Shortcuts are not the Way

I recently met a young lady that told me a story about her friend.  We have all seen numerous billboards and commercials about the great results that someone can reach with bariatric surgeries.  Gastric bypass, lap-band, gastric sleeve, they are do about the same thing.  Without going into details, the procedures shrink the volume of the stomach, so that the feeling of being full happens sooner.  Less food in, less calories in.   This leads to a negative caloric balance and weight loss.

Habits need to be changed as well.  Hopefully they are getting that help as well.  One thing that is not discussed on these billboards, malnutrition.

My new friend's friend who was 28 and supposed to be in the prime of her life, passed.  She died.  She was very heavy and had a gastric procedure done.  It did not sound like she had the same success that others who have given a testimonial did.  What she did have was malnutrition.  That is why lowering caloric intake to an extreme level is not recommended.  Now the official cause of death for this individual was heart failure.

There are some lessons to be learned from a 28 year old young adult whose lifestyle didn't allow her to live a full life or a long one.

Its not about Time

Well, it is about time that I get back in the groove.  My busy schedule has finally opened up.  I can schedule sleep and activity and food prep.  So I am back at it. 228.6, bearly maintained a reasonable weight during the difficult times.

I had scheduled myself for my third half-marathon, before getting busy.  So yesterday, I went out without training and completed my worst time.  So, what.  This time out, it was about finishing.  I actually felt the best I have during any of the three races.  My heart rate was pretty high for me, so there was not going to be any extra pushing. 

I have said it before, we are so adept at talking ourselves into what the body can't do, when it is designed for so much more.  What's your next challenge?  My is getting across the room without moaning :)

Sick of Bad Choices

Getting closer to having my life back after a tough stretch of work related issues.  I feel more lethargic, GI track isn't very happy, not sleeping as well.  I am ready to focus on my fitness again.  Weight is up again.

It is never a sprint, always a long term comittment. 

What is Failure?

I am not happy with my current status.  I have been floating between 223 and 226 for the past 2 weeks.  I have been extremely busy with the beginning of school and the on set of a project.  I am trying to stay focused, but the longer my schedule is disrupted, the more I want to deviate from the plan. 

When it comes to habit formation and adherence, it seems that success is found in times of predictability and low stress.  Not to belittle this particular concern, but if you can think of someone that you know that has tried to stop drinking or smoking, it seems that the wagon drives on without them as life gets difficult.  Without stress, we would be less likely to reach for our coping mechanisms (hello pizza). 

But I am failing.  It's my blog and I say "no".  Now I feel better.

Seriously, I need to adjust my goals for activity, weight loss, number of times eating out, but I don't want to consider it a loss.  It shouldn't be a loss.  Losing is stopping.  I am not stopping.  I am simply changing my focus, pushing back a timeline.  I will still get to my destination, just not tomorrow.

The scale says 224.8.  Maintain, stay so what active, let the storm pass, and then get after it.

Lapse versus Relapse

I'm in a tough place.  Things are busy, and I feel like I am always playing catch up.  There will be another 3 weeks of this until my schedule relaxes.

My focus has changed.  I am trying to allot time for chores and duties.  I am always going to the next place.  It has made consistency tough.  I have no time to be active.  When I do make time for a break, it is to get caught up on sleep.

This is a lapse, a SHORT time reversal of habits.  I still choose health when eating, but the choices I have are slightly less healthy to begin with.  No pigging out, no extra desires, just not able to do exactly what I would like.  I don't have the mental capacity to fight for it right now.  So the new goal is to maintain, don't gain, get get by and hopefully soon things get better.

I am not in a mindset of relapse where everything is out the window.  I am not giving up, just giving in...temporarily. Honestly, part of the answer lies in my walk.  A physical walk can be beneficial, a spiritual walk is necessary for me.  Lord, you know my heart.

224.4

Fighting with my Goal

Goals are important.  Without them, we just wish.  I have had a goal for a while.  I have made long term goals and kind of hoped for the best.  In reality, for me, I need daily accountability. 

The last couple of weeks has been stressful, and my schedule seems to be controlled by others.  When that happens, eating and activity can lose their place in the priority scheme.  Long term goals are a good place to start, but success lies in the details.

If you were driving from NY to LA, would you simply have the goal of driving west?  I guess you could following the sun, but what if you got lost?  What if you have to make choices at night....ok nerds, on a cloudy night?  The point is that we need short term goals or plans.  We should use tools to help us to be knowledgeable about our choices.

Driving is a science that is made efficient by GPS.  We can know how much time or gas it will take.  Exercise science is no different.  We can examine calories taken it and expended.  We can monitor our weight to evaluate how we are doing.  We can even add more activity to help get to our destination.

Set goals, don't drive blind.

Tough Week

Today's weight 224.4.

Disappointing to be up, but long term no big deal.  Having my kids in town changed schedules and definitely changed eating and exercise.  It also put me behind on a project.

Keep the gain minimal and get back to the program.  That's the answer.