Day 6: Dancing my way to a good night’s sleep
Day 6: Working the weekend
These weekend posts are retrospective, since I worked most of the weekend and the blog was not at the top of the list ):
I did get some exercise in the form of Dance/movement Therapy, which involved some light to moderate aerobic activity, strengthening, breathing, and stretching. Dance/movement Therapy is a form of psychotherapy or counseling that uses body movement and nonverbal communication or expression as the primary medium, instead of the usual talking. Some people use words as defenses and others find it difficult to express themselves in words. Some are not yet able to verbalize (children), or having language impairments. For these people, Dance/movement Therapy is an excellent medium for therapy. Research shows
that it is as effective or more effective than verbal therapies, and after participating in a group, participants experience lower blood pressure, lower cortisol, and regulated blood sugar. Today I spent about 3 hours moving--either leading or participating in Dance/movementt therapy groups. As usual, I felt wonderful after moving, and when I got home, I was really physically tired. I slept well, which was welcome after the harried week.
Tip #6: Sometimes you can't do everything. Prioritize and do your best to be true to yourself and your goals.
Day 5: Caught up in the rush
Day 5: Caught up in the rush
This is a familiar feeling: Having good intentions and getting caught up in all the things that must be done for work, home, family. Days are so full that I'm having trouble remembering from one day to the next. What did I do last Friday? What I do know for sure is that I have been eating smart about 75% of the time and exercised inconsistently. I really need a routine and I know that I will feel better if I get up each day early enough to walk/run or cycle. I've been stress eating too, and I know better.
Can I take my own advice and start fresh today? It's time for some serious introspection.
Tip #5: Questions are better than answers. Ask the questions about what gets in the way and be honest, whether it's your emotions, temptations, resistance, rebellion,ignorance, or something else. Asking "What can I do differently?" or "How can I do this differently?" is a step in the right direction.
Day 4: Are you doing everything you can do to be healthy?
Day 4: Are you doing everything you need to do to be healthy? It's a lot, if you are doing what the experts recommend. Basically,
30 days of Healthy Living involves moving more, eating smart, getting sleep, and making sure you include time for reflection, meditation, or prayer. Each day, remind yourself of what you are doing and what you are working toward. For example, I'm getting a 30 minute walk in every day, eating 5 servings of veggies and fruits each day, stretching for 10 minutes, drinking water or tea instead of sodas, and writing down what I'm doing. I still want to make time for weight-training or yoga, sleep 7 instead of 6 hours/night, and remember to take my vitamins. (Not everyone needs vitamins but I find they work for me.) Still, each day is different, with different challenges, and it's easy to forgo exercise or healthy food for TV or treats. If we can do this for 30 days, I know we'll feel so much better. Once we get the sugar and saturated fats "out of our system," we'll find that treats taste too sweet or too heavy. Meanwhile,
Set reasonable expectations for yourself and remember, it's your choice. You can stop at any time and return to your "old behaviors." But will you then wonder, what if?
This is not easy for me
Day # 2 started out great. I ran today before it got too hot outside and was surprised how well I did, considering I haven't
run in a year. Breakfast was a high-fiber cereal with blueberries and low fat milk, and my usual coffee. I prepared a nice cold plate for
lunch and sipped on iced green tea throughout the day. At work, I was super-productive, and by the end of the day, I still had energy for relaxing and having fun. I had errands to run before dinner and hoped to do them quickly but...I spent 45 minutes in Walmart waiting for a can of paint. By the time I had finished shopping, I still had energy to burn, but I was aggravated and ready to get out into the fresh air. I was also hungry. In 12 step programs for addiction, they tell you to remember HALT hungry, angry, lonely, tired), because when you're in one of those states, you are more likely to give into cravings and temptations. There I was: Hungry, a little aggravated, wanting some company, and tired of being in Walmart. It would have been easy to go for fast food, but, instead I ate a banana on the way home. At home, I made an omelette, veggie sausage, with 2 cheese crackers. Then I topped it off with a heaping serving of blackberry cobbler! How quickly I turned to food to feel better! Yes, cobbler is a pretty good choice for dessert, but portion sizes matter. Well, today is a new day. I'm going to pace myself better today and be sure to make time for stretching and meditation. What are you doing on the 30 Days? Please comment and share (:
Leslie
Day 3: Staying on track
Day 3: Write it down!
Keeping track of what you are doing and eating during 30 days of Healthy Living will make a big difference. It takes just a minute or so and you can do it in a journal, emails, text messages to yourself, or here at the blog. Writing it is reinforcing and you're more likely to keep up the good work. It might be helpful to create a notebook or computer file that contains the information you are learning, what you're doing, and how it feels to live healthy. Be creative if you like. Make a documentary or use a photo log. For those of you hoping to drop a few pounds, research has shown that taking a photo of what you eat throughout the day has a significant effect on weight loss. Get your family involved in helping you record your healthy lifestyle. Don't worry about going back and remembering the past few days. Just start with today or right now and keep moving forward.
Tip #3: Each day, hour, minute is an opportunity to focus on your goals and your motivation to achieve those goals. Even if you've struggled the past few days, or really blew it by ignoring the plan, focus on the present, what you can do right now, and keep moving forward. Breathe and relax. You will get there, but it probably won't be a straight path. There may be some bumps and turns along the way, or times when you get lost. Redirect, refocus, remind.
Progress so far…
My Day # 1 started out well, even though there was an onslought awaiting me at work. I enjoyed a healthy breakfast (boiled egg, spicy veggie sausage, and low-sodium vegetable juice), and later I took a brisk walk, followed by 15 minutes of yoga and stretching. I sipped on iced green tea and worked steadily until noon,when I found myself VERY HUNGRY. Lunch was lots of veggies and tuna, and by 2 pm, I was reaching for one of those "I taste too good to be good for you" nutrition bars. Most of the work day was spent in front of a computer, making me quite restless. There was no time to take another walk, but I did manage to work in a healthy snack of fresh peaches and walnuts. At 5:45, I was on my way to Guilford College, where I teach part-time, and found myself going for the Sweet Tea- so refreshing but 100+ calories! Dinner was baked tilapia with pud thai.I did allow some relaxation time
before bed and noted that I had not meditated, eaten enough fiber, or recorded my day. I had used 0g trans fats, and consumed no alcohol. And I slept well for 7 hours, not quite enough for me but adequate. Here's the thing though: Although I really wanted to do this--live healthy-- I found myself resisting it. Thoughts like,"I can start this for real tomorrow" and "I exercised so I can have the sweet tea," intruded, and there was this annoying little kid part of me that kept whining for a candy bar. I found that changing my thoughts intentionally to those of accountability, appreciation and gratitude did make a big difference. I thought instead: "You started today so keep your commitment to yourself. Isn't it great that you have the luxury to practice living healthy?" I felt appreciation for trees and sunshine and fresh peaches. Once I made a conscious shift in my state of mind, I was able to sustain it for the rest of the day. Now that is something worth writing about.
Day 2: Support Matters
Day 2: Support matters
Support is key, and I don't mean the kind with lycra. Make sure your significant other, BFF, and kids are ready to support you,
and perhaps join you, in making changes to your lifestyle. In all of the research literature on lifestyle change, support is
the most important component. Support includes: (1) taking a walk with you; (2) eating at a restaurant that offers healthy choices;
(3) making sure you have some quiet time to meditate, reflect, and journal; (4) not eating the hot fudge cake with double cream ice
cream in front of you while making "hmmmm yuuummm noises" when you are substituting fruit for dessert; (5) complimenting you for taking care of your health. Sarcasm, taunting, tempting with food, or making excuses for not getting active are NOT allowed. AND, when someone does make a non-supportive comment, you might need to help them learn a new vocabulary for support. So you might respond by saying something like, "I appreciate your noticing what I'm doing this month. What I'd like to hear you say is "great job!" or "You're so smart to take care of yourself" or even, "I so admire you for your motivation." In fact, go ahead and post what you'd like to hear on the frig. Even if others don't read it, you will have positive words inspiring you whenever you're in your kitchen.
Tip # 2: Enlist someone to join you in 30 Days of Healthy Living. Make walking dates and trade recipes for healthy meals. Hold each other accountable for making changes. And provide sympathy when it's difficult or stressful.
Are you keeping your commitment to the 30 days of Healthy Living? If so, post a comment and let us know how it's going. If you run into technical problems, know that we are investigating and I will let you know if there's anything you need to do differently to post.
Till tomorrow,
Leslie
Day 1: Baby Steps
Day 1: Baby Steps
Thanks for joining me for 30 Days of Healthy Living! I can't wait to read your comments and hear about your progress.
Please report anything and everything, positive, negative, or neutral, because any information is helpful. Each day I'll report on my progress and provide some tips.
Tip #1: If you read the list of things to do and it seems daunting, don't sweat it. Start with one or two things that are easily added to your daily routine. For example, have a side salad with lunch and an extra piece of fruit. Or switch to unsweetened beverages
and take a walk.
You'll also want to learn about the appropriate amounts of protein, carbs, and fat to consume daily for your height, weight, age, and activity level. One rule of thumb for calories per day is: Take the number of pounds you weigh and multiply it by 100. That's the number of calories you need to eat to maintain that weight. So if you weigh 170, then 1700 calories a day will maintain that weight. You can add more if you're burning calories by exercising or doing other activities that are physically vigorous, such as dancing, playing drums, and some types of yard work. Some on-line info and tools can be found at the following web sites:
www.gethealthyguilford.org for general information
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf for BMI measurement
www.myclevelandclinic.org for appropriate amounts of protein
www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-125000/Trans-fat-is-double-trouble-for-your-heart-health?q=trans+fats for info on trans fats
www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle/Tools/calorieburnerchart.htm for calorie-burner chart
www.nceatsmartmovemore for more information on healthy living
Just remember, baby steps. Change is not easy. Changing a little at a time will give you better, longer-lasting results
than drastic change. The most important thing is you've begun!
For now,
Leslie
30 Days of Healthy Living: What will it do for You?
30 Days of Healthy Living
Join me as I live and blog 30 Days of Healthy Living. I’ll be doing everything the medical, nutrition, and exercise experts tell you to do to reduce and prevent obesity. You can join me in this campaign to get healthy and post comments on the blog as you go.
This begins Tuesday, July 13, and ends Friday August 13, 2010. You have a week to make a commitment, prepare and plan. Make sure you have an MD’s approval before starting if you have any medical conditions that may be affected by changing your behaviors, such as increasing physical activity. I am confident we can do this and we’ll feel fantastic when it’s over. Even better, it will be easier
to make those behaviors part of an ongoing lifestyle. Remember, when I ate for 30 days on a SNAP budget, my cholesterol dropped 40 points and I lost 10 lbs. 30 Days of Healthy Living will make us fit and fabulously healthy!
What it entails:
1. 30 -60 minutes of vigorous movement at least 6 days a week.
2. Weight training, power yoga, or similar muscle-building exercise at least 2 times/week.
3. Daily stretching for at least 5-10 minutes.
4. Eating 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruits/day.Eat appropriate amounts of protein and carbs for your body, age, and activity level. Do not drastically reduce caloric intake without medical supervision.
5. Substituting trans fat free oils for cooking and food preparation.
6. Eating daily recommended fiber. Substitute whole grain or whole wheat for white flour products.
7. Drinking water, low-fat milk, or unsweetened tea/coffee. No sodas.
8. Limit desserts to low-fat options with low or no sugar, and to one meal per day.
9. Do not use sugar substitutes.
10. Limit alcoholic drinks to 1 drink, 2 times/week.
11. Daily prayer, meditation, or relaxation for at least 5-10 minutes.
12. Record or journal what you do and eat. Post a comment to the blog once a week.
Additional recommendations:
1. Make a commitment to improving your health and making yourself a priority.
2. Get your cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI checked. Know your numbers.
3. Get your family and friends involved. Ask people for support.
4. Practice gratitude and appreciation.
5. Make sure you hydrate, especially if exercising outdoors in the heat.
6. Wear appropriate shoes and clothes for exercising to avoid injuries.
7. Get plenty of sleep (at least 7 hours/night).
Make a commitment right now:
I, ______________________________________, will devote 30 days, July 13 through August 13, 2010, to improving my personal health by practicing healthy behaviors that are recommended to reduce and prevent obesity. I will do my best each day and hold myself accountable by publishing my progress at the GHG Blog. If I stumble, I will pick myself up and get going, focusing on the present and thinking positively. I will ask myself to practice the behaviors on the list above, and will not pressure myself to do more, lose more, or add more things to the list.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Holiday exercise
Well I had big plans to cycle this weekend, run, take a yoga class, yada yada. Instead I joined the hordes at 5 am Friday morning, mostly just to see what it was like. Thousands at some stores. Long lines. People bumping into each other, running through the aisles, while others stood by, sleepily observing and waiting. I ended up at Office Depot, where they most civilized Black Friday was happening. While we waited for the doors to open, a staff member took our orders, and gave us a piece of paper with our item and its stock number. All we had to do was walk in, get in line, and pay. Amazing! After coming home to feed my dog and take a shower (yes I ran out in the middle of the night wearing who knows what) and change clothes, I took my car to the shop. It was going to take about 4-5 hours, so I took a taxi to Friendly Center. And I shopped until I was ready to drop. By the time I got home, I was tired and aching, having given all my muscles a significant workout! Saturday, I decorated for the holidays, which involved hauling boxes from the basement, sorting, and some hammering. I got a tree early this year, because at the farmer's market last Wednesday, the fragrance of Frasier Firs was refreshing, uplifting, and almost intoxicating. I got my tree and wreath right then and there. Once again, though, another day passed without cycling, running, or yoga. Sunday was a gorgeous day--for blowing leaves & washing windows. Now, at the end of the day, every muscle in my body feels as if it has been worked, and the house looks great!
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