Blurt: Stub Your Plat TOE?

When you stub your big toe, in those few moments while you are hopping around and screaming in excruciating pain, you feel as if your whole body is going to explode. Did I break it? Is it bleeding? Will I ever walk again? The thoughts of fear and anxiety run through your mind. Anger then rushes in and thoughts of how you will scold your child for leaving his toys once again in the hallway when you have told him a million times to put them away enter your mind. Then you become agitated at yourself for not paying attention to where you were going when actually you had done nothing wrong. You then realize although you are angry at your child for not doing as he was told, he is just a child and these things happen. Plateaus in reaching your weight loss goals are much the same way.

We are going along on our diet and then all of a sudden, BAM, you smack right into a plateau. You step on the scale and, OUCH! I gained a pound!? The pain is excruciating! I have done nothing wrong! I did my part! I was watching for those falls! What happened? Why did I fail? I do not understand! This makes no sense at all! I made the right choices! I stayed on my plan! I am being healthy! I have exercised! I did not eat that burger and fries and ate that salad for lunch the other day. What is going on? How could this be so? I must have lost weight. The scale must be wrong.

These plateaus when we are striving to reach our weight loss goals get frustrating because we are not losing weight or even have gained a pound or two. We really have not done anything wrong on our diet and cannot explain our failure. It is such a confusing time. We know we have exercised and have done everything we were supposed to do. Do not let these times bring you down. This is not the time to get depressed and fall back into our bad habits and grab a bag of chips and eat the whole thing. It is so easy to really plummet in these times of pain and anxiety. Instead, reward your success for staying on the plan for good health. Realize this is only temporary. Our bodies have fluctuations as it adjusts to our efforts in weight loss. Paige Waehner states, “The reason is that the human body works hard to keep energy intake and output in balance. In other words, your body does not like to lose weight (not a revelation, huh?).”*

We all will experience these plateaus. Like life, sometimes we just coast along; it is not that we are not moving in the right direction. We must not let these plateaus cause our collapse into the far reaches of the canyon of depression and self-doubt. With our continued efforts at living a healthy lifestyle and managing our diets and exercise we will succeed in our goals. Our bodies are just set on cruise control on the highway of life. We may stub our plat toes from time to time, but the pain will subside. We are not broken. It is just our bodies taking a rest so it can move forward. We will succeed. We will find our happiness.

Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered in grains, and enjoyed every day.
Author unknown

* Waehner, Paige (2005, January 24). Understanding Weight Loss Plateaus. About.com. Retrieved June 11, 2009, from http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/weightplateaus.htm

Blurt: We All Come Tumbling Down

Sometimes we make mistakes. We all fall short from time to time. It can be a hard road to travel and we will hit those bumps along the way. Some are pebbles and others are massive speed bumps. We try to climb that mountain but lose our grip. But if we have properly attached our safety rope, we will survive. Analyzing why we have failed can be our key to success in weight loss, addiction, and a healthy lifestyle. No one has ever started to learn calculus without first learning one plus one is two. Our failures can teach us what we need to do next time. As they say, “practice, practice, and practice.”

Do not listen to those folks that will say, “I knew you couldn’t do it.” They are just trying to bring themselves up by putting you down. They lack the self-esteem in their life to be able to accomplish their goals and want to bring you down with them. Ignore them, smile and just let it pass. For you know in your heart you can lose the weight, conquer your addiction, live a healthy lifestyle in order to succeed. It is too easy to get caught up in the moment and get upset with them and yourself. Just take a step back and tell yourself you failed but next time around you will make it. By doing so, you will crush their negativity and feel better. The best way to get back at these people is for you to succeed.

Why did I fail? What could I have done differently? How can I plan for this situation in the future? Who could have helped me in my time of crisis? How was I feeling when I made the decision to go off my diet? We all make bad choices at times. We may be depressed, angry, starving (we are starving not hungry, right?), lonely, excited, or just don’t give a hoot when we make those decisions. By exploring how we feel and asking ourselves questions, we can choose to do the right thing next time. We can plan for those times and negotiate a solution to stay on our diet and achieve our weight loss. It helps to journal those feelings as those moments arise so you can reference them later.

For me my weakness is salt. It is also especially bad for me. Maybe this is why I love it so much. I have always been a rebel at heart. I love the toes. You know, Fritos, Doritos, and Santitos, or any other chip will make my mouth water. It is an addiction for me. It is difficult for me to go out to eat Mexican and not chow down on those tortilla chips before, during and after the meal. (Thinking of Mexican, I guess I left out burritos.) But if I plan for the meal before I go out, I have a better chance of success. I try to look up menus online for the restaurants I frequent. That way I can make healthier choices and plan for those meals. I also will divide my meal in half and ask for a doggy bag.

A healthy lifestyle must include room for our mistakes. I know I will make them. I have failed in the past. I will fail in the future. I have overcome many addictions in my life. Every time I try to overcome and fail, I become stronger for the next time I make an effort. Living a healthy lifestyle is learning how to manage the addiction to certain foods. We all are addicted to food in a sense. We have to have it to survive. But we do not have to eat unhealthy foods. We can make the healthy choice to meet our weight loss goals. We can and will succeed. Knowing our weaknesses will help develop our strength. It is important to keep a positive attitude to remain motivated. We all come tumbling down, but we can pick ourselves up and brush off the dust and make it to the top of the mountain.

“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain.”…Anonymous

Blurt: Tips to a Healthy Lifestyle

Okay, now you are motivated to make the changes in your life to obtain the weight loss you are seeking and to be a happier healthier you. How do you maintain and achieve success? What are some easy things for you to do that will make a difference to achieve your goal? What things can you do that will help change your bad habits and start good ones? Today I offer some good tips to living a healthier lifestyle. This is not an all inclusive list but just some little things that I find easy to do to help you achieve the results you desire.

• Finding time to fit in that 15-30 minute walk can be difficult in our busy lives. Break it up into five minute sections. Walk the dog twice around instead of just once. Take the steps instead of the elevator; start off by walking up one flight and adding a flight each week. Try parking farther away from the store or work. When you take a break from work walk around the building. Get off the bus two stops ahead of your stop. Add steps whenever you can.


• Get some exercise doing household chores. This is an excellent way to keep your house clean and free from germs while giving you a great workout.


• Eat a good breakfast and a healthy lunch and dinner. Add healthy snacks like fruits and veggies throughout the day where you do not feel the pang of hunger. Do not eat dinner right before going to bed. You will sleep better and it gives your body time to burn off some calories.


• Bring your lunch to work and stop eating fast food. Buy the frozen entrees from Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine and eat them for your lunch. It is a quick easy meal to prepare and they offer a wide variety of selections.


• Eat more nuts. They are a satisfying healthy crunchy snack. Studies have shown they reduce the risk of heart disease and are loaded with antioxidants and monounsaturated fats (the good ones).


• Read nutritional labels and avoid foods high in fat grams and calories.


• Drink water. For more information about drinking water click on this link to one of my earlier articles. Blurt: Hate Drinking Water?


• Drink more tea. It is a healthy alternative to water. It hydrates the body as well as water, is high in antioxidants called flavonoids which protect against heart disease, helps promote the strengthening of bones and protects against tooth decay and plaque.


• Limit the amount of drinks that are high in sugar you drink. This also goes for alcoholic drinks, offering calories with no nutritional value. Alcohol also reduces your inhibitions where you are more likely to eat foods high in fat and calories.


• Practice good hygiene and food preparation. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap while singing the Happy Birthday song twice through to insure you wash them long enough. Keep surfaces clean and disinfected. Keep raw and prepared foods away from each other. Use good care when preparing meals to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot in order to avoid food borne illnesses. Internal temperatures of meats and other hot foods should be a minimum of 165°F, use a food thermometer to check.

I hope these tips help in reaching your goals and living a healthy lifestyle. You have the motivation and you will succeed! 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!

Blurt: It’s a Fantabulous Wonderful Day!

It is such a fantabulous wonderful day! The sun is shining. The birds are singing. Everything is well in paradise! My “diet” has been going well. I weighed in yesterday and have lost another seven pounds. This means I have reached my next goal. WOO HOO!!! I have gone through many struggles in my life dealing with addiction, obesity, health issues, poverty, just to name a few and sometimes it is nice to just sit back and enjoy the day. Therefore, I will not take the time to discuss those struggles today. When I got out of the hospital back in February last year, I knew God had blessed me and had given me another chance at life (Read my blurt entitled, “Miracles Do Happen”).

I think it is important to just take a step back sometimes and count your blessings. I know that sounds cliché. But for those of us who are struggling with life’s burdens, looking at the good things sure can make a difference in your attitude and perspective. Sometimes it is easy to get bogged down and start feeling depressed when you are trying to lose weight, manage a healthy diet, exercise, deal with home and work stress, kids, traffic, and manage all of those day to day tasks. It is easy to start feeling like you are on overload and get weighed down in your own self-pity.

So look on the bright side. Have a positive point of view. You will lose the weight. You can live a healthy lifestyle. Surround yourself with the ones that will support you. Take time out of your busy life for yourself. Sit back and smell the roses. One of the things I enjoy the most is to go out on my porch in the morning, have a cup of coffee, listen to the birds and watch the sunrise. It is my alone time, my time to commune with nature, my time to enjoy God’s gifts, my solitude, my meditation, my time to bask in God’s glory and His peace. Enjoy today. Take the time out. It will help lead you to a happier and healthier lifestyle. You will accomplish your goals. You will succeed on your diet. You will fit into that swimsuit again. Have a little faith. “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Mathew 6:26) I know he has taken care of me and carried me through my darkest hours. So, Have a Fantabulous Wonderful Day!

Lo-Cal Mexican Hash

This is one of my original recipes which I just absolutely love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Lo-Cal Mexican Hash

Course: main meals
Weight Watchers POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup(s) onion(s)
20 slice(s) Ortega Pickled Jalapenos Sliced
1 cup(s) Oldman's Homemade Salsa (follow link)
1 cup(s) canned yellow corn
1 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes
1 pound(s) Turkey, ground, 93% lean/7% fat, raw
8 shell(s) Old El Paso® Shells Mini Taco Shell(s)
1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream

Instructions

dice onion and cook in fryng pan w/ olive oil over med heat for about 3-5 minutes

add ground turkey and cook until brown about 5 minutes

add black pepper, jalapenos, salsa, corn, and diced tomatoes

cover to simmer for about 5-8 minutes until vegetables are done stirring occasionally

serve with taco shells and sour cream

NOTE: If you like it hotter add more jalapenos


WEIGHT WATCHERS and POINTS are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. You can find a link to their website in the sidebar.

Blurt: Do You Love Cookies?

A lot of people love cookies. I am one of them. There are only a few kinds of cookies I do not like. I’m a firm believer that a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. However, I said A cookie in each hand. I did not say that you can go eat a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies topped with ice cream and sprinkles. Nor did I say that you can do this every day. What I am saying is if you love cookies the way I love cookies, you must plan them into your healthy diet.

I allow myself extra room in my diet when I’m tracking the foods that I eat to have these little indulgences from time to time. If you do not plan the foods that you love into your diet then I believe you are headed for failure or at least disappointment. You have to live with your diet for the rest of your life. As I’ve said before, it is a lifestyle change. You can maintain good health and still have cookies every now and then.

There are healthier ways you can add them into your diet. You can purchase those snack packs that are only 100 calories a bag. You can use a sugar substitute to make your homemade cookies. You can pre-bag up individual servings of your favorite cookies and snacks. This way you do not grab the whole package and before you know it you have eaten the whole thing. (Anyone remember the Alka-Seltzer® commercial, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing?”) If cookies are what you love, you can use them as a reward for reaching your small goals.

The main thing is just to be sensible about it and plan your healthy diet around the foods that you love. Do not over indulge. Quit eating when you are full. Your body is sending you a signal, listen to it. Do not keep them in sight as a temptation. You CAN live a healthy life. Just remember what the cartoon Maxine said, “Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, “WOO HOO, What a Ride” I wish you continued success on your endeavors. God Bless.