So when I quit smoking here's how I did it: I quit putting cigarettes in my mouth. And when I wanted to stop watching TV I just didn't turn it on anymore. Diet Coke? Same thing! I just didn't drink it. And therein lies the major problem for us 'lifelong dieters:' we can't just quit eating!
If I could say "OK I'm no longer eating food" there wouldn't be much of a problem. For me, it's a lot easier to quit altogether than to cut back and only eat the healthy foods in certain amounts. It really gets my goat that not eating anything at all is almost worse than eating too much. But, there's obviously no way around this universal quandary, so we know we must eat. But how much and when?
The best tool I have found so far is online calorie counters. You can sign up for free and they will track not only your calories, but your fiber, sodium, fat, carbs, all the major amounts that should factor into your weight loss goals. Its difficult to say "only eat 1,500 calories and you will lose weight" because if all of those calories come from cake and are eaten at 10pm, you still have a problem. The program I use is www.TheDailyPlate.com and has been quite useful in achieving my goals this New Year.
The main reason why I find calorie counters so useful is that it eliminates the guesswork. I know exactly how much protein I still need in my day, that my sodium is a little high so I'd better skip those pretzels, and I have 300 calories for dinner so I cannot have an evening snack today. It also helps me to spread out my calories throughout the day. I think a lot of people (myself at the top of the list) are "good" all day, and then cave at dinner and have two large helpings, or snack in front of the TV for an hour at night.
The best way to lose weight is to eat 200-300 calories every few hours throughout the day. If all of your calories are eaten at night, your metabolism is chillin for hours, wondering if its going to get any food. So when dinner comes and a large amount of calories shows up, your metabolism is out of practice and takes longer to gear up to digest that food. But if smaller amounts of food are ingested every few hours, just as your breakfast is finished digesting - here comes a snack! Eating throughout the day means your metabolism is constantly working, and in effect may even burn more calories digesting the same food as if you ate it all at once.
So try out a calorie counter if you have trouble spacing out your food throughout the day. Stick to it and pretty soon you might even find that eating throughout the day is way more fun than "being good."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Dr. H2O
Over the past couple days I've had that dreadful feeling; my throat is scratchy, my chest feels full of cement, my thoughts scatter around in a bumper car course full of fog. I'm sick.
I know that popping meds is the answer for most people who start to feel sick. Throw some asprin back, Airborne or Emergen-C, whatever might up your immune system and quiet down the miserable symtoms inhabiting your body. I know these methods work for some people, but I suggest adding another cold curing habbit to your regimine: drink water!
I tend to drink a lot of water anyway, because it is the perfect weight loss companion and because it is necessary in life. But when I'm sick, my water bottle is constantly by my side, most of the time at my mouth. I could go through as many as 8 quarts a day when I'm under the weather. I haven't done any research to back this up, but through experience I can say that drinking at least double the water that you normally drink, right when you're starting to feel under the weather, can help to flush out your impending symptoms.
My thought is, germs are floating around inside your body, looking to really latch on and infest as much as they can. But drinking water flushes out the toxins in your body - which is why when you urinate clear it means that you're drinking enough water - so by drinking extra water you can flush the sickness right out of you. I've seen most of my results with simple, annoying colds (such as the one I have now) and I very rarely take medicine to treat my illnesses. I also can't remember the last time a cold lasted more than a few days, while some people carry around coughs and sniffles for weeks. Again, this is merely an educated guess and this may not work for everyone all the time, but it certainly can't hurt to drink some extra water for a few days, so I say give it a try!
I know that popping meds is the answer for most people who start to feel sick. Throw some asprin back, Airborne or Emergen-C, whatever might up your immune system and quiet down the miserable symtoms inhabiting your body. I know these methods work for some people, but I suggest adding another cold curing habbit to your regimine: drink water!
I tend to drink a lot of water anyway, because it is the perfect weight loss companion and because it is necessary in life. But when I'm sick, my water bottle is constantly by my side, most of the time at my mouth. I could go through as many as 8 quarts a day when I'm under the weather. I haven't done any research to back this up, but through experience I can say that drinking at least double the water that you normally drink, right when you're starting to feel under the weather, can help to flush out your impending symptoms.
My thought is, germs are floating around inside your body, looking to really latch on and infest as much as they can. But drinking water flushes out the toxins in your body - which is why when you urinate clear it means that you're drinking enough water - so by drinking extra water you can flush the sickness right out of you. I've seen most of my results with simple, annoying colds (such as the one I have now) and I very rarely take medicine to treat my illnesses. I also can't remember the last time a cold lasted more than a few days, while some people carry around coughs and sniffles for weeks. Again, this is merely an educated guess and this may not work for everyone all the time, but it certainly can't hurt to drink some extra water for a few days, so I say give it a try!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Crunches? "Ab"solutely
Here is a subject that on the mind of probably most people interested in health and fitness: The Abs. That is why the amount of infommercials promoting miracle products to flatten the abs exist in the world. Whether its the "Bender Method," Pilates, those crazy chairs you lean back in, or the latest Salsa/Stripper/Hip Hop video guaranteed to give you 'the results you're looking for,' the bottom line comes down to exercise.
It is pretty well know that someone laying on the floor straining to lift their shoulders barely off the mat a couple of times is not going to give you the six-pack of your dreams. However, there are plenty of results to be had by the traditional crunch - although crunches by the hundreds appeal to a select few that I know. Here is the way I think of strengthening my abs: they are like any other muscle. I don't do 50 bicep curls with a 3 pound weight, I do 8-15 bicep curls with a weight that will just allow me to properly lift the designated amount of times because this will build muscle more effectively than the 3 pound weight. I would suggest attacking your abs the same way.
Aim to do 2 - 3 sets of 15 reps of a crunch that you can just barely squeeze out that 14th and 15th rep. This will affect your abs much quicker than doing 50 - 100 of the classic straight up an down crunch. Some ways to put the intensity of your crunch:
Add some weight - Hold two 3 pound dumbbells by your shoulders as you crunch up, adding more gravity to work against and upping the difficulty. Just make sure (and this is very important) that you are using a weight that still allows the motion to come from your stomach, and not by straining your neck. Your abs should be engaged constantly, and your lower back should never come off the floor. If this isn't possible, stick with the normal crunch until you work up to using the weight. This also works with a resistance band tied to a piece of furniture behind you.
Add some body parts - The classic types of crunches target only one section of your abs at a time, and unless the exercise is targeting that muscle extremely well, you are wasting time. When lying on your back, try spreading your arms and legs out into a V shape, then lift both at the same time to meet at the highest point possible over your body. Again, make sure to start the motion from your abs, not your neck. If you can't lower your legs down to the floor without your lower back popping off the floor, only lower them as far as your ab muscles will allow.
Add some gravity - I like to do all of my oblique exercises using my own body weight as resistance, such as: Lay on on side with your forearm flat on the ground, directly in line with your shoulder. Stack your feet and place your other hand on your hip. Raise and lower your hips, making sure to keep all joints in line with each other for 8-10 reps. Then, with hips raised, place your free arm by your ear and lower your bent elbow towards the ground and back up for 8-10 reps. These two exercises work different parts of your obliques and more effectively than laying on your back and twisting. Another great gravity exercise for the entire core is the plank pose - your whole body in a straight line with both forearms on the floor and body aligned in a straight line off of the ground. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and do 2 sets, all the while concentrating every muscle in your stomach to squeeze as tightly as possible.
Doing these types of exercises for your stomach will target your abs more effectively than crunch after crunch after crunch, and will take a lot less time as well. Just make sure to give your core the proper time to heal with a day or two break between workouts, and don't forget your back is part of your core and must be given proper attention. Using this method will get you the flatter abs boasted about by the people on the infomercials have, without having to spend $19,95 on the next miracle product.
It is pretty well know that someone laying on the floor straining to lift their shoulders barely off the mat a couple of times is not going to give you the six-pack of your dreams. However, there are plenty of results to be had by the traditional crunch - although crunches by the hundreds appeal to a select few that I know. Here is the way I think of strengthening my abs: they are like any other muscle. I don't do 50 bicep curls with a 3 pound weight, I do 8-15 bicep curls with a weight that will just allow me to properly lift the designated amount of times because this will build muscle more effectively than the 3 pound weight. I would suggest attacking your abs the same way.
Aim to do 2 - 3 sets of 15 reps of a crunch that you can just barely squeeze out that 14th and 15th rep. This will affect your abs much quicker than doing 50 - 100 of the classic straight up an down crunch. Some ways to put the intensity of your crunch:
Add some weight - Hold two 3 pound dumbbells by your shoulders as you crunch up, adding more gravity to work against and upping the difficulty. Just make sure (and this is very important) that you are using a weight that still allows the motion to come from your stomach, and not by straining your neck. Your abs should be engaged constantly, and your lower back should never come off the floor. If this isn't possible, stick with the normal crunch until you work up to using the weight. This also works with a resistance band tied to a piece of furniture behind you.
Add some body parts - The classic types of crunches target only one section of your abs at a time, and unless the exercise is targeting that muscle extremely well, you are wasting time. When lying on your back, try spreading your arms and legs out into a V shape, then lift both at the same time to meet at the highest point possible over your body. Again, make sure to start the motion from your abs, not your neck. If you can't lower your legs down to the floor without your lower back popping off the floor, only lower them as far as your ab muscles will allow.
Add some gravity - I like to do all of my oblique exercises using my own body weight as resistance, such as: Lay on on side with your forearm flat on the ground, directly in line with your shoulder. Stack your feet and place your other hand on your hip. Raise and lower your hips, making sure to keep all joints in line with each other for 8-10 reps. Then, with hips raised, place your free arm by your ear and lower your bent elbow towards the ground and back up for 8-10 reps. These two exercises work different parts of your obliques and more effectively than laying on your back and twisting. Another great gravity exercise for the entire core is the plank pose - your whole body in a straight line with both forearms on the floor and body aligned in a straight line off of the ground. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and do 2 sets, all the while concentrating every muscle in your stomach to squeeze as tightly as possible.
Doing these types of exercises for your stomach will target your abs more effectively than crunch after crunch after crunch, and will take a lot less time as well. Just make sure to give your core the proper time to heal with a day or two break between workouts, and don't forget your back is part of your core and must be given proper attention. Using this method will get you the flatter abs boasted about by the people on the infomercials have, without having to spend $19,95 on the next miracle product.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Cheers For Fiber
One surefire way to move along your weight loss progress is by the addition of fiber to your daily diet. Fiber, while found in many everyday foods, takes much longer for your body to digest than say, Wonder bread or cheese puffs. It slows down the digestion of the food you eat, giving you that full-feeling longer than those foods of little substance.
Something else that fiber doesn't make your body do is spike your blood sugar. When eating foods such as chocolate cake, coffee ice cream, french fries and any other 'this is so bad but its so good' food, your body doesn't have to work very hard to digest it, so it sends a bunch of energy towards getting it through your body as quickly as possible. In layman's terms, its called the sugar high. But after eating a box of Reece's Pieces, an hour later you feel tired and sluggish, known as the crash. Ever wonder why at 3pm you become incredibly tired at your desk? Perhaps it was the iceburg lettuce/bacon bits/garlic crouton salad you consumed, or the side of fries with your club sandwhich on Italian bread. Your body has just digested the food you put into it, and now it feels deprived because the digestion process was so fast and furious.
Eating fiber does the opposite. Your body takes it's sweet ole time to process an apple with peanut butter, or whole wheat pasta, or 4 almonds. This means you need less food to feel satisfied, and since it takes longer to work its way through your system, you don't need more food for longer. Your blood sugar doesn't go haywire, and your metabolism has to work harder to digest fiber, which means you are burning more calories than those vending machine pretzels.
So look at the fiber content in your foods and try and work it in whenever possible. Adding spinach to your eggs in the morning or your lunch time salad, eating an apple a day, or purchasing some high fiber cereal will all help you crave less food throughout the day and lend a hand to whittling your waist. Plus, it keeps you regular!
Something else that fiber doesn't make your body do is spike your blood sugar. When eating foods such as chocolate cake, coffee ice cream, french fries and any other 'this is so bad but its so good' food, your body doesn't have to work very hard to digest it, so it sends a bunch of energy towards getting it through your body as quickly as possible. In layman's terms, its called the sugar high. But after eating a box of Reece's Pieces, an hour later you feel tired and sluggish, known as the crash. Ever wonder why at 3pm you become incredibly tired at your desk? Perhaps it was the iceburg lettuce/bacon bits/garlic crouton salad you consumed, or the side of fries with your club sandwhich on Italian bread. Your body has just digested the food you put into it, and now it feels deprived because the digestion process was so fast and furious.
Eating fiber does the opposite. Your body takes it's sweet ole time to process an apple with peanut butter, or whole wheat pasta, or 4 almonds. This means you need less food to feel satisfied, and since it takes longer to work its way through your system, you don't need more food for longer. Your blood sugar doesn't go haywire, and your metabolism has to work harder to digest fiber, which means you are burning more calories than those vending machine pretzels.
So look at the fiber content in your foods and try and work it in whenever possible. Adding spinach to your eggs in the morning or your lunch time salad, eating an apple a day, or purchasing some high fiber cereal will all help you crave less food throughout the day and lend a hand to whittling your waist. Plus, it keeps you regular!
Monday, January 26, 2009
What color is your rose?
In my New Year of self discovery I have reacquainted myself with one of the greatest joys in my life. It may sound as if it should be a no-brainer, but in all the distractions I had packed into my day, I wasn't finding the time to enjoy a past time that has the ability to make me happy, excite me, fill me with movement, or even make me cry. I have reacquainted myself with music.
Before TV, DVDs, telephones, the Internet, and jobs that sucked the life out of us, music has been a part of our lives since the cavemen could bang two sticks together. Music has always been an important part of my own life, creating dance and choreography in my head, inspiring me, and getting me through times in my life when I thought 'no one understands me.' However, I lost some of the joy in my life when I stopped listening to my favorite tunes and discovering new ones that speak to me and bring me joy. In giving up TV and concentrating on what I truly love in life, I'm so happy that music, in mass quantities, has come back into my life.
So this is my grand thought for the day: do what makes you happy! Again, it sounds like a no-brainer, but so many people fill their life up with obligation, careers, relationships with friends and coworkers, making money, laundry, cooking dinner...all important aspects of living a fulfilling life, but should not overtake the simple joys. Whether it's playing a sport, writing in a journal, spending an hour in a coffee shop or bookstore, driving around the countryside, spending uninterrupted time with a best friend, going out to dinner, reading, playing an instrument, singing at the top of your lungs...whatever it is in your life that makes you feel as if you were going to burst with happiness - get back to that and make sure it's in your life. Create the time, consciously commit to making yourself happy, and don't feel guilty for taking the time out of your day when you "should" be doing something else. Isn't the saying "stop and smell the roses?" Find your rose, and make sure you stop and smell it!
For me, I now listen to music every possible second out of the day, but I have also made sure that I dance in every day, and write in every day, and talk to my best friends as much as I can, because those are the things that I absolutely love to do. Sure, making money is important, and I gotta get that laundry done, but there's no reason why I can't listen to music at the same time, and enjoy doing it!
Before TV, DVDs, telephones, the Internet, and jobs that sucked the life out of us, music has been a part of our lives since the cavemen could bang two sticks together. Music has always been an important part of my own life, creating dance and choreography in my head, inspiring me, and getting me through times in my life when I thought 'no one understands me.' However, I lost some of the joy in my life when I stopped listening to my favorite tunes and discovering new ones that speak to me and bring me joy. In giving up TV and concentrating on what I truly love in life, I'm so happy that music, in mass quantities, has come back into my life.
So this is my grand thought for the day: do what makes you happy! Again, it sounds like a no-brainer, but so many people fill their life up with obligation, careers, relationships with friends and coworkers, making money, laundry, cooking dinner...all important aspects of living a fulfilling life, but should not overtake the simple joys. Whether it's playing a sport, writing in a journal, spending an hour in a coffee shop or bookstore, driving around the countryside, spending uninterrupted time with a best friend, going out to dinner, reading, playing an instrument, singing at the top of your lungs...whatever it is in your life that makes you feel as if you were going to burst with happiness - get back to that and make sure it's in your life. Create the time, consciously commit to making yourself happy, and don't feel guilty for taking the time out of your day when you "should" be doing something else. Isn't the saying "stop and smell the roses?" Find your rose, and make sure you stop and smell it!
For me, I now listen to music every possible second out of the day, but I have also made sure that I dance in every day, and write in every day, and talk to my best friends as much as I can, because those are the things that I absolutely love to do. Sure, making money is important, and I gotta get that laundry done, but there's no reason why I can't listen to music at the same time, and enjoy doing it!
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Winter Version of Salads
So everybody knows that salad is a great choice for lunch or dinner, hopefully including a protein along with the fiber rich vegetables and low fat choices you've put together. But, its winter time - and a nice, crisp, cold salad just doesn't sound all that appetizing to me on a bitter, windy evening.
Here is my solution: saute your salad! It creates an easy, 10 minute dinner, while getting all of the same nutrients as a salad, but in a comforting, pasta or soup-type way. Plus, no cooking skills are required - just the same chopping and tossing as a normal salad.
To start, spray your pan with olive oil cooking spray, or add a touch of olive oil to heat up over low to medium heat. Start off by cooking onions, carrots, peppers or broccoli first, anything that is thicker in texture and takes a little bit longer to cook through. When those vegetables are just getting soft and have a bit of brown on them, add your mushrooms, maybe some peas, tossing those in the pan and stirring often. Lastly, throw in your tomatoes, spinach and anything that will cook relatively fast. Especially with the heat of the other vegetables surrounding them tomatoes will warm up very quickly and spinach will wilt within a minute or two, just remember to keep stirring or tossing in your pan to ensure all your veggies are cooking equally. Now, add in some salad dressing (you'll find you need much less than on a regular salad), or some balsamic vinegar, or just some salt, pepper and basil if you want. Some melted low-fat mozzarella cheese works very well also, but is not necessary.
I like to add a Boca burger for 15 grams of protein, or maybe some shrimp or some fish to make sure that I get all of the nutrients I need with my dinner. This meal is incredibly satisfying and is nice and low in calories so I don't feel guilty for curling up on the couch with it. There are many variations to experiment with so as not to get bored: add some salsa instead of salad dressing along with some crumbled taco meat for a Mexican night, or throw in some whole wheat pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for an Italian twist. Any vegetable in your fridge will work, so you can have a different kind every night depending on what you're craving. Hopefully this will keep your winter dinners warm until we start craving nice, light salads again in the summer.
Here is my solution: saute your salad! It creates an easy, 10 minute dinner, while getting all of the same nutrients as a salad, but in a comforting, pasta or soup-type way. Plus, no cooking skills are required - just the same chopping and tossing as a normal salad.
To start, spray your pan with olive oil cooking spray, or add a touch of olive oil to heat up over low to medium heat. Start off by cooking onions, carrots, peppers or broccoli first, anything that is thicker in texture and takes a little bit longer to cook through. When those vegetables are just getting soft and have a bit of brown on them, add your mushrooms, maybe some peas, tossing those in the pan and stirring often. Lastly, throw in your tomatoes, spinach and anything that will cook relatively fast. Especially with the heat of the other vegetables surrounding them tomatoes will warm up very quickly and spinach will wilt within a minute or two, just remember to keep stirring or tossing in your pan to ensure all your veggies are cooking equally. Now, add in some salad dressing (you'll find you need much less than on a regular salad), or some balsamic vinegar, or just some salt, pepper and basil if you want. Some melted low-fat mozzarella cheese works very well also, but is not necessary.
I like to add a Boca burger for 15 grams of protein, or maybe some shrimp or some fish to make sure that I get all of the nutrients I need with my dinner. This meal is incredibly satisfying and is nice and low in calories so I don't feel guilty for curling up on the couch with it. There are many variations to experiment with so as not to get bored: add some salsa instead of salad dressing along with some crumbled taco meat for a Mexican night, or throw in some whole wheat pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for an Italian twist. Any vegetable in your fridge will work, so you can have a different kind every night depending on what you're craving. Hopefully this will keep your winter dinners warm until we start craving nice, light salads again in the summer.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Have faith, have fun and have a full life for yourself
Over the last few months I have gone through a number of trials that seemed to really send my life off course and could have thrown me into a detrimental panic while spurring hours upon hours of needless worry. The short version: I quit my full-time, secure job with medical benefits and 401K for a life of fitness. I had a job lined up at a major gym, I was signed up for a certification to launch my career, and I was hired at a restaurant right up the street from my house to help me pay the bills while I transitioned my life into something I would enjoy. I had a plan, things were set, and I was really excited for my new life that I felt I was building myself.
Well, turns out I hated that restaurant and went through 2 more before I found one that I enjoyed (although it didn't make me the amount of money I wanted and I had to work 13 hour days just to pay the bills). Then I found out that restaurant was closing for renovations, and in another month I would once again be out of a job. Then, over Thanksgiving break with my family, I injured my knee and could not put any weight on it for two weeks which meant I couldn't work for most of the vital last month of the restaurant. It also meant I had to miss my certification class and put my new found career on hold. I was out of money, and out of medical benefits so I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my knee in the first place.
At other times in my life I would have used these events as an excuse to freak-the-hell-out. I would have cried, and worried, and probably had a panic attack or two, as high stress times usually give me as a terrifying present. But this time it was different; I was different. I decided to use this time, for reflection and reevaluation, and faith.
I used this time to regroup after the year I spent, miserable and stressed out at a job that I hated. I used it to really think about what I would like to do with my life, and would fitness fulfill everything I wanted? I relaxed, chatted with friends, and I believed that what was happening was for a reason. I trusted that life was giving me what I needed, even if it wasn't what I had planned for. It, of course, was very difficult some days. Many of my friends had different views of how I should be handling my situation, and most people in general do not understand my approach to life (including my very sensible and scientific father.) However, this is what happened:
I found a clinic right up the street who gave me free medical service and I was able to find out that there was nothing physically wrong with my knee and that I didn't need the surgery I was afraid of. My restaurant offered me a position at it's sister restaurant, which turned out to be my dream job! This new place requires me to work much less for about the same money, is easier on my knee and anxiety level, and allows me plenty of free time. My mother happened to be living with me at the time and had an influx of money so that she was able to help out with the rent and bills, instead of relying on me to make the bread for the household. Last but not least, the reflection period allowed me to reach the life changing decisions I discussed in yesterday's blog - I overhauled my life to be the person I wanted to be. I decided I finally wanted to go after writing as a career, because I was no longer doubtful of my skills and abilities to make money at doing something I loved. I realized that I never wanted to give in to fear as a reason not to follow my dreams. So, with my new schedule allowing me plenty of time and just enough money to get by, I embarked on beginning a career of working for myself and doing what I enjoy.
I look back now at the last few months of uncertainty and I can clearly see the path that I took to get here. I trusted in what was happening. I allowed the events to unfold without force. I didn't try to decide my own future, but in effect I was lead to make that decision for myself and not for money, or security, or because it made sense to other people. I don't believe I ever could have come to my life as it is now on my own, but I am so thankful that I allowed myself to trust and to grow as it was meant to happen. Now I believe I am the healthiest I have ever been, not because I'm working out more than ever (I'm not), or I have the flattest abs (I don't), or because my diet is perfect (it's certainly not); but because I am open to all possibilities. I feel a sense of calmness in my days and strength within myself, and I absolutely love what I am doing.
Well, turns out I hated that restaurant and went through 2 more before I found one that I enjoyed (although it didn't make me the amount of money I wanted and I had to work 13 hour days just to pay the bills). Then I found out that restaurant was closing for renovations, and in another month I would once again be out of a job. Then, over Thanksgiving break with my family, I injured my knee and could not put any weight on it for two weeks which meant I couldn't work for most of the vital last month of the restaurant. It also meant I had to miss my certification class and put my new found career on hold. I was out of money, and out of medical benefits so I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my knee in the first place.
At other times in my life I would have used these events as an excuse to freak-the-hell-out. I would have cried, and worried, and probably had a panic attack or two, as high stress times usually give me as a terrifying present. But this time it was different; I was different. I decided to use this time, for reflection and reevaluation, and faith.
I used this time to regroup after the year I spent, miserable and stressed out at a job that I hated. I used it to really think about what I would like to do with my life, and would fitness fulfill everything I wanted? I relaxed, chatted with friends, and I believed that what was happening was for a reason. I trusted that life was giving me what I needed, even if it wasn't what I had planned for. It, of course, was very difficult some days. Many of my friends had different views of how I should be handling my situation, and most people in general do not understand my approach to life (including my very sensible and scientific father.) However, this is what happened:
I found a clinic right up the street who gave me free medical service and I was able to find out that there was nothing physically wrong with my knee and that I didn't need the surgery I was afraid of. My restaurant offered me a position at it's sister restaurant, which turned out to be my dream job! This new place requires me to work much less for about the same money, is easier on my knee and anxiety level, and allows me plenty of free time. My mother happened to be living with me at the time and had an influx of money so that she was able to help out with the rent and bills, instead of relying on me to make the bread for the household. Last but not least, the reflection period allowed me to reach the life changing decisions I discussed in yesterday's blog - I overhauled my life to be the person I wanted to be. I decided I finally wanted to go after writing as a career, because I was no longer doubtful of my skills and abilities to make money at doing something I loved. I realized that I never wanted to give in to fear as a reason not to follow my dreams. So, with my new schedule allowing me plenty of time and just enough money to get by, I embarked on beginning a career of working for myself and doing what I enjoy.
I look back now at the last few months of uncertainty and I can clearly see the path that I took to get here. I trusted in what was happening. I allowed the events to unfold without force. I didn't try to decide my own future, but in effect I was lead to make that decision for myself and not for money, or security, or because it made sense to other people. I don't believe I ever could have come to my life as it is now on my own, but I am so thankful that I allowed myself to trust and to grow as it was meant to happen. Now I believe I am the healthiest I have ever been, not because I'm working out more than ever (I'm not), or I have the flattest abs (I don't), or because my diet is perfect (it's certainly not); but because I am open to all possibilities. I feel a sense of calmness in my days and strength within myself, and I absolutely love what I am doing.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Healthy Maniac, new and improved.
I've decided to change the general goal of this blog. You see, this past New Years I have undergone quite a change myself, and while I believe this change has been brewing inside of me for some time now it is something I wish I had taken the initiative to do years ago.
What I've decided for myself, and for this blog, is to concentrate not on just a healthy body, or one aspect of health such as diet and/or exercise, but to form all of my decisions based on a healthy life, inside and out. I want a healthy mind, one that will be exercised actively every single day. I want a healthy inside, not just what can be viewed from the outside. And I want a healthy attitude, towards life and myself and others.
For those who don't know me, I am a couch potato. Any spare moment I could find I would lounge on my couch and watch TV, sometimes wishing I didn't have appointments with friends so that I could sit inside my house for even longer periods of time. TV became a crutch for me, the characters I watched everyday somewhat became my friends, and I no longer needed to find real sized people to hang out with - I had my mini ones, trapped inside my living room and available whenever I needed them. I could turn on a show and forget what was upsetting me, quit thinking about the annoying instances of the day, I could just zone. And so I did, I became addicted to TV and to not having to worry about anything. If I didn't have a few solid hours of TV time in my day, I felt overly stressed and deprived of my "me time."
However, I love to read. I love to dance. I love to write, and hang with friends, and cook and browse book stores and drink coffee and meet new people. I also am someone who needs to feel my emotions, and find outlets for the anger, sadness or stress I was feeling. All of these things were not getting proper attention in my life, because I was too focused on staying home and watching TV, snuggled on the couch, forgetting that real life existed. I was not using my mind for anything challenging, and I was ashamed of myself in many ways. I wanted to do the things I loved, but never 'found the time,' because I couldn't turn off the television set.
After realizing how detrimental this was, not only to my life but also my self esteem, I have decided to change my own life and dedicate myself to creating a person I could be proud of, and not just relax into a state of easy comfort. I turned off the TV, turned up the music, and turned into wwo I really wanted to be in life. I want to write! I want to make a serious go at freelancing for money, and I want all my self-doubts to be damned! I want to read more books; to feel educated and smart. I want to cook for myself more, and learn new ways to approach food and my diet. In the past two weeks I have overhauled my entire way of doing things, and in effect changed my own life for the better.
This change is what has inspired me to renew my blog with excitement, because I sincerely want others to feel as excited as I am about life, and change, and their goals. So I will be commenting not only on ways to renew the exercise animal within ourselves, but also on the ways I have found to truly enjoy life, and lead a healthy one - externally and internally. I hope that you all will find the strength within yourselves to make your life the best it can be, in new and challenging ways.
What I've decided for myself, and for this blog, is to concentrate not on just a healthy body, or one aspect of health such as diet and/or exercise, but to form all of my decisions based on a healthy life, inside and out. I want a healthy mind, one that will be exercised actively every single day. I want a healthy inside, not just what can be viewed from the outside. And I want a healthy attitude, towards life and myself and others.
For those who don't know me, I am a couch potato. Any spare moment I could find I would lounge on my couch and watch TV, sometimes wishing I didn't have appointments with friends so that I could sit inside my house for even longer periods of time. TV became a crutch for me, the characters I watched everyday somewhat became my friends, and I no longer needed to find real sized people to hang out with - I had my mini ones, trapped inside my living room and available whenever I needed them. I could turn on a show and forget what was upsetting me, quit thinking about the annoying instances of the day, I could just zone. And so I did, I became addicted to TV and to not having to worry about anything. If I didn't have a few solid hours of TV time in my day, I felt overly stressed and deprived of my "me time."
However, I love to read. I love to dance. I love to write, and hang with friends, and cook and browse book stores and drink coffee and meet new people. I also am someone who needs to feel my emotions, and find outlets for the anger, sadness or stress I was feeling. All of these things were not getting proper attention in my life, because I was too focused on staying home and watching TV, snuggled on the couch, forgetting that real life existed. I was not using my mind for anything challenging, and I was ashamed of myself in many ways. I wanted to do the things I loved, but never 'found the time,' because I couldn't turn off the television set.
After realizing how detrimental this was, not only to my life but also my self esteem, I have decided to change my own life and dedicate myself to creating a person I could be proud of, and not just relax into a state of easy comfort. I turned off the TV, turned up the music, and turned into wwo I really wanted to be in life. I want to write! I want to make a serious go at freelancing for money, and I want all my self-doubts to be damned! I want to read more books; to feel educated and smart. I want to cook for myself more, and learn new ways to approach food and my diet. In the past two weeks I have overhauled my entire way of doing things, and in effect changed my own life for the better.
This change is what has inspired me to renew my blog with excitement, because I sincerely want others to feel as excited as I am about life, and change, and their goals. So I will be commenting not only on ways to renew the exercise animal within ourselves, but also on the ways I have found to truly enjoy life, and lead a healthy one - externally and internally. I hope that you all will find the strength within yourselves to make your life the best it can be, in new and challenging ways.
Monday, January 19, 2009
It's been a while...
The reason for my major lapse in blogging was pretty lame: laziness. Granted, I have injured myself, and basically I got frustrated thinking about what to write to help others stay healthy and fit when I could not take my own advice. It was selfish and not really conducive to what I ultimately want to do with my life: write! So, I am shelving my bitterness at not being able to do exactly what I want to do and once again, dedicate a portion of my week to coming up with interesting and fun ways to stay healthy and fit. I may just have to be a little bit more creative now that I can't run my four miles a day or lunge my way across the gym. But by golly, I'm gonna try! I hope you enjoy :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)