Becoming The Healthy You

Weight: 150 lbs

Cholesterol: 236

Happy New Year!

I don’t make New Year resolutions.  I stopped doing that years ago.  I got tired of beating myself up when I broke my resolutions only weeks after making them.  But it is a New Year, and I have started eating healthier and I already feel better.

In September of 2009, I turned 43.  What I noticed most about another year of life is that my metabolism slowed down, AGAIN.  Since 40, seriously, I have gained 25 pounds that I do not need and more importantly do not want.  I’m not tall, 5’3 and 1/2” to be exact, so every pound shows on me.

So since about 40 and a half, I’ve been talking about losing weight, exercising, getting healthy…I’ve talked a lot about this.  I’ve talked to myself, to my friends, to my family, to my co-workers, pretty much to anyone that would listen to me talk about it.  Honestly you would think I would lose weight just by the constant jaw movement.  Wrong!

Not only have I been talking about this for more than 3 years, I’ve done research.  I have every healthy living magazine known to mankind.  I have website resources. I watch Dr. Oz, Oprah and the Today show with all their fitness and nutrition experts. I go to Unity Church where they preach BODY, mind and soul. I have a mother-in-law who is a Holistic Nutrionalist.  I really do know what I should be doing; I just haven’t done it, until now that is.

In September when I turned 43 one of my bosses gave me a massage with our office Massage Therapist, Rowan Two Sisters (the best massage ever by the way) and it got me thinking.  Rowan is a very enlightened individual.  Honestly you can feel her positive, peaceful energy when she walks into the room.  She is one of those people who sets goals and keeps them, even achieves them!  She also is always working on herself…again she is a seriously enlightened woman.

As I’m lying on the massage table, Rowan asks me what I’m giving myself for my birthday.  Well I don’t give myself birthday presents, but I like the idea, a lot!  So I lay there for a few minutes and turn this over and over in my mind, which is very relaxed for a change, and I really think about this.  First thought is a new outfit, jewelry, a day and night away from family, a night out with the girls including wine, dinner and dancing…all really good choices.  But, these are all things I can do for myself on a daily basis.  So, I told Rowan I was going to give myself the gift of Health!

Now most of us think of a gift as something that comes in a box with a ribbon.  Not this one. This is one I have to work at…really?  OMG, what did I just do to myself?  But, still I really wanted to do this, I mean I must – I’ve been talking about it for over 3 years.  More importantly I really NEED to do this for myself.

So the talking and reading became doing.  However it didn’t happen over night, it’s over 3 months later and I have just begun.  Not entirely just began because my journey started with a meeting with my doctor, Dr. Karen Hill and learning about her lifestyle changing program, the Lifelong Weigh.  Get it weigh (way)?

So, after meeting with Dr. Hill and learning more details about the program we set up the next appointment.  This appointment would include blood work and a battery of other medical screenings to determine what would work best for me and if there were any medical issues that needed to be addressed, and finally a meeting with the nutritionist.   I think I only changed the date once or twice!  (Another attempt to get out of something I really wanted to do for myself)

The meeting was great, I have slightly elevated cholesterol and again I heard things I already sort of knew and some I didn’t know.  The Nutritionist helped me create a plan and gave me a guide that included more material to read, recipes, calorie counting help, exercise options, etc. and sent me on my way.  I felt empowered with the meeting behind me and my new guide/book, I thought this is it.  I knew I had an appointment in a week so I would clearly follow the plan because now I would have to be accountable to someone else, a medical professional no less.

Then I went home and talked about it, for days.  Talked to myself, my family, my friends, my coworkers, anyone who would listen, I talked about it with.  I ordered another guide/book off-line that I would use to keep my daily eating journal.  I went to the grocery store and bought healthy foods, I reviewed my recipes, and then… I ate exactly the way I have been eating for years.

Eating healthy requires a lot of planning and cooking.  I’m no cook and although I planned the heck out of this new program, I still didn’t begin!  I cancelled my appointment out of shame that I would have nothing positive to report, surely no weight loss and most likely weight gain.  Most of the healthy food went to waste, or is still in the pantry.  The holidays arrived and although I thought I would kick start my program by starting right before the holidays I didn’t!  Of course I didn’t.

I’m busy and between me, my husband and the kids, our social calendar is full! Plus I have a job and I do contract work on the side and did I mention I’m busy?  And not only do I need to eat healthy, but I need to exercise!  When is this supposed to happen?

Clearly the jump start on the holiday eating frenzy didn’t work for me.  Story of my life, and probably almost every other person’s life out there.  So now what?

Now it’s January.  Time for a fresh start, the holidays are past us, I’ve settled into my at home office (this also happened in NOV) routine, I’ve filled in my calendar and I’ve started my eating log!  Not on January first, or even the first week in January, but on Tuesday of week two, January 5^th.   And I started exercising.  Very moderate exercise, but I started and have done that plus the eating log since yesterday!  I’m on day two!

I must admit the calorie counting actually is helping me.  Writing the calories down along with what I ate in my log (journal) is fun.  And I hate to admit this but I bought a piece of exercise equipment off a TV ad.  It’s called the Air Climber.  It’s a very light weight, compact walking machine (bad description but that’s what it is).  It comes with a DVD, and arm bands that can be used with the walking but I’m not there yet.

I’ve had the Air Climber since December but I just started using it…yes you guessed yesterday!  So far I’ve worked it into my daily routine, meaning yesterday while my son was practicing violin I got on it for about 15 minutes and another 10 while I was watching TV.  Day two, I got on it while I was talking on the phone with my boss and I’m sure I’ll get on it later while watching TV or listening to my son practice violin again.

I think this will be important for my success, keeping it simple, working the exercise into my home routine.  I honestly do not have time to go to the gym.  I don’t and I know a lot of moms, dads, and people in general that also do not have the time to visit the gym on a regular basis.  For years I wouldn’t say that out loud because all you ever hear is that’s just an excuse…well it is but it’s a real excuse.

It’s recognized by the medical community as a real issue which is why now you hear on a regular basis make time to exercise at home or at the office.  Do anything, just get moving!  Vacuum, stretch, play ball with the kids, park farther away from your office building, take the stairs or get on the Air Climber and use it while you’re watching your favorite show or listening to your kid play violin!  There are so many free work out programs on TV and on-line that you can access…just do it!

I know it’s only been two days but I must admit I feel better already.  I hope to keep moving forward.  I’m going to be blogging on my progress, I mean my success!  So please read, enjoy, respond, and encourage me by sharing your journey for a healthier you with me!