A New Perspective for a New Year

As the New Year arrives, it is customary to make New Year’s Resolutions. The question is how you are going to be one of the people to keep your New Year’s Resolution. I found I needed to change my perspective when trying to achieve my goals of weight loss and being physically able to accomplish more activities. I had to make the commitment to these goals. This time around, I am achieving a lifestyle change not just being on a diet until I lose the weight. I know the choices I make when deciding what foods to eat and choosing to exercise will determine if I will achieve my goals. I know once I have achieved the weight loss I desire, I will have to maintain this lifestyle change if I am going to be successful in keeping the weight off. Otherwise, I will regain the weight just as I have so many times in the past.

I am motivated and determined to make this lifestyle change. I have changed my views about food. It is the fuel my body needs in order to sustain life. It is not like I can quit eating all together in order to lose the weight. Although food can be an addiction, and I believe it is an addiction for me, I cannot expect to quit it like smoking cigarettes or using drugs. It is unhealthy to stop eating all together in order to get a quick weight loss. It never works. You end up gaining all the weight back and a few extra pounds on top of the ones you lost. It is better to lose it slowly.

I have also used food as a reward or to celebrate some event like Christmas and New Years. We all have gone out to eat for a birthday, a holiday, a graduation, or a promotion. It always seems like there is something to celebrate and our culture has planted food into our celebrations. There are many other things we could do to celebrate. We could go to the movies, a sporting event, a concert, or a play. We could reward ourselves with gifts like clothing in our smaller size or that pedometer that talks we have our eye on. We could plan a day at the park, go for a stroll on a nature trail, or spend a peaceful day of fishing on the lake. There are many rewards and celebrations out there for us to choose from which do not involve food and can be done for little or no cost. Just let your imagination run wild.

One of the things I have done to achieve my goals is to plan for success. I exercise daily. I like to get up early in the morning and exercise outside. When it is too cold outside I use my living room instead. I alternate by working out my upper body one day and my lower body the next. I like to take a walk every other day in the evening. I have been able to increase the distance I walk little by little over time.

Also, I keep track of the foods I eat. If I am going to go out to dinner, I plan for the meal by looking up the restaurant on the internet and deciding my meal before I leave. I plan for the foods I love to eat. I plan for a couple of cookies every now and then. I keep healthy foods on hand so I will not be tempted to eat the high fat/calorie foods. If I am going to eat something I have not planned for then I add extra exercise to make up for that food.

Through positive thinking and determination we will be able to achieve our New Year’s Resolutions. We can live a healthy lifestyle if we look at it from a new perspective. We must stay motivated and reward our successes. Remember our diet consists of the foods we eat to fuel our bodies. It is not something we are on; it is a part of our life. It does require a lifestyle change to be successful. We may slip and fall from time to time but we cannot let that get us down and kill our motivation. We just need to do the things necessary to get back on track. We can achieve the weight loss we desire. We will accomplish our goals. We can make our resolutions last the whole year.

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Mathew 19:26

100 Push Up Challenge

I have started the six week training program which is designed to increase your strength in order to be able to do 100 consecutive push ups. I believe I can do it and I challenge you to participate as well. After you complete an initial test to determine your current level, the program is designed to achieve this goal over a six week period. It states, "All you need is a good plan, plenty of discipline and about 30 minutes a week to achieve this goal!" Of course there are some of you who can already do many push ups but most people aren't able to manage 20 and if your like me when I took my initial test, 10 is difficult. However I'm determined to achieve this goal and I believe you can too. Just click the image or this link to start the hundred push ups training program. Good luck to all of you and please report back and let me know how you're doing.

I CAN WALK!!!

Most people take walking for granted. I know I did for a long time. We are always talking about taking those baby steps to reach our goals. Well yesterday, I took a leap of faith and took a great giant baby step and I was very proud. For awhile now I have been coasting and needed something to pump up my motivation and after I had my little stumble with cheese dip last week I decided it was time to take that next step.

You see, it wasn't that long ago I was bed ridden and couldn't walk. I had let myself fall into a state of depression and I really had no motivation at all to do anything about my health. The warning signs were there. I had had two so-called anxiety attacks and then in 2006, I had congestive heart failure for the first time. You would think that would have motivated me, NOT!

Then I started getting progressively worse. I had fallen a couple of times and the doctor told me I had arthritis in my hip and knees so I was having some difficulty walking but still I made no effort to lose any weight. Then in 2007, I had an infection which left me bed ridden. I was already morbidly obese but this episode put even more pounds on my frame and eventually created atrophy in my legs. I had difficulty just walking the 5-7 feet to the bathroom.

Finally, by Fall of 2008, I said enough is enough. I started making baby steps. I would walk to the kitchen, about 20 feet, and sit down and rest because I was totally out of breath and then after resting I would make the trip back. I did this for a long time before I could finally make the trip there and back without resting. Then in February 2009, it happened. I had congestive heart failure and respiratory failure and had fallen into a coma.

At that moment, in this time of sorrow and worry, a time when all hope was nearly gone, when the doctors had little hope for me, when my parents felt the pain of the possibility of losing their first born child; it was at that moment, as the minister and those around me began to pray; My vital signs began to improve. God stepped in and said He was not ready for me. He had more for me to do. It is for that reason I decided to embark on this journey, to make myself whole and complete, to make myself well again, to find the strength to walk again, to lose the weight I had acquired through my gluttony for life. To live, to be, to one day love again. and rekindle my love for myself and the love for my family. To fulfill the dreams I once had, to ride the roller coaster of life. He had saved me once again.

So the journey began. After waking up with a tube down my throat the realization of my situation had finally sunk in. I began taking those baby steps and making progress. I was motivated and I lost a lot of weight. I started going to WW meetings and took it seriously for awhile. Then, for a short time, I couldn't go to meetings and slowly started putting some weight back on. But luckily, before I got too far gone, I moved and was able to start going to meetings again and I have had great success since.

This brings me to yesterday. I have been walking as part of my exercise routine on a regular basis but never for more than maybe 15 minutes at a time. Whenever I would go to the grocery store or Walmart I would get one of those electric carts and ride around because I was afraid I would get somewhere in the middle of the store and not be able to walk. But yesterday I decided I would finally try to walk around to do my grocery shopping. What did I learn? I CAN WALK!!! I DID IT!!! I was able to walk around the store for about an hour and a half. I was so proud! Sure I was a little sore afterward but this morning I feel great! No pain at all as I had feared.

So now I'm motivated! I can't wait until tonight when I see my friend at choir practice who has been asking me to join her walking group. I can now tell her, YES, I CAN WALK!!!

I can do all things through Christ,

because He gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

What Was I Thinking!?!

Okay, it really wasn't the best week for me this past week. I had a slight gain of 1.2 pounds and I know looking back at that week now I didn't really eat properly. Sure I kept within my points for the week and I tracked every day. But, it was one of those weeks where I really didn't eat a lot of fruits and I could have exercised more. So when Wednesday got here and I stepped on that scale, there it was, a GAIN.

But that really isn't the worst of it. Afterward when I got home, what do I do? I go in the fridge and pull out the left over cheese dip my daughter made for her schoolmates and dig into it devouring way too much dip with way too many chips. (I just love her dip because it has just the right amount of fire to satisfy my taste buds.) Of course, this caused me to use all of my Weekly Points on the first day of the week with something that is totally non-nutritious and high in fat. Not only that, Thursday came and I decided I wouldn't eat as much but still went and ate some more cheese dip and chips. (Of course this time I did track it as my lunch and made sure I stayed within my Daily Points)

Sure I could blame my week's attitude on being sick and not feeling well but I don't think that was the cause either. Chips and dip are a trigger food for me and if they are around I tend to gobble them up. I had been doing well using Pringles Light chips because a serving is only 1 point and I can easily measure them out for my lunch, put them on my plate, and then put the rest of them away. As they say, out of sight, out of mind.

Of course as I am doing all of this eating, I am thinking, I'll make up for it this weekend and get in lots of activity points. Guess what? Didn't happen. I had a busy weekend and started and finished reading this really good book. So here I am on a Sunday night beating myself up for the mistakes I made last week. I have done well in keeping on track this weekend, I'm just afraid it is not going to be enough when my weigh in rolls around again on Wednesday.

So, I'm feeling a little discouraged right now but I know I have to put that behind me because there is really not a whole lot I can do to change the past. What I can do though is learn from this experience to give me strength the next time around, keep on track, eat more fruit, exercise, and do all the things I need to do today.

Having a Happy Healthy Holiday Season

As the holiday season rolls in earlier and earlier each year with our lives being bombarded with decorations and advertisements from all directions and our friends and family putting numerous demands on our time, it is easy to feel frustrated, stressed and apathetic about our health. In our efforts to achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle it is important for us to plan for our success.

During this season the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds, but this can easily be avoided if we plan our meals correctly and remember the turkey gets stuffed, not us. It is not necessary and unhealthy to stuff our bellies full when we sit down for our Thanksgiving meal. I know it is easy to do but consider making the meal itself healthier. We can easily fill up on healthier foods and limit the amount of high-calorie, high-fat foods we consume.

In order to achieve this we must first make the decision we are going to concentrate on our health. Why wait until New Years Day to begin taking care of ourselves? Most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside and are forgotten. There are numerous excuses we can make for ourselves but the truth is we are the ones in control. It takes looking into the mirror and deciding we are going to change our habits. If we don’t, we will find ourselves gorging on holiday treats and buffets and then feeling guilty because we made the decision to fail.

Sure the red velvet cake tastes great at the time but is it really worth the guilt and torture you put yourself through 20 minutes later when you feel bloated and are asking yourself why you over indulged? Not in my opinion, however, if we decide to fill up on healthy vegetables and fruits before diving into the stuffing and piling on the gravy, we will feel better about ourselves and can avoid the need to make New Year’s resolutions we have no intention of keeping in the first place. A good plan is to fill half of your plate with veggies, one-quarter with a lean meat and the other quarter with your starch.

There are many other things we can do during this holiday season in order to keep from gaining weight. When going to a party, begin the day with a healthy breakfast rich in fiber and protein and be mindful of your calorie intake throughout the day. We need to realize appetizers are not meals! Nibble on the healthy snacks like nuts, wheat crackers, veggies, and fruits. Stay away from the buffet table and walk around and mingle. Don’t feel you have to say yes to everything someone offers you to eat. Remember, drinks contain calories too, especially if you plan to consume alcohol.

Weight gain should not be our only concern for our health. There are many stressful situations we will deal with during this holiday season which can leave us feeling achy, irritated, and depressed. One of the easiest things we can do to relieve stress and also help us avoid gaining weight is exercise. This is especially important if you have a lot of traveling to do. In an airplane or a car we can do knee hugs lifting our knees toward our chest, twist our necks rotating them around, and shrug our shoulders up and down to stretch out the kinks of our travel.

To avoid the irritating situations of shopping, gift wrapping, long lines, cooking, and the numerous other events going on in our lives, we must have a plan. Staying on top of all of these events can be achieved through following Santa’s advice by making lists and checking them twice. However, even the most organized person can feel over extended during the holiday season. Things which have helped me overcome the aggravation are taking deep breaths, shopping online or at local merchants to avoid crowds, and going for a leisurely stroll just to unwind and relax. You must make time for you!

Also, loneliness and depression are common feelings among many people during the holiday season. There are a few things you can do to overcome these feelings. You can spend time outside in the sunlight, get up and dance around, have sex, watch a funny movie or exercise to increase those feel-good endorphins. Pick up the phone and call a friend; this may raise your levels of progesterone, a mood-boosting, stress relieving hormone. If you are experiencing extreme depression please seek the advice of a health professional.

Although we are quite busy this season, catering to the soul is necessary. Make the time to take care of yourself. Take time to volunteer and help the less fortunate. This can easily redeem a sense of joy and thanksgiving in all of us. By taking this time to supply another’s needs, one’s heart will feel complete. Take care of yourself this holiday season and have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.

Blurt: Ho Hum Gotta Exercise

Tired of that same old boring exercise routine? Have you started dreading going to the gym to do the same old stuff on the same old machines? Do you walk miles and miles on that treadmill staring at the same four walls? Sometimes we can get into a rut doing our exercises on the same days, at the same time, in the same place, and in the same way. It gets so monotonous that we just want to pull our hair out and scream. It becomes so boring we start making excuses not to exercise. Today I offer some tips to liven up your exercise program to make it less boring and more fun.

• Find something fun to do you enjoy. I know this sounds simple but true. It can be bicycling, swimming, skating, aerobics, square dancing, golfing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, running, coaching, refereeing, window shopping, or just taking a walk in the park. The sky is the limit. What activities do you enjoy? Sit down and come up with a list and incorporate different activities throughout the week.


• Play with the kids. Use their energy to get you pumped up. You could organize a neighborhood flag football game, a game of Frisbee® golf or simply a game of tag.


• Discover a new location to get in your exercise. Instead of walking on the treadmill take a walk around the neighborhood. Instead of using the same aerobics video find another one to use on alternate days. Instead of using the stair machine use the stairs at work. By changing where you exercise you give yourself new sights and experiences to enjoy.


• Change when you exercise. If you normally exercise in the evening try switching to the morning hours. If you exercise outdoors, this can be enjoyable change because the temperature is different and there are different sounds and people out at different hours.


• Find an exercise buddy. Having someone to talk with as you work out at the gym or go for a walk can be very enjoyable. It can be a learning experience as well by discussing different methods which are working for each of you.


• Measure your results. By keeping an exercise log you can see your progress. It can be very motivating to see how far you have improved. You can invest in a pedometer or a heart rate monitor to help track your progress and insure you are getting the most from your routine. It also is a new gadget that will keep you wanting to see how far you can go.


• Set a goal to walk in walk-a-thon or a marathon. You can build up your stamina by walking to get pledges for your cause. You can participate in a marathon to receive a trophy or T-shirt to display with pride.

There are numerous ways we can escape from the boredom of exercise. The main thing is to find something you enjoy. If you are happy then you are more likely to continue to exercise. Change things up, by simply changing the way we do things will motivate us to our goals. It can be as simple as counting our reps backwards instead of forwards or as dramatic as joining a gym or a swimming community. Try different exercises and routines to keep you motivated. I am sure you will be happier and achieve your goals toward a healthier lifestyle. Exercise is important to our success and we must continue to find ways to break it up and have fun. Good luck in your goals, Take Care and God Bless.

Blurt: Cycling in the Appalachian Mountains

It is important to set goals to achieve the weight loss and healthy lifestyle we are seeking. I believe in setting both short and long range goals. These should be realistic and achievable. By setting goals it gives us something to strive for and makes it easier to stay on our diet and gives us the motivation to exercise. One of my dreams and long range goals is to go cycling again. When I was younger in my teenage years a group of us took a trip riding one speed bicycles from Roanoke, Virginia to Douglassville, Georgia. It was a lot of fun. The entire trip was just over 500 miles.

We were a group of about fifteen cyclists. There were some old one speed bicycles behind the tool shed that looked as if they had not been ridden in about twenty years. They were rusted, scratched, bent and covered with dirt and grime. We spent about a month cleaning, rebuilding, and painting them. We repaired and/or replaced the tires. We adjusted the brakes and chains. We repacked all the bearings and straightened the spokes to obtain a true and accurate spin. When we were finished, those bicycles were sparkling and looking like they were brand new right out of the box. In fact, they were better than brand new.

Next, it was time to plan and train for our trip. In the evenings, we spent time planning the route and the meals we would prepare. We planned where we would camp each night and the locations we would visit along the way. We arranged for an adult to drive a van to store our food and gear. He would drive ahead and secure our campsite each day. During the days, we spent exercising and building up endurance riding the local streets so we would be physically prepared once we were in the mountains.

After about a month of training and planning we were ready to go. We rode in the van to our starting point in Roanoke, Virginia. I remember the sweet mountain air, the beautiful scenery and the thrill of riding on the road mere feet from the deep ravines and valleys. We made many stops along the way to enjoy the countryside and take in the sites. We enjoyed cycling along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We rode to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in eastern North America. I was only one of three to make it to the top without stopping and taking a rest. I remember the glorious view from their observation deck. You can click on this link to take in the view. http://www.romanticasheville.com/mtmitchell.htm I remember coming down the mountain, drafting behind a Volkswagen Bus and the children in the back window telling me with their hands that I was doing 45mph right before I passed them.

We stopped to enjoy the Biltmore Estate, also in Asheville, North Carolina. It is the home of the Largest House in America. I remember all the treasures within the home. There were many rare and beautiful items. I remember the library, billiard room, and bowling alley in the basement. I remember cycling to observe the beautiful landscape and to go strolling through the gardens. It was such a wonderful time and very educational. This link will take you to the Biltmore Guide and provide links to their website. http://www.romanticasheville.com/Biltmore.html

Finally, the last days we spent time building up our endurance to be able to cycle a century on the final day of our trip. A century is bicycling 100 miles in a day. We were averaging about 20-25 miles a day before that. Then we did forty, then sixty, then eighty miles before the 103 miles we cycled on our final day. The night before we stopped at a restaurant on Lake Hartwell that has since burned down. They offered a seafood buffet that was excellent. We stuffed ourselves and then had to pedal the last mile to our campsite. We awoke early the next morning and set out on our journey to achieve our goal. Later that evening we arrived exhausted but beaming in our glory and success.

We truly had a wonderful trip. It took us about two weeks to pedal the entire 500 miles. I hold that memory close to my heart. It provides me with the motivation I now seek in achieving my weight loss goals. I may not ever be able to go on a 500 mile bicycling trip through the mountains again. But, I know I can go cycling again if I continue down the path of living a healthy and active lifestyle. Cycling again is a realistic goal and maybe my dream of cycling cross country or another destination in the future is possible. I will take it one day at a time. I will stay on my path to a stronger and healthier me. I can and will do it! God Bless all of you.

Blurt: Exercise Challenge, Do the Impossible!

In order to achieve our weight loss goals we must include exercise. For some of us this is running a couple of miles a day. For others, it means a trip to the gym three or four times a week. It can include playing sports, doing housework, aerobics, playing with the kids, or taking a walk. But, when was the last time you challenged yourself during exercise?

For me, I am taking it step by step. We all have to work at a level that is good for us and takes safety into mind. It wasn’t that long ago I was bed ridden. But little by little I am regaining my strength. At first, it was difficult for me just to make it to the restroom or the kitchen without being completely out of breath. Now, I am able to easily walk around my home. I clean my own bathroom, wash the dishes, and pick up the trash. Those household chores people hate to do, me included, I am able to accomplish. It is true I still have trouble doing some things because I still have trouble standing for periods of time but I am making progress.

I used to have trouble with stairs as well. I had to take each step with both feet before moving to the next. I can still remember the physical therapist telling me to lead with the good foot going up, bad foot going down. I would say to myself good foot up, bad foot down, over and over again to remember. Now I can walk up and down the stairs like normal people do using one foot per stair. It took me challenging myself to keep going up and down the stairs to gain the strength in order to get to that point.

For awhile I used a wheelchair to get to and from the car. Now I have started walking to the end of the street. When I started walking there I was using a walker. There is a picnic table there that I can rest before coming back. It is only about 100 yards each way, but to me it has been a good workout. However, it is time to challenge myself again. There is a circle at the end of the street and I have been looking at it and visualizing being able to walk around it before taking a rest. It is a good size circle and will add about 30-40 yards each time around. Tomorrow is the day I have set to accomplish this. I was going to do it tonight but it is raining pretty hard outside. I use a cane when I walk because I am still unsteady at times and I do not want to slip and fall in the rain. But I am ready for the challenge and I will do it. It is my next exercise goal.

Little by little if we add to our exercise routine we will achieve the weight loss we are seeking. We must keep pushing forward. How will you challenge yourself during exercise this week? Look at me, we can do the impossible. God Bless and Take Care.

Blurt: Let’s Dance!

Get up on your feet and dance! Put a smile on your face and get that body moving. Turn that music up! Your kids are not the only ones that can play it loud. We old people were annoying adults long before they came around. So take out that old music and crank it up and annoy them for a change. Let them think that Mom and Dad have gone nuts. They will be texting to their friends, “OMG, lol, the ‘rents have gone crazy!” We all need some movement in our lives. Our good health depends on it. Keep those muscles active. Even if you are like I was not so long ago, when I could only get up and dance for one minute, get up and start moving. If you need to, get those arms moving while you’re sitting in a chair. You have to start somewhere. We all need exercise for our healthy lifestyle change.

When I first got out of the hospital, I could march in place for one minute before I had to sit and rest. If you can only do it for thirty seconds, do it for thirty seconds; your health may depend on it. My exercises were primarily from a sitting position in the beginning. I started out by just moving my arms up and down with no resistance. I would hold them out on each side and raise them up and down. I would do curls by raising my arms up and down in front of me. I would hold my arms out for as long as I could. I would raise my arms above my head repeatedly. I started out by doing repetitions of fifteen at a time and slowly I increased up to twenty, then twenty-five, then thirty. Then I added some weight to my exercise. You can use soup cans if you do not have dumbbells. Just hold one in each hand. You do not need fancy equipment or a gym membership to exercise. Everything you need is right there at home. The most important thing you need is motivation.

My lower body workouts were much the same. I would march in place. I would kick my feet out in front of me sitting down. I would hold them off the ground for as long as I could. I would stand and use the back of a chair for support and kick my feet out to the side, in front of me and behind me. I would stand on my tippy toes. Do anything to get the muscles in motion. My exercise routine included lying on my back and lifting my legs up and down in repetition. I would do leg lifts and hold my feet up as long as I could. I would lie on my side and move my legs up and down, increasing repetitions as time went on. I was unable to get down on the floor to do these so I did them in my bed. Well, I guess the getting down on the floor was not my problem; it was the getting up after I was done that I could not do.

That reminds me of when I first became unable to work due to an infection three years ago. Now the infection was not my only problem. I had already been having health issues and as time goes on I will discuss these in more depth. But a few days before I went into the hospital, I had fallen off of the bed and could not get up. Imagine this, a man, 400 pounds on the floor unable to get up. Not a pretty picture. It took eight firemen to get me up off of that floor. Little did they know, two days later they would be rushing me to the hospital. That picture in my mind still gives me motivation to keep going toward my goals.

Well, let’s get back to the original topic, Exercise. As time progressed, I was able to do more repetitions and use more weight. You just have to stay motivated. Realize that by taking little steps you can reach your weight loss goals. You can live a healthier lifestyle; it just takes a little effort on your part. Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, if you take those small steps they will lead to ultimate success. I can walk 100 yards now without stopping. Three years ago I was on the floor, trapped. I was bed ridden. Back in February, 2009 I almost died. When I started this journey, I was in a wheelchair. Success is possible! We can live a healthy lifestyle! A healthy diet and exercise will lead us to our goals. One day, I will be able to say, take me out on that dance floor and Let’s Dance!