chocolate layer cake with lots of buttercream frosting. If this had been pre-October, I would have eaten a piece then (at 10:30 in the morning when we take our break) and again as often as I could snitch ... and thought about it the whole time.
As it was, I looked at it and remembered my obsession with these things for most of my life and felt relieved that I didn't have to get involved with that stupid cake.
When they asked me and got out my plate, I just quietly said, "Oh, I'm not a cake eater."
AND IT'S TRUE. I'm NOT A CAKE EATER anymore. And the weird thing is ... it's not big deal.
It' just a piece of cake.
I wonder what Mary and Martha served the Lord for dessert when he came for dinner? I've a feeling it wasn't a cake with buttercream frosting. But I'll bet there was a little indulgence of some kind. Maybe some special fruit or other natural delicacies.
.... HIS word and HIS company in your home .... can you imagine? Now Who would EVER need dessert with the sweet experience of having the Savior in your home for dinner?
It's a lovely thought, and I'm going to pretend that he's eating with me today as I focus on DAY 3, and my 6 lovely little meals!
I am focusing on CHANGES THAT I CANNOT SEE that I know are happening as I am wise ... to my bones and muscles.
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