Next Challenge

How did yesterday go?  How was lunch or breakfast?

You know what?  It doesn't really matter.  Next challenge or meal or exercise session is a new chance to have a victory! Go and claim it!

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Weekend Challenge

Have you ever seen "Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade"?  There is a scene where "Indie" has to choose among dozens of chalices for the cup from the Last Supper.  When someone chooses incorrectly before "Indie", the Holy Grail's guardian watches the chooser die and says, "You choose poorly".

I had a lot of opportunities to choose poorly this weekend.  And while I was not perfect, I did choose realtively well and even declined a couple of options for junk food or late night eating.  This might be a tad bit dramatic, but choosing poorly will end up causing a manifestation in a physical form.  Higher risk of chronic disease and premature death are highly related to poor eating choices.

The guardian says to "Indie" moments later, "You have choosen wisely", the Grail is defined as bring about infinite youth.  The parallel to food choices can continue as choosing wisely can help our bodies stay young.  Heck if nothing else, Sean Connery is 80 someodd and playing a major role in an action film.  I bet he "choose wisely".

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Worth the Gamble?

I cannot promise that training for a marathon and improving your conditioning as you train will automatically get you into your 80s.  But just as you are quietly celebrating the fact that you don't have to jog or do cardio, there is a flip side to that concept.

If you smoke, consume more than your share of alcohol, eat too much junk food, or live a sedentary lifestyle, I cannot tell you that you are only going to make it to 50.  But research does tell us that every unhealthy choice does complicate end of life health and increase the "risk" of disease.

The tricky part could be that you don't feel any effects of the choice, but that in small ways your health is changing.  It may be just at the cellular level, but change is indeed happening.  With most health challenges, a otherwise healthly lifestyle and strong immune system can benefit us.

Just ask yourself is the habit of __________ (fill in the blank) worth it?  If the habit isn't worth it,  then why do it at all.  Is early death or lower quality of life in your 50s, 60s and 70s worth it to play in your 20s and 30s.  Is it worth the gamble?

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One Step Back Can Still Lead to Two Forward

I didn't have a great day yesterday.  I ate out twice.  I forgot that I had scheduled lunch with a friend and ate breakfast tacos earlier in the day.  The scale was up one pound today.  Ok, this is fixable.  The last thing that I should do is to throw my hands up and quit. 

Instead, I will be focused.  Today has been pretty good.  I got some exercise in with my students.  I am expecting to see a drop tomorrow.

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Respect is Key for Longterm Success

Managing my weight is such an interesting study.  I wish that I understood it better.  I do know this though, I must remember to respect the process.  That could be taken two different ways.

1) The process itself should not be changed or abbreviated.  It can be slow, but that is actually good.  Losing weight too quickly can be a problem for managing the loss.  Fast weight loss can even make loose skin a bigger issue.  The process is frustrating, but that makes it worthy of my focus and time.

2) The process it not easy.  There are sometimes when I am locked in fat seems to melt in measurable amounts daily.  But I need to make sure that do not trivialize or minimize any result.  In 6 months, life could change courses and make weight management more difficult again.  I tend to get cocky and think that I can do it whenever I want.  For 15 years that wasn't true, and it still isn't today.

Respect brings honor.  I will honor my fat loss by keeping myself thinner and healthy.  I will honor my children by being a good healthy role model.  I will honor students and readers with honesty and encouragement.  I will honor my God by keeping good stewardship over his gift to me.  I will honor myself, because I deserve to live long and disease free.

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Adapting to Exercise

I was working with a client yesterday and had to give her the news that it was time to go up in weight for a particular lift.  She had gotten strong over the previous weeks, and I explained that she would no longer see a benefit in growth since her body had already adapted.

Of course, this was bad news.  More weight equates to harder struggle when lifting.  But this of course is not a negative.  Instead, it is very much a positive.  First of all, if your body has adapted and can lift more, you have become functionally stronger.  Secondly, if you are stronger then your work is paying off.  And lastly, the fact that the next lift will be tougher only mimics the fact that the previous weight was tough previously.  So this is not a punishment, but a reward for the body!

The Process Works

Since I have finally been able to focus on what needs to happen and have had less stress and distractions, I have been able to lose weight.  Relatively easily at that.

Last week, I only ate out 2 times.  I only ate late 1 time.  I stayed active, but I didn't exercise.  Not because I am shying away from it, but I have not simplified my schedule that much.  The result is a 3.5 lb loss.  The last 2 days, I have eaten Tex-Mex to fullness and eaten late after trying not to eat a late dinner after a busy day.  Even with those challenges, I gained back very little. 

I am very encouraged and pleased. 219.8

Good Day, Bad Results

There are many ways to gauge how your body's health is changing.  We mostly think of weight, but others might be more important.

Body fat is a better determiner of health than weight.  It is also a more exact way to measure the composition of the body.  The more body fat we carry the more risk our health is in.  We could also look at sleep, energy, seeing more definition in the body, the way our clothes fit, etc. 

The scale can be useful, but is too often the only consideration.  Figure out what your body composition is and then work to improve that.  My goal is to be below 20%.  Right now I am at about 25%.  I can improve it by either losing fat (not simply weight) or adding muscle.  By the way, both would be best.

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Building Momentum; Losing Fat

2 strong days hardly equates to consistency, but I am glad to greet this short-term success.  Eating smart and staying active definitely equates to healthy living and in my case a release of excess fat!

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Finding Balance

Balance calories, nutrients, substrates, sleep, etc.  Just trying to be more balanced has improved my week.  I am more alert and feeling better.  Yesterday was a good eating day.  Today has been better.  The key is preparation and planning.  I went to a convenience store to use the restroom, and feeling guilty, I decided to buy something.  I got a V8 Fusion.

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What's Hard about Losing Weight

Is it more Physical or Mental for you?  Research would suggest that it is probably more mental.  The fatigue of fighting against our will or our innate logic can wear a person down.  Maybe it is the thought of the long term? Or simply the negative feelings that we bring to the table?

Be strong mentally, that is the key.  Be ok with being uncomfortable or hungry or sore.  Learn to tell yourself no or to stop eating.  There is sweet victory in these small battles.  When you gain confidence and focus, the entire process seems exponentially easier!  We can do it.

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Why not Now?

I am not sure what the difference is from last year to this year, but it is much more of a struggle.  For whatever reason, I didn't have to really try last year.  I didn't crave junk foods or have hunger control my decisions.  This year, I am being led through each day by my belly.

Today has been better.  Hopefully, I can build from today.

Diet Plan that Improves Your Health

Don't panic or reach for a shortcut!  Find the plan that truly promotes heath while losing weight.  Do your due diligence and ask questions, get on the internet, etc.  Don't simply look for a blog (never trust a blog) or a website that says what you were hoping to see.  Look for a site that is giving a differenting view.

Long term activity and balanced eating is the structure that research suggests works best for long term loss and maintenance of weight loss.  Don't give in to an easy short-cut.  Long-term they probably won't lead to the results that you want.  Think long-term but act short term!

What Foundation can I Count on?

As the New Year has begun and I turn to another chapter in my life, I feel that I need to reflect on what brings me the most success.  Without trying, I can think of five things.  I feel that healthy weight management comes down to the main issues that I can always go back to.  Looking back when these areas are attended to, I am most balanced in life and in health.

1.  Planning my meals.
2.  Planning my activity.
3.  Walking closer to God.
4.  Not eating, or minimize eating after dinner.
5.  No Fast Food for convenience.

I am ready.  Really ready.  I am excited.  It's like I can feel the change and can envision the results.  I want to get there today!  But tempering that enthusiasm with realism = balanced motivation!  220.2

A Great Beginning Point

I cannot tell you how excited I am about the New Year.  I have a new schedule with more opportunities to balance all areas of my life. Let the games begin!

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