Update on My Health Goals for Fall 2011

Soda--the continuing saga

I wish I could crawl out of my skin.

About two weeks ago, I was suffering.  I was so frustrated with the pain.  Have you ever felt that way?  As the years go by, I am learning what triggers my skin condition.  It's really inflammation.

My head and body are interconnected.

There are certain stressors that I can't help.  It's tough when I want to reconnect with family and friends.  They don't understand that when they bring me stress, they make me sick.  I'm not only talking about mental stress.  I'm talking about the stress affecting my body. 

Stress causes inflammation.

Anyway, I have learned that I must detox continually.  Along the way, my body has been overstressed.  Junk food, which is something I turn to for comfort, does not help me at all.  It feels good at the moment, but in the end, I feel worse.  Has anyone else found this out for themselves?

Stress aside, here is an update to my health goals for fall:

1. Haven't been drinking enough water.  It's so much easier to reach for tasty drinks.  Orange juice is not even what we used to drink.  It doesn't taste the same.  It's too tart. 

2. I've been drinking soda just to stay awake.  I don't like this fast-paced world we live in.  To keep up with everyone, I need to drink caffeine.  I need to go back to not drinking soda.  My kidneys are feeling bruised already.

3. I've been taking a lot of supplements.  I have been taking Turmeric and Ginger for inflammation.  The Probiotic and Grape Seed Complex is for rebuilding my immunity.  I even bought garlic softgels to kill any skin infection I might have.  I'm taking some others, but these are the main ones.

4. I've been eating breakfast.  This sets the tone for the rest of my day.  Sometimes, hubby has made scrambled eggs.  Other times, I've eaten a bowl of Cheerios with a banana.  A warm oatmeal with cinnamon also works for me.

5. I am boosting my metabolism with supplements.  I'm taking a detoxing weight-control formula that I bought through Swanson.  It contains ingredients like: Burdock Root, Flaxseed Powder, and Milk Thistle Extract.  I've come down a few pounds already.

6. I haven't been able to exercise.  This is my toughest challenge.  I am in pain on a daily basis.  The only way I can think of to work around this is to take something for the pain.  I am convinced that if I lose weight through exercise, I can indeed feel healthier; the dilemma is what the pain medications can do to the body.

7. I've been eating more junk food.  Yikes!  I know I shouldn't.  This past weekend was tough; we were rushed.  I picked up what was available because I was exhausted.

8. Haven't been eating enough fruits and vegetables.  I need to rev this up.  Hubby has gotten on the bandwagon about this.  He's finally okay with spending more money on bananas, apples, and spinach.  Now, I need to eat them!

9. I've started to get dressed.  I put on my shoes, too.  When I get sick, I need to wear comfy clothes.  When I lose weight, my shrunken clothes will fit again.  Haha!

10. I still need to find new ways to move.  I had a dream last night that I was taking up Tai Chi.  It is slow enough.  Perhaps, I should start that way and move up to more rigorous activity.  The problem with me is that my clothes rub my skin raw.

11. I need to walk around more.  I need to put on the pedometer and walk around the dining room.  Yes, it would be wonderful to walk around the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, my city's way of addressing the stray dog situation is pitiful.

12. I've been sleeping more.  Somehow, my body reset itself.  I've been getting sleepy before midnight.  That's a great improvement.  The only thing is that I wake up after about four hours of sleep.

I have felt your prayers. 

During this month of October, I've had my ups and downs.  I do feel, though, that there is progress.  I am optimistic.  I know that God is helping me to find the information I need. Also, I am very grateful for your prayers, and I ask God to bless you all for taking the time to pray.

Well, thanks for reading about my update on the health goals for fall.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for this fall season?  How do you handle setbacks to your health?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits.  You might need to tweak your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

New Health Goals for Fall 2011

Soda--my poison

I know this is a running theme in my life, but I must say it: I am in a lot of pain right now.  I wish this pain could just leave me alone.  I don't remember  being without pain.  I've taken too much Naproxen Sodium for my deep pain.  It is not doing anything anymore.

The only thing I can do is pray for the wisdom to find relief.  That's why I am going to rev up my health goals.  I'm hoping that I can improve my health by instituting some beneficial new and old habits.  I know that I am capable of developing new habits, and that might be what I need to reduce my pain.

Here are my new health goals:

1. Drink more water.

I'm not talking about measuring the amount of water I drink because I already drink a lot of water.  What I mean is that I might as well drink only water.  Whenever I drink water, I feel immediate relief from pain, which encourages me to drink more water.  There are challenges to this goal, though.  I want to get away from drinking bottled water, the last water filter broke easily, and we couldn't return it at the store.  Also, we have fluoridated water, which is considered dangerous.

2. Drink no soda.

This year, I spent about 4 to 5 months without drinking soda.  That is dedication.  I did experience some benefits.  My weight was maintained, and I was less inflamed.  I will need to rededicate myself to the no-soda challenge.

3. Take supplements.  

I am a proponent of eating vitamins and supplements in their natural form.  Many foods, like meat, vegetables, and fruits contain those nutritious ingredients; however, I do not eat enough healthy foods for complete health.  That's why I want to take vitamin B, for example, for energy.  Also, vitamin C is great for the immune system.

4. Eat breakfast.

I like to drink coffee to wake me up.  If I bother to get up, I can drink it to remain awake throughout the day.  If I eat eggs, I get protein which will help me lose weight.  If I eat oatmeal, that will keep me sated.  If I drink a smoothie, it will boost my energy.

5. Boost my metabolism.

According to Dr. Oz, Zinc, red chili peppers, vinegar, whey protein, and iced drinks help metabolism.  I think my metabolism, the rate of breakdown of food, is sluggish.  I need to speed it up.  If supplements can help, I will turn to them, at least for a short time. 

6. Exercise.

This one is a challenge due to my illness.  I would like to aim for ten minutes per day.  I think, though, that it's more realistic to begin with sitting and using my dumb bells and resistance bands.  Also, I now have my large exercise ball in my bedroom, which keeps staring at me, saying, "Sit on me!" 

7. Eat less junkfood.

Here's some more honesty.  I've been eating too many sweets.  It's so bad, I am itchy.  I need to change that.  I also need to take Chromium Picolinate, which reduces cravings.  Taking it in the short term has helped me keep from craving the simple carbohydrates, which do little to give energy and flush out of my system too quickly.

8. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

This one is tricky.  No, I'm not confused about what to eat.  The thing is, we are on a limited budget.  Also, when we buy the healthy foods, my kids immediately eat them.  That means that fruits, like  bananas, are eaten quickly.

9. Get dressed and put on shoes.

I've been feeling a bit frumpy.  I don't know if I need to buy new clothes, but I need to get out of my pajamas.  There are two main reasons why I stay in mine.  For one, I have been feeling a bit depressed.  Also,  my pajamas are more comfortable, which eases my pain.

10. I need new methods to move.

I wish I had a trampoline, but I can't use that as an excuse not to move my body.  I need to move to stimulate my lymphatic system.  It seems very congested.  I need to dance with a little hop, too.  Perhaps, something like jazzercise could help me.

11. Reduce sitting time.

I'm being honest here: I spend too much time in front of the laptop.  Yes, I am blogging, but that doesn't mean I need to be on Facebook all day.  I need to do more around the house.  My kids do their chores, but there are still some things that only I can do.  Deep cleaning like wiping the kitchen cabinets and reorganizing the contents of the refrigerator and freezer are things that only I would bother to do.

12. Sleep more.

I don't need to be in front of the television and/or Netflix.  We might need to move our television out of the master bedroom.  We might need to cancel our subscription to Netflix.  I love watching old movies, but staying up late is detrimental to me.  Research shows that during sleep time, the body heals itself.

Well, thanks for reading about my new health goals.  I hope this blog entry encourages someone to develop their own health goals.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any new health goals for this fall season?  How do you handle setbacks to your health?  I encourage you to assess your current health.  It's a great opportunity to adjust your habits.  You might need to tweak your habits to improve your life.   

If you need to improve your health, in any form, please ask God to help you; he will, if you pray for His guidance.

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

W is for Wii Fit Plus

I'm currently participating in 

an ABC's for homeschooling challenge.  

Since it falls on Tuesdays, 

I am adding a technological slant to the challenge.  

I hope you stay tuned and enjoy my entries.

Wii Fit Plus

In other post(s), I've discussed how I used the Wii Fit from Nintendo to lose weight.  Today, I want to show how my kids use it.


I love Wii Fit Plus.  It is a fun way to exercise.  The kids love to watch each other play.  It is better than comparing each other.  They get to challenge their past goals.

Oldest child on balance board

Wii Fit for checking balance

Wii Fit showing which side of board to step

Wii Fit giving body age

Wii Fit Plus mental test

Wii Fit Plus has the added advantage of testing your mental abilities.  I can't think as fast as my son, but he usually does a wonderful job.

 

Younger son holding Wii remote

Wii Fit Plus checking BMI

Younger son's age

My younger son always scores higher than his age.  Perhaps it's because he has the wiggles; after all, he is my hyper child.  My kids get to see if their weight is on target with the BMI calculator.  Sometimes, they figure they need to eat a little more.  Of course, I have to eat less and exercise more to get on the right track.

Wii Fit showing person's center of balance

Older daughter on Wii Fit balance board

The Wii Fit Plus is a welcome addition to our home school.  It helps us have fun while playing it.  It is entertaining and healthy.  It helps us monitor our progress as it saves our scores and tests.  In fact, Wii Fit helped me lose the thirty pounds I lost a while back.

 

Well, thanks for viewing this blog entry about Wii Fit Plus and how I have used it as informal PE in our home school.

Next week, I hope to cover the letter Y.  

Please stay tuned!

How about you, my readers?  Do your own Wii Fit or Wii Fit Plus?  If so, do you allow your children to play it?  I think it's a wonderful way to incorporate physical education in the home school.  I believe in finding technological tools to help in the home school. 

I pray that God gives you all, my beloveds, His wisdom and peace.

This has been an entry for the Technology Tuesdays series.

Factors Affecting Health

I've been eating leftover spinach pasta salad with balsamic vinegar.

I have been hobbling along as best as I can.  The biggest factor afflicting me is my skin condition.  I won't go into too much detail about that condition, except to say that it is painful when I suffer a flareup.  That's why I really didn't exercise as I would have liked this past week.  I know what my body can and cannot do; I will not force my body to do what it can't.

Stress causes me inflammation.  

My skin gets inflamed.

One of my biggest concerns is taking on too many jobs, chores, and responsibilities.  It takes its toll on my body.  I think I had taken on too much the previous week.  Last week I was left with too much pain to move much.  I had to take Naproxen Sodium.  It worked to some extent, but I dislike depending on a painkiller.

I do know that I went down in weight last week.  Then it went up the next day.  It's frustrating when my weight fluctuates.  The only thing I can do is try to eat healthy.  That's why I have turned to eating healthy meals like the pasta salad that I made on Saturday.  

Also, because Lent ended, I started drinking soda again.  That has been a very bad decision for my health.  I feel like I'm a kid in a candy shop.  I look around and see that there is soda in the house.  What do I reach for?  

Yes. 

I go for the...soda!

It's frustrating that soda is in the house.  It is so readily available.  I am reaching for the water, though.  That's the good thing about me--I do drink water.  I think that's why I don't gain too much weight.

I am focusing on the fact that I am moving my body.

I do have one thing working for me.  I am continuing to organize and declutter my house.  That is helping me to remain active.  I am reaching, bending, and standing a lot.  I need that for my body.

Here's a teaser--what I hope to blog about on Friday.

I'm not gonna be hard on myself.  I am trying to be good to myself with what I can do.  I am being a good mother.  I am being the best wife that I can be.  I am trying to be a good friend to those around me.

If my body fails me, then that is the limit of what it can do.  I have to accept that fact.  I am not one to get disappointed.  I can't be like that.  I must remain positive or I will get depressed.

Well, I hope that you will pray for me as I limp along towards a healthier me.  I hope that I haven't come across as defeated.  I know that God is on my side and wants me to be the best me.  I love God, and I know that if He wants to heal me, He will.  I must trust in Him and accept His decision.

How about you, my readers?  Are you cleaning?  Are you decluttering?  Are you moving around?  I hope so.  Not every moment you make has to include exercise machines and scheduled exercise.  Just move your body in some way or another, even if it includes cleaning.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.  

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

 

Exercise Update & Goals for Week Starting 04/25/11

My hubby bought me new exercise gear--better fitting tennis shoes.

I did a lot more vigorous exercise last week.  I also went up to the two pound weights.  I did the most exercising last week that I have done in a long time.  I had a lot of fun.  I hope that I can exercise a decent amount this coming week.

Here is a update of last week:

Monday 04/18

15 min. exercise bike with 1 lb. weights

Tuesday 04/19

 15 min. exercise bike; exercise with 1 lb. weights

Wednesday 04/20

 7 min.exercise bike; 8 min. with 2 lb. weights with lunges

Thursday 04/21

no exercise

Friday 04/22

 15 min. 2 lb. weights on exercise bike and lunges

Saturday 04/23

 2 hrs. dancing; at least 30 min. w/ 2 lb. weights; wore belt, too; walked at store about 2 hrs.

Sunday 04/24

no exercise

I am very proud of my baby steps.  I went up to challenge my muscles.  I added the dancing.  The dancing serves as aerobics for me.  I added a jump to some of my moves.  

I did not do any huffing like last week when I played badminton.  I felt very energized.  My tummy sweated when I danced.  I can now feel my back popping.  I also enjoyed the fun of mixing up the exercise routine.

I was hoping to play badminton on Sunday, but I suffered a setback.  This happens to me several times during the year.  It is disappointing.  I suffer with boils, which started when I became pregnant the first time.  This has been happening for over fifteen years.

I had been avoiding Naproxen Sodium.  This is the only thing that helps when I am in pain due to my boils.  I had recently found out that Naproxen Sodium is linked to possible strokes.  I was hurting so much that I had to take some.  Sunday, I felt well enough to organize my refrigerator.  That was the extent of my movement yesterday.

This is my exercise center.

Closeup shows my dumb bells, resistance tubes, and belt, 
which I gathered together.

For this week, I have several exercise goals.  Even if I can only sit down, I will still exercise my legs.  I will use my 2 lb. weights, too.  I want to strengthen my legs and arms.  I am currently having problems with walking.

I think I know what you might be wondering.  Why doesn't she go to the doctor?  I have.  Doctors don't know what to do with my skin problem.  I have bought a book, though, which contains folk remedies and hope to get some relief from my own homemade remedies, too.

I can feel down about my situation.  I have been very depressed in the past.  At this point, I can't afford to let it affect me negatively.  I will deal with my skin condition with a positive spirit.  I am constantly experimenting and researching.

In the meantime, I will continue to tweak my diet this week.  I hope to blog about that in the future.  I also want to continue to let you all know about the books and information that ends up helping me.  The most important thing to remember is that the downward spiral of health happens over time.  Healing takes time, too.

Thanks for reading about my health.  I hope it encourages you all to take your own baby steps in your own health quest.

How about you, my readers?  How are you all doing?  If you suffer any setbacks, just pick up where you can.  You can always work on different aspects of your health quest, when you can't use the whole body.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace. 

This has been part of Medical Mondays series.  For past entries about my health quest, check out the Medical Mondays entries.

Exercise Update & Goals for Week Starting 04/18/11

Sunday, we played badminton.

I'm glad I wrote down what I did last week because I don't remember what I did.  My memory isn't what it used to be.  My body is not as limber as it used to be, either.  Last week, I realized how out of shape I really am with my wheezing.  Anytime I did major strenuous work, I suffered with aches the next day.

Last week included a lot of moving things around the house.  I have been doing some more spring cleaning.  I worked on some of the cabinets.  I weeded out dishes and pots and pans.  I weeded out old bottles of shampoo and other toiletries. 

I felt good because I de-cluttered my house.  I felt great because I knew I was moving.  It might not have been a formal exercise regimen, but I burned some calories.  I actually got rid of excess weight of clutter from my home.  I seriously think that when you start to work on one aspect of your life, it spills over into other areas of your life.

Here is the update on my activity for last week:

Monday 04/11

15 min. exercise weights aerobics

Tuesday 04/12

 15 min. walk with 1 lb. weights

Wednesday 04/13

 10 min. dancing while cooking

Thursday 04/14

no exercise

Friday 04/15

 20 min. shoveling dirt

Saturday 04/16

 1 1/2 hrs. walked; some shoveling; played badminton

Sunday 04/17

45 min. played badminton; jump roped

Here are my considerations for modifications:

Since my children love badminton so much, I really want to continue to do that with them.  I think it's great that my kids exercise.  Movement is great for me, but they need it, too.  I love our time together.  I also love that my kids are getting better at badminton.

Making time to play is difficult.  I am just gonna choose to make the time.  My kids and I deserve the time together.  I have wonderful kids who need to maintain their health. I know they want me to work on my health, too.

I also want to jump rope.  I want my kids to jump rope, too.  I heard a while back that jumping is good for your bones.  The only problem with me is that I feel the impact on my lower legs and feet when I land on the ground.  I need to find some good tennis.

As for formal exercising, I love the Wii Fit so much.  It has different exercises, and I love variety.  I would love to incorporate more weights.  I also want to turn my music on while I cook.  Music helps me get in the groove to cook.

Well, I hope you are encouraged to keep exercising.

How about you, my readers?  Are you keeping up with your goals?  It doesn't matter how much you do; what matters is that you are getting up and moving.

May God bless you all with His wisdom and peace.  

This is an entry for Medical Mondays.  For past entries, click here.

Gardening Vegetables and Fruit

Bell pepper and tomato plants needed replanting.

We had a busy day.  I usually like to post as early as possible, but I wanted to blog about our garden which was not ready.  Days ago, my hubby had placed cinder blocks in the shape of a rectangle in the area that we had chosen.  We had even put some garden soil inside the rectangle yesterday.  We just needed a few bags of extra ingredients to finish it up.

Before: Garden soil was bought at Keller Material.

In the afternoon, we went to Home Depot to buy 3 bags of  cow manure, 2 large bags of Miracle Gro organic garden mix, and 1 large bag of cedar mulch.  I also thought to buy 3 pairs of neon green gardening gloves for the three older kids.  Kaelyn had small red gloves. The lonely plant is sage that lived on from last year's planting.  The plant survived freezing and hot temperatures!

Cow manure mixed in the garden soil.

Miracle Gro mixed in the soil.

The kids and hubby mixed in the cow manure and Miracle Gro.  They used rakes and shovels.  I asked them to put on their gloves.  (I don't like the idea of the kids touching manure with their bare hands.)  Then, it was time to plant the bell pepper and tomato plants.

I tapped those baby plants out of their small container.

I estimated where I wanted the plants.  They have to be about a foot apart.  I used empty pots to plot the locations.  I pushed the pots into the ground to "stencil" where the plants were to go.  The kids then dug the hole in those spots.

I placed each baby plant in the hole and the kids did the rest.

I turned the plants upside down and tapped hard at the bottom of the small containers to tease them out.  I placed each plant in the holes that the kids made.  The kids then buried the plant.  We've been through this before so they know to tamp down the soil.  After that, came the mulch.

Cedar mulch keeps the moisture from evaporating.

The kids, hubby, and I mulched the plants.  I asked the kids to first surround the plants.  We started with handfuls of mulch.  Hubby shoveled mulch into the garden bed.  Then, he dumped the remainder of the bag.  We finished by spreading the mulch with shovels and rakes.

After: Mulch surrounds the tomato and bell pepper plants.  

The last ingredient was the water.  Thirsty plants require water.  Water makes the tomatoes plump.  With mulch, you don't have to worry about the plants going too dry in the heat.  We need to mulch for the Texas heat.

Hubby watered the plants.

 

  

We made sure to put our tools and gloves away.  It's important to teach the kids to put away the shovels and rakes.  It's not enough to teach them how to garden.  Little details like that can help to know where the tools are next time.  We will be using the tools again for another vegetable garden.   

Gloves go into a hanging shoe organizer.

I'm so proud of my kids and hubby.

Lastly, we had a little treat because the kids did such a good job.  I had bought some badminton gear.  We played until we got tuckered out.  Not even the darkness could dissuade us from playing.  We enjoyed our family time together.

Badminton gear--some I bought today, as a special treat.

Well, I hope you liked this blog entry.  I wanted to show how easy it is as a family to garden.  Gardening is good for your health because of the good foods you get out of it.  You exercise and get to shop in your own backyard.  Later, I hope to show how to tend and harvest the garden.

How about you, my dear readers?  Do you like gardening?  Are you gardening?  If so, what?    I would highly encourage those who haven't to start small.  Container gardening is possible for those with limited space.

God bless you all with His peace and wisdom, my beloveds.

This has been a Saturday Spreads entry.

Exercise Update & Goals for Week Starting 04/11/11

Tools such as a timer and weights can help you exercise.

Exercising for me is not easy.  I have to make time.  I have to feel healthy enough for it.  I have to feel motivated.  I need variety.

I did fairly well last week with my exercise goals.  I only missed one day.  I can say that I was tired. I can say that I forgot, but that's not totally true.  I remembered on the eleventh hour that I had not exercised.

Here is a rundown of last week:

Monday 04/04

10 min. on exercise bike

Tuesday 04/05 

10 min. on exercise bike

Wednesday 04/06

10 min. on exercise bike

Thursday 04/07

10 min. on Wii Fit Plus

Friday 04/08

no exercise

Saturday 04/09

20 min. dancing with 1 lb. weights

Sunday 04/10

10 min. sitting on chair; exercised arms & legs

These exercise weights are old but still handy.

Yes, I can see that weekends are a challenge.  The other issue is my hormones.  I had to modify my exercises this weekend.  I added different dimensions.  I had to do what was best for me.

There are a few explanations in order.  First, I came down to 10 minutes per day of exercise.  I thought this was more realistic.  It turns out that I was right, for the most part.  Even though I missed exercising for Friday, I made up for it on Saturday.  

As for Sunday, it was late.  It was on the eleventh hour, also, that I realized I had not exercised.  Due to hubby being asleep, I decided to just sit on my computer chair and fling my arms and legs.  Believe me, I still felt the pull on my muscles.  I have flab everywhere and need to tone those body parts.

I would like to explain how I exercised and how I might modify.  On the bike, I did vigorous bicycling.  I again flung my arms around.  This week, I might do double-duty with the dumb bells because I can use them as bracelets.  On the Wii Fit Plus, I can use those same dumb bells while doing the aerobics part.

After recording my actual exercise, now I can modify my goals.

For this week, I would like to add more of the weights.  The one pound weights might not be challenging enough.  I might move up to the two pound dumb bells.  I might even walk around the dining room table until I get 10,000 steps on a pedometer, with the dumb bells.  I also like using the Wii for exercise and enjoy the jogging in place, with the dumb bells.

At this point you might be asking me several questions.  One you might be asking is: Why is she telling us about her exercise goals?  Why should we care about her health goals?  Well, I want to show those of you who are not exercising vigorously that you can begin to do some of it.  Also, I want to show that you, too, can create small health goals for yourselves.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have any fitness goals?  How are you doing?  I suggest using a calendar to record your actual exercise.  You can also feel good about your progress and/or modify your exercise.

Thanks for reading about my exercising adventures.

May God's peace and wisdom wash over you all, my beloveds.

This has been an entry for Medical Mondays.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Update on the Exercising

A calendar can help keep track of exercise.

It's time to get real.  I failed last week.  I really wanted to exercise everyday.  I didn't.  I feel bad about it.

It wasn't all my fault.  A vacation got in the way.  I had to pack toiletries, clothes, food, and etc.  I had to blog.  I had to sleep.

Then, we were on vacation.  Too many days of riding in a vehicle.  I was fatigued.  I was cooped up in the room.  It was too crowded to use the Wii.

Let's see what I did do.  I did use the exercise bike once.  I did use the Wii one day.  I walked a grocery store one day.  We walked around a park one day.  

I take it that I exercised all together more than 105 minutes for the whole week.  I walked a lot more than 15 minutes on those two days that I walked at the store and the park.  I don't feel so bad, now.  Spreading the exercise out would have been nice.  What's done is done, though.

This is a chance to re-evaluate what needs tweaking.

I need to change something.  I think I need to enlist a calendar.  After exercising, I can write down what I've done.  If I spend 15 minutes on the Wii, I can put that down.  If I walk around the dining table for 10 minutes, I can put that down, too.

I think I might have to come down to 10 minutes a day for now.  I don't know why, but I am huffing a lot, lately.  I do know that I need to go to a doctor.  That is one health goal.  When I can handle more, I will amp up the exercise time for each day.

How about you, my readers?  Would you be able to keep up exercising while on vacation?  What if you had barely started exercising?  I hope to do better next week.  I hope you will consider joining me on the quest to get healthy.

Exercise Goals for Week Starting 03/28/11

My exercise bike will help me meet my goals.

My exercise bike is in my room, waiting for me to use it.  It sits there patiently.  It calls to me, but I ignore it.  Still, it waits for the moment until I use it.

I believe that staying away from soda is helping me; if you remember from a previous post, I gave it up for Lent.  I've lost weight before when I stopped drinking soda.  I have also been trying to eat healthier snacks, like nuts.  I have also tried to eat more fruits and vegetables.  I think it paid off because I lost more weight.

I have lost 3 lbs. since I started my get-fit quest.  I don't want to gain it back.  I have decided to capitalize on this good news.  I want to lose more weight.  I want to tone up.

I want to rev up my weight loss.  I have the following three exercise goals for this week:

1. Use the exercise bike for 15 minutes at least 3 times this week.

2. Dance to my music any 2 days (not timing myself).

3. Use the Wii Fit 2 times this week for 15 minutes each.

I am wanting to keep up the momentum of weight loss because for a long time I had been at a plateau of 140 lbs.  I would either go up or down.  (During the day anyone can gain a few pounds after eating.)  I would weigh myself in the morning and after eating, my weight would go up.  That is highly understandable.

It is also understandable if I go up a few pounds due to gaining muscle.  I can bear that.  My body, though, cannot stand the extra weight it has right now.  My small stature begs me to lose more weight.  Since I have hit 137 lbs., which was my weight before my youngest child (who will be 6 years-old next month), I do feel better.

I just want to go further to a weight that my bones and heart can withstand.  Since I am very short, I can stand to lose another 20 lbs.  I want to aim for 10 more.  I will aim for 5lbs. to lose.  I have the goal to come down to 132 lbs.

How about you, my readers?  Do you have some fitness goals?  Do you need to lose some weight?  I recommend doing small changes.  I also recommend a small goal of a few pounds a week.

Now, if you'll excuse me; I think I'm gonna get on the Wii Fit balance board.  It's always been a favorite of mine.


Oh, my beloveds, may God bless you all with His peace and wisdom.

This has been a part of my Medical Mondays series.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

Exercising With Technology & Music

Dancing to music and uploading onto technology.

I can barely type these words because I'm listening to a song called "Rhythm is a Dancer." It's so catchy that I'm dancing while I'm sitting here. How many people are willing to admit they wiggle in their seats when a good song comes along. In fact, I'm gonna get up and dance right now!  (You won't even know I'm gone.)

There, I'm back!

I have a few songs like that one in my mp3 player. Sometimes you just gotta love technology! Some people will gladly thumb their noses at technology. Me: I love using it to my advantage. 

Take, for example, this lady on Youtube. This Dancing Queen loves to dance, and she isn't ashamed to show it.  This is how she uses dancing as a form of exercise. I challenge you to visit her channel and subscribe if you need a little push to exercise. Dancing is a great way to lose weight; believe me, I did it.

There are a few things you can do to optimize your fitness quest. First, suck in your stomach because that's what Dr. Oz, my fitness guru, advocates; wear a belt if it helps.  (I did.)  Second, stand or sit as straight as you can.  Third, twist your body, side to side, to the beat of the music.  Fourth, find music that makes you want to hop up and move!

Exercise has several benefits, of course. You can stay fit. You can lose weight.  Those of us who are flabby, can get toned.  Research also shows that it can help fight off depression.

How about you, my readers?  Do you exercise?  Do you dance?  I hope you will consider dance as an extra way to optimize your health quest.

May God bless you all with His peace and wisdom.

This has been part of my Medical Mondays series.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discussed here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.

How I Lost Thirty Pounds

Me at my heaviest.

 About four years ago, after having gone on a trip to the beach, I saw some photos of myself.  I was amazed at what I saw.  My lower calf legs, which were my pride and joy, were too chunky.  Sure, I had been suffering with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and anxiety at the time, not to mention shortness of breath, every time I walked at all.  I just did not realize how much my extra weight really showed.

I decided to weigh myself and set on the course to weight loss.  I'm not saying that I went all out to try to lose the weight at once.  I knew that I had gained and lost weight before.  I had already had all four of my children by the year 2005.  I had already experienced the yo-yo of weight with all of those four pregnancies.

I chose a few methods to help me lose weight.  I read information on the internet, listened to doctors on television, and read books.  I compiled my ideas and added a few.  Here is what I came up with (in no particular order) that have helped me lose a total of 30 pounds:

1. I put on my tennis shoes.
 
I think this is the most important one.  I got this idea from a cleaning guru.  This person, the Fly Lady, recommends that you put your shoes so it can trigger in your mind to get up and do something in the cleaning arena of your life.  I just added it to my priorities because it did cause me to get up and clean, which involves movement.  When you clean, you sweat and exercise.

2. I drank less soda.

 I have struggled with this one recently.  When you take into account how much sugar there is in one can of soda, you would think that the mind would rule over the strange taste buds.

3. I ate less junk food.

 This one I struggle with nowadays; however, with food prices going up, this is one thing, including pre-packaged and highly processed foods, that I am hoping to give up.  I already announced this at a family meeting after dinner a few nights ago.

4. I ate more fruits and vegetables.

I made smoothies with anything imaginable.  I mixed yogurt, frozen strawberries, and fresh bananas.  I used whatever frozen fruit I had available and added cinnamon, flax seeds, and/or powdered supplements I thought that my body needed at the time.

5. I exercised with the help of the Wii.

This was a lot of fun.  The games include balancing a ball and dropping it into a hole, jogging in place, and using a hula hoop.

6. I used light weight dumb bells, a large exercise ball, and resistance bands, while exercising.

I often viewed exercise videos, which included using dumb bells.  Whenever I watched television, I used the dumb bells and resistance bands.  I became good at multi-tasking with the large ball by sitting on it, while reading my emails on the computer.

7. I drank more water.

I made it a point to leave bottles of water everywhere I might sit.  This encouraged me to drink more water than ever before.  I still have this good habit, four years later.

8. I drank water while cooking.

Okay, this one was easy.  Once I got into the habit of drinking water, I started to drink water while cooking because I would often became thirsty.  Also, this keeps you from over-eating when it is time to sit and eat dinner.  Your tummy is already somewhat full.

9. I danced while cooking.

I turned on the radio and danced to the oldies, disco, contemporary music or anything that was fun.  I found music videos at www.youtube.com to dance to with my hubby, after dinner.  I still do this on occasion.

10. I planted a veggie garden.

This is a big one.  When you garden, you are doing many positive things.  You are creating a self-sustaining object--you are feeding yourself off of the land you cultivate and plant.  You also exercise and sweat off the pounds and toxins.

 

This is me now.

I'm not a health guru by any means.  I have kept off the weight, yes, but I still have more weight that I need to lose.  I need to pick up these habits again (or gain some new ones) to lose even more pounds.  I'm looking to lose an additional 13 pounds for this year. I want to feel healthier and not just slimmer.

It is hard to lose the weight with all of the temptations and cost of food rising.  I have a husband who loves, loves, loves Pepsi and brings it home with him.  He is also guilty of bringing me junk food.  I am guilty of asking him to bring it home.  What is the happy medium for us both?

I know my husband wants to please me and comfort me.  I would rather make more smoothies with fresh fruit.  I want to make more nutritious meals, too.  I could enlist the kids to create menus that include vegetables, too.  Is that too much to ask for? 

 How about you, my readers?  Did you vow, at the beginning of the year, to lose weight?  to get healthier?  What's stopping you?  Let's do some research but then act on whatever we learn.

God bless you all with peace, my beloveds.

This is a Medical Mondays entry.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints that I discuss here are just my opinions.  Please consult your physician before altering anything relating to your health.  I am only suggesting here to take charge of your health.  Don't just leave your health in the hands of your doctors; become your own advocate.  You know best how your body is doing.