New Leaf Wishes

My routine of walking at lunch has been great for my health. Yesterday I had a biometric scan and all of my readings were in the most desirable healthy range. Yet, I have a vision of myself about 30 pounds lighter than my current weight. My wish is to keep up the good work I am doing and inspire others to join me to reach their goals.

I look forward to losing excess weight easily and enjoyably as I head into the fall.
I look forward to seeing my creativity continue to find new ways to express itself.
I look forward to hearing what you want in your life.

New Leaf - Making Plans & Changing Your Life

Reaching big goals, little by little.

Right now I am playing around with this idea of turning over a new leaf.

Creating new healthy habits and tracking them each day. A new leaf is like a clean slate. You can create your plan and begin making positive changes that will help you achieve your goals.

When making your plans these are good things to keep in mind.

1)BLACK & WHITE - either you do it, or you don't do it.

If you choose not to do it that's ok -- it just means something is more important to you than that particular goal.

For example, if I set a goal to not drink alcohol for the next 7 days and then got invited to go out to drinks with friends I'd have a choice to either a)decline the invite and avoid temptation b)go out knowing I'll be ok just drinking non-alcoholic beverages and will not be tempted c)decide I'm giving up achieving my goal and go have a beer.

There are more options about what I may tell myself I am deciding but all of the choices are going to fall onto either side of the line.

Either I'm going to follow through on my 7 day plan, or not. Lucky for me this wasn't my goal when I got invited out to drinks Saturday night. Don't get me wrong, I will be setting a 7 day goal along these lines at some point this fall - but until I feel motivated to want to do that, there's no point in setting myself up for stress and failure. When I make a commitment to myself to do something, then it becomes easy. No amount of trying to push myself to do something that isn't important to me will work for more than a little while. Eventually my desire will beat out my good intention. Changing what I desire is more worthwhile than just setting a bunch of arbitrary rules and charging forth.

2)DAILY - for this goal experiment, I recommend picking something to focus on that you can do every day. When you know it's on your list of things to do (or not do) then you don't have to think about it. When I make a commitment to walk a mile a day and I make sure I will do that minimum amount, I know my goal is achievable. I can either decide I want to set a goal to do this daily for a short period of time as in, "For the next 5 days I will..." or I can pick a longer period of time as in, "For the next 30 days I will..." anything longer than that and it starts to feel overwhelming which cuts down on my likelihood of actually starting it.

3)RIDICULOUSLY EASY - especially when starting out, if you know you can do it if you set your mind to it, you are much more likely to get some "wins" under your belt. If walking a mile feels like a long walk (which it no longer does to me) then how about walking around the block, or to the end of the street and back. Whatever the minimum distance you can commit to write it down and then track it daily.

4)ENJOYABLE - it is much better to pick things you actually like to do. You're more likely to actually do them. This is a good thing and will work in your favor. Making healthy lifestyle changes should not involve being mean to yourself, forcing yourself to do something you hate. Eventually you will resist this torture and come to your senses. There are millions of choices you can make to create a healthy happy life that is just right for you. Only you can identify the things that appeal to you the most.

5)HEALTHY - this is where you are the expert on what feels right to you. There are many shades of gray on what is good for you. If you are drinking a six pack of soda a day, then cutting that in half is a healthy choice for you, while drinking 3 sodas would be an unhealthy choice for a non-soda drinker. This is where your own common sense reigns supreme. Dean Ornish has a book called "The Spectrum" that explores this idea in great detail.

The point of all this is to start intentionally building better habits.

Trying to change everything all at once can work for some people some of the time.
But over the long haul it's the little things you do in your daily life that add up.
You are what you eat and how much you move as well as how you feel about those choices.
Happiness is measured by each of us in our own ways through our own values.

I find I am happiest when I am honoring what is most important to me. Being helpful, paying great attention to my family, taking time for myself to focus on writing, singing, and enjoying, recognizing, and sharing the gifts that surround me.

Now, if I could just get my mind to calm down enough to get some sleep!
Jennifer

New Leaf Day 6

Lunch break walk 2 miles
After dinner walk 1.5 miles

The new plan is definitely working, I feel my mood improving along with my muscle tone.

Now for a little R&R with my family.
VACATION DAY tomorrow, and BEACH on Saturday.
Jennifer

New Leaf Day 5 - and Paul McKenna's Hypnotic Induction

Five Days into this current experiment and so far it is a huge success!
My 2 mile walk to Subway for a repeat of yesterday's sandwich was great.

Took the night off from exercise, just some reps with 10 lb weights for fun, and a handful of lunges.

Now, waiting for my iPod to load so I can listen to Paul McKenna's Hypnotic Induction
"Do not listen to this eyes closed process whilst driving or operating machinery..."

I like almost all of what he has to say about weight loss and the suggestions are good to hear over and over. I've been listening to it once or twice a day lately and my "desire to succeed" does seem strengthened. And yes, I can't help but feel insanely embarrassed to put any of this in writing. But at the end of the day, it's usually the stuff that is real that you'd rather gloss over that can really help someone. Since my goal for writing and sharing these thoughts is to try to turn on some lights for people - to help see familiar things in new ways that will make it easy to accomplish their desires, then yes, I can't omit the "I Can Make You Thin" author and his CD. I don't think he can make you thin, or make you quit smoking, but he does have some good things to say -- and yes, it is cheesy! - but he does have this great British accent...

There is one section where he talks about emotional eating.

"So if your old habits ever try to lead you to eat unnecessary food you'll ask yourself, What do I really want? Because you can learn to take care of your emotional needs directly. Emotions are signals that we need to pay attention to, and as you pay attention they develop and teach you as you begin to experience more and more emotional equilibrium in your every day life you feel so at ease with yourself."
Paul McKenna

I think a lot of times we try to avoid feeling bad. We have figured out that food is a reliable way to feel better. It focuses our senses on something physical and real which is a perfect antidote to whatever thoughts may be looping around in our heads/hearts. Finding other sense based activities to focus on, or using our imagination to call on a time when we felt great can be a useful skill to develop.

Pleasant Dreams,
Jennifer

New Leaf, Day 4 -- 4 miles walked

Breakfast, handful of raw almonds
Lunch, veggie delight from Subway - 6" on whole wheat, veggies add avocado. No cheese. Vinegar only.
Lots of water.

Walk to Subway a little under 2 miles round trip
More Walking tonight family permitting.
If not, I'll take the 2 miles and call it a day.

This new leaf is coming along nicely.
Jen

UPDATED:
I took the kids for a walk tonight - 2 miles. Carried Christopher on my shoulders, he weighs 50 lbs. Pushed Caitlin in the stroller with one arm. Great walk!

New Leaf, Day 3 -- 5.64 miles walked

I'm starting to walk a little on breaks at work.
It's .32 mile around the block. I did two laps. .06 mile on the short side, .1 mile on the long side.

Then at lunch, I walked to Ruby's to pick up lunch (not to be confused with Rudy's)
It was a nice 2 mile walk round trip.

Then after work I did three more miles before the kids hit meltdown need attention mode.

Total miles 5.64

I also resisted the pastries that were in the lunch room and the chips at Ruby's.

Now all I need is a good night's sleep.
Jennifer

New Leaf, Day 2

Completed the 4 mile walk DVD - with 5 & 1 lb weights.

Want 3lb weights for the fast arm movements.
Heading out for a walk, it's a beautiful day.

That is all,
Jennifer

New Leaf, Day 1

Bought new Leslie Sansone Walk at Home Video on lunch break yesterday.

Woke up at 4am, walked one mile.

Then, followed up with a 4 mile walk with 5 lb weights for mile one.

5 miles Day 1!
That is all.
Jennifer

New Leaf

I like beginnings. I enjoy getting ideas and coming up with plans. Coming up with the plan is often more rewarding than actually executing it. Powered by my superior visualization skills I can see the end result of my ideas. This ability to visualize can be a powerful motivator, but visualizing myself leaner and healthier isn't going to make it so. Actually doing more of the things that I already know I should be doing can seem overwhelmingly boring. A life long quest for health and fitness requires continuing to note the disconnects between the plan, and reality and re-inventing ways to motivate myself into action.

I've been lingering in this place of wanting to do something without really getting into the follow through. A few days here and there on this plan, and then all the vices seem even more appealing, less and less good choices, and then another round of battle.

Discipline Endurance Strength

Daily Routine
The biggest changes don't happen over night - they are made up of the tiny choices we make moment to moment. Trading my pastry for breakfast habit with a better choice, actually eating the lunch I bring to work (instead of getting a higher calorie more tempting alternative) eating at meal times and finding other comforts in the evening instead of a night full of tiny snacks. Focusing on setting a good example for my children. Focusing on how I feel before during and after my action. I woke up at 4am feeling like there is not enough time in the day to fit in a daily walk. So I put on Leslie Sansone and walked a mile.

So many good things to choose, but walking at least a mile a day is an easy enough commitment. Once you go one mile, it is easy to go another, and another. It's getting up and doing it that can be the biggest challenge. I know I'm up for the task.
Jennifer

Jump Start! with 90 Second Fitness

I haven't been exercising since I canceled my gym membership and moved back to Alameda.
I've had some 3 to 4 mile walks, some hikes, a few sit ups... but generally since I've shortened my commute I've just been pouring extra hours into work and then hanging out with my family in a semi-vegetative state.

But that has changed.

Today, I woke up with that renewed sense of urgency to start building a strong leaner body. I grabbed a few books off the shelf for inspiration, and found Pete Cerqua's 90 Second Fitness as the perfect method of doing something to better my body.

90 Second Fitness Challenge #1 - the 90 second Wall Sit. I was able to go the full 90 seconds, so then I proceeded to 90 Second Fitness Challenge #2 - the 90 second Plank. That means I am still at least fit enough for Level 2, so I feel good that a lot of the work I have put into shaping up over the past 6 years is retained.

One thing I think is great about this simple 3 minutes of exercise is the way you then get drawn into wanting to do more.

Set a goal that is easy enough to accomplish, and then get this burst of energy and adrenaline that pushes you to want to do more.

If you haven't read about Pete Cerqua's plan -- check out his website at 90-SecondFitness.com

Cheers!
Jennifer

In Between Plans

This morning my daughter patted my tummy and said, "You're getting bigger, Mommy!" She was excited -- imagining becoming a big sister. As I informed her that there is no baby, I thought ok it's time for something to change.

Bad habits have a way of creeping in over time. A little ice cream here, a glass of wine there, and then slowly instead of a half sandwich at lunch -- you find you're eating a whole sandwich (maybe with some chips and a cookie).

In the short term it's no big deal. Over time, if it becomes the norm, then slowly your clothes don't fit as well as they used to.

I haven't gotten to the "I can't fit into my jeans!" breaking point, but I am heading there. So I felt that kernel of resolve start to form in the base of my throat. It's like suppressing a scream from within that is calling out, "No!!!!"

After a momentary frenzy of plots and plans - No more ice cream, No more alcohol, No more bread, No more you name it I calmed back down to focus on what I need to do.

So when Eric asked me what I wanted for breakfast I asked for a salad, and he made one with greens, watermelon, melon, and white nectarines. It was delicious. Then, I had a nice snack of a banana with some flax seeds. Cabbage salad for lunch, and now a nice cup of fennel tea.

I also bought some Birch Oil Toothpicks. I am dubbing these my stress relief alternative to chocolate, alcohol and other late night snacking.

Next plan will need to incorporate exercise back into my daily routine.

I am going to re-read a little of Martha Beck's Four Day Win and start out focusing on setting mini-goals that I know I can achieve.

I know I can take this last excess weight off, and keep it off forever. And that is exactly what I am going to do. Starting now.

Thinner By Tuesday

I recently rejoined weight watchers, and I am really enjoying their new "points plus" system. So far I am two weeks in and feel like I am consistently making better choices.

Yesterday however, did not go as planned.

We are in the process of moving and we are at that stage where we are looking for our new place, and waiting to hear if we will get it -- while simultaneously trying to sell our old place. So, we had a three year old's birthday party to attend, but had crammed the day with getting ready for our first open house and entertaining our niece who is visiting from out of state. At 7:30 am we hit the ground running - cleaning, cleaning, cleaning until about 10:45 then baths, showers, getting kids dressed and into car, shopping for birthday presents, over to Grandmas to wrap the present pick up our niece, run down to Peet's for a cup of coffee and then cruise by the place we are hoping to get on the way to the party. Breakfast was just not part of the plan. We stopped at Noah's and I had a zero point real fruit cup -- but I didn't plan for a lunch for myself with anything sustaining.

Then the party. Food was in the air. Meat. Other stuff. Potato Salad. I tried not to look. I picked at the veggie and fruit platter, sans dips. I had a pig in a croissant blanket and then another, and then tried to avoid the table all together. An hour and a half into the party, as the cupcakes were being passed around, I was still able to resist. I took my niece on a little field trip and even skipped getting any sugary treat away from prying eyes. Then back to the party, children in melt down, headed back to Grandma's and got cheese pizza. By then it was 4:45 and I was beyond hungry. Four slices of cheese pizza later (two of my own, and the rest of two of the kid's slices) and I had lost control.

Losing control sucks! I had been doing great all week and then binge. Big time. But it isn't the end of the world. Especially as I am tracking my food intake through Points Plus I can step back and see I should have eaten something before arriving at the party.

Party Trick #1:
If you are in a period where you are actively trying to lose weight -- eat before the party. Do not arrive to the party hungry and just leave your calorie intake to the whim of whatever the host may be serving.

It is one thing to treat yourself to something that looks good to you that you want -- it is another to just mindlessly stuff your face. One is enjoyable, the other is depressing -- at least to me.

So, what could I have done differently? Maybe the biggest opportunity was with the pizza. I really needed an alternative for myself that would have been smart -- only I didn't speak up to make it happen. I thought I could just have 1 slice of pizza despite having years of experience that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I am hungry and there is pizza I measure my meal in slices and not bites.

If I had wanted to enjoy a slice of pizza & a huge salad, or a bowl of soup, or a bowl of low point value cereal -- I would have felt much more in control. The feeling of being out of control is one of the least pleasant parts of being over weight. When you carry extra weight it is like a red flashing sign that says to the world "Lack of control". I hate carrying the weight of that stress.

All in all Saturday could have been so much worse. I could have had so many extra calories in the form of meat, cupcakes, brownies, girl scout cookies, alcohol etc and I said no to each of those choices. Overall I would give myself a B. But in the weight loss struggle to meet the honor roll of weight loss -- you really need to strive for straight A's.

However you define that A grade it means you feel good about what you are doing. I don't care if that means you feel good about just eating one Large Pizza instead of two. Progress is personal. Strive for your own personal best. This is how weight loss happens and how you can find happiness. Do better than you did last time. Recap what happened, how you felt about it and do something different.

I for one, may be packing something like a pre-portioned serving of Fiber One in my purse for emergencies. That cereal may have been the difference between two and four slices of pizza. Two would have been more than enough.

Day 15 of 31

Today's Recap Saturday January 15, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
As I am waking up, catching up on yesterday's notes - this simple task led me on a beeline to the kitchen for a cool glass of filtered water.

2) Eat real food.
For today - this will be easy and enjoyable. I had images of foods processed into tiny grains of sand not being fit for human consumption. I pictured Dr. Furhman hanging out with me and what choices I would make if observed by someone who wants to eat for health - choosing the long term pleasure of a healthy body over the instant pleasure of a bread or sweet. I'm not saying I won't ever eat bread or sweets again -- that is the sure fire way to have my day start off with a pastry and keep going until the last bite of ice cream is devoured; feeling miserable the whole while. So, I am trying instead to think about how good I will feel if I eat good for me food.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
Might as well get this out of the way. Did 30 sit up/row combos with 5lb weights.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Right on schedule am sick of the Walk DVD. I knew this day would come. Now, what would I rather do? I found a free episode on Hulu called "Get Fit Stay Fit" and just had a really great workout.



5) Eat 1 fruit every day.


6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.


7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.

1-15 Saturday - Daily Plan, Day 15 - on track to achieve all goals.

Day 14 of 31

Today's Recap Friday January 14, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
Woke up before my alarm after 8 hours of sleep, then grabbed a glass of water before starting my walk.

2) Eat real food.


3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I got these out of the way, holding the 1lb weights and doing to sit up/row combo.
I want some 3lb weights for when my muscles are too stressed for the 5's but the 1's are light as air.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Completed the first 20 minutes of Leslie Sansone's 2 Mile Powerwalk. I did a 2 minute wall sit from minute 13 to 15 - they make the biggest difference when it comes to sculpting long lean muscles in my thighs. It feels great to be so awake before heading out the door.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.


6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.


7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.

1-14 Friday - Daily Plan, Day 14 - feeling confident I will easily achieve all goals.

Day 13 of 31

Today's Recap Thursday January 13, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
Grabbed a glass before heading out the door. I have been trading my refill coffee at work for hot water, it is nice to get up and stretch my legs without loading up on coffee all day.

2) Eat real food.
Yes, mainly. This is the worst goal on the list, because it is so vague. But I am keeping it for the full 31 days as a reminder to think about making good choices. This morning I picked a Reduced Fat Carrot Ginger muffin and the calorie content was 350 calories, so I threw away the bottom half and got the total down under 200 which was more where I wanted to be. I didn't want to save the other half for later, I have found that getting rid of the temptation is better for me than having more later.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
Yes and the kids helped count. We counted to ten two times and five once.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I did this before heading out to work, it is nice to get this accomplished first thing, as it makes the evening more relaxing.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
Will have a bite of apple, need to get some more variety.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Cabbage, lettuce, salsa, beans

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Bed time in 1 hour.

1-13 Thursday - Daily Plan, Day 13 - on track to achieve all goals.

Day 12 of 31

Today's Recap Wednesday January 12, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
Yes. Becoming more and more automatic.

2) Eat real food.
I even remembered to bring the freshly juiced carrots and celery!

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I did this before brushing my teeth for bed.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I got out of bed at 5:14 and walked to the Sansone "Power Walk" 1.5 times. 20 minutes achieved.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I shared an apple with Caitlin.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Carrots, celery, collard greens, lettuce, bean sprouts, ginger.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
I set bedtime at 8:30 - actually fell asleep around 9 and then woke up at 5:30 and am typing as I walk in place.

1-12 Wednesday - Daily Plan, Day 12 - achieved all goals.

Day 11 of 31

Today's Recap Tuesday January 11, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
Check!

2) Eat real food.
Yes. I ate my lunch for breakfast - a chicken apple sausage with grilled onions and mushrooms. Yum! Then I split a BLAT for lunch and had a side of collard greens. Then dinner was a small (3 oz) piece of pork on a bed of lettuce with sweet potatoes. Delicious!

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
Just did them, I held the 5lb weights and did a cross between a row and a sit up -- it felt great.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Yes - and I have the video to prove it!

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I ate a fuji apple. It was crunchy and sweet and totally satisfying.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
And then some (see above)

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Bedtime in an hour or so -- and I did get 9 hours of sleep last night and it was as good as I thought it could be.

1-11 Tuesday - Daily Plan, Day 11 - on track to achieve all goals.

Day 10 of 31

Today's Recap Monday January 10, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
Woke up at 4:45 and got going early. I did drink my glass of water before heading out the door.

2) Eat real food.
I ate some non-real food today - a chocolate croissant, and then an old fashioned chocolate donut. That is the trouble with running on too little sleep -- your mind tries to compensate by adding easily accessible fuel -- and some type of happiness inducing chemicals to make you feel better about pushing yourself too far too hard too long. I compensated the slice of pizza at lunch with the healthy collard green tomato & red bell pepper lunch I had brought.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
50 sits ups later - I don't feel so bad about the above entry. I did the Cindy Crawford "Next Challenge" style sit ups. She lays back and stretches her super model arms out and then lifts using her arms and then stretches her arms out infront of her. I feel it in my abs, but also in my arms. And I love the idea of having long slender arms. I used to have trouble fitting my arms into shirt sleeves - when I weighed 100lbs more than I do now. It is such a treat to get to buy a shirt off the rack in the store without trying it on, knowing that it will fit.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I did the Leslie Sansone Walk & Kick. Eric came in and said, "Why are you using the one pound weights? You should be using 5 lbs weights." And instead of breaking my stride I just explained I was moving my arms around more than I would with weights, and then added that I hadn't planned on using weights at all but Caitlin's weights were next to me on the floor. I agree, 5 or 10 lb weights would make more of an impact, but this was a hard day, and I didn't need anything more than my 20 minutes of walk/kick stress relief.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I will have a bite of pineapple, apple or banana and call it done for today.


6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Thank goodness for Eric. Tonight I had mushrooms, grilled onions, mashed potato and at lunch I had the tomato red pepper sauce, oh -- and he made a salad with carrots and broccoli.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Yes! Going to bed at 8:30 tonight. The kids may even fall for it.

1-10 Monday - Daily Plan, Day 10 - on track to achieve all goals.

Day 9 of 31

Today's Recap Sunday January 9, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
I woke up and grabbed a glass of water.

2) Eat real food.
I ate lots of real food, only a little bit of white flour, everything else was real.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I did this first thing. Then did an extra 15 it felt great.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I did the 2 mile walk DVD

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I had a little pineapple, and a banana

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
I had beet, cucumber and carrot juice for breakfast. Tomato sauce with roasted red peppers over collard greens with an italian sausage.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Bedtime is by 10:30 - and I am cutting it close tonight.


1-09 Sunday - Daily Plan, Day 9 - achieved all goals.

Day 8 of 31

Today's Recap Saturday January 8, 2011

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
I woke up and started writing on my blog. Then, I set up the next week for recap ease, and grabbed a glass of water.

2) Eat real food.
Intentionally thinking of food as real and all the rest is just food like substances is a concept I picked up from author of "The End of Overeating" - the book has a carrot and a piece of carrot cake with a icing carrot on top. Which one counts as real food according to David Kessler MD and common sense.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
Here I go (I paused from writing to actually do them) - 25 is a great easy beginning habit forming number for me. I'm tempted to do more, and sometimes I do -- but I can easily achieve it - which is half the challenge when setting goals you actually want to achieve.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
If I can get this done before the kids wake up - even better...
Nope, opted to sleep -- so now I have to fit in before dinner.
Done! I just did 20 minutes of the "Walk & Kick" episode. It is a good brisk pace and lots of kick boxing inspired movements. It feels good to get my heart rate up. My muscles feel strong.


5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I think I will save fruit for dessert tonight. Had a banana, slightly green - like I like them. And the less ripe ones have something called resistant starch.


6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
For breakfast I had three home made juices. The first was a carrot juice, the second was a celery juice, the third was a beet & cucumber juice.
Then I had a nice lunch with sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and chicken.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
In bed by 10, up at 6.

1-08 Saturday - Daily Plan, Day 8 - achieved all goals.

Day 7 of 31

Today's Recap Friday January 7, 2011

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
Started with a glass of water.

2) Eat real food.
Does a bacon hamburger count as real food? Well, at least it wasn't fast food.
I did have an extra helping of spinach with dinner.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I totally forgot to do these... did 30 and feel great.


4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Walk DVD with Cait and Chris. They didn't get too rough, and I carried the 10lb weights. Good walk.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
Odwalla Superfood, from yesterday.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Celery, spinach x 3 servings.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Almost bedtime, super long day at work. Can't wait until year end close is done! I only had two waking hours with the kids before bedtime. Happy that isn't the norm.

1-07 Friday Daily Plan, Day 7 - achieved all goals.

Day 6 of 31

Today's Recap Thursday January 6, 2011

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
Drank a glass of water, then re-filled it and carried it out to the car.

2) Eat real food.
Celery, and more below in vegetables.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I did this before starting my walk.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD "2 Mile Power Walk" I walked 1.5 mile in 20 minutes with 5 lb weights for part of the walk.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
Bought an Odwalla Superfood, which I forgot to drink. It's in the fridge at work for tomorrow. I'll have an apple tonight instead.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Bean sprouts, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, onions.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
It is almost bedtime. Not enough hours in the day.

1-06 Thursday Daily Plan, Day 6 - achieved all goals.

Day 5 of 31

Today's Recap Wednesday January 5, 2011

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
Grabbed a cup before heading out the door. It is an easy habit -- but it is also easy for me to skip it, so I am happy to be tracking it this month.

2) Eat real food.
I suppose I should clarify what I mean. By real food I mean foods that can be made out of simple ingredients - non-processed foods. I ate chicken for dinner, and bean sprouts, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, onions. I had collard greens for lunch in addition to some curry and rice.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I did this first thing in the morning before my bath. I do feel like I could do another 25 now, so I probably will.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I popped in Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD "Get Up and Get Started" I walked 1 mile in 20 minutes. Caitlin and Christopher jumped around with me for 14 minutes before getting too rough with each other. Caitlin cried from 15 - 17 minutes, at which point I picked her up and carried her in my arms the last three minutes. Leslie advertises her "Walk Away" weights - which look like they are about 3 lbs each. Caitlin weighs 25 lbs, I wouldn't call her a weight -- but she does help me burn extra calories.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
Started out with an Odwalla Superfood.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Yes, see above.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Bedtime by 9 pm. I slept till 6:30 - it was worth it. I felt well rested this morning.

1-05 Wednesday Daily Plan, Day 5 - achieved all goals.

Day 4 of 31

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
This is getting to be a habit. I grabbed it before heading out the door. Score!

2) Eat real food.
I brought my lunch today, last night's dinner beets, potato, grilled onion, mushrooms in this broth with a little pork. Then, the same again for dinner - but with the welcome addition of collard greens (my favorite - they feel prehistoric and are delicious), it's hard to find a food that looks and tastes so good for you. Then, Eric added sliced cucumbers in an oil-free vinaigrette that he made with the celery/carrot juice and red wine vinegar. Superb.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I did this prior to imbibing an evening cocktail. Job well done.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
Yes, once the white russian settles, I will cue up Leslie again for day three. Once again I am reminded that exercising with alcohol is a terrible idea. I avoided learning that lesson last night, by a narrow margin. I think it will be easy to commit to waiting to drink after I work out. Not a hard and fast rule, just a good idea that will be easy to follow.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I know the lemon in the half lemon poppy seed muffin doesn't count. (I threw away the bottom part of the muffin before leaving the coffee shop); that trick saves me hundreds of calories weekly. I did end up having some apple before bed. Caitlin and Christopher joined in. Part of getting them to eat fruit and veggies is letting them see us do that too.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Collard greens, beets, mushrooms, potatoes, onions, cucumbers. And now, suddenly I have a craving for celery. Odd, but I don't argue.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
I was in bed at 8:30 - I got extra sleep and that translated to a great morning with lots of energy.

Do Not Use - Authorization Required

This is the title of an adjustment type in an inventory management system that will remain nameless. The idea of the name was to try to get people not to use it; because it does the opposite of what they generally think it does - and there is very little need for it's use - but it couldn't be turned off or locked for free.

Each month people post hundreds of "Do Not Use" adjustments without authorization.

I wonder if we would have had better luck if we renamed it "Broccoli and Brussel Sprouts". If somehow this would cause the person to stop and think, "Maybe I shouldn't use this?"

That is how diet's work (or don't work). We label a lot of things "Do Not Use (eat) - Authorization Required" and then we figure, we're authorized - go ahead and eat it.

So instead of using this strategy of "Eat This / Don't Eat That" - what can you do?

I have been focused on making sure I am deliberately eating good things for a week now -- and it has been much more enjoyable than trying not to have a long list of items. If all I get out of this current "Fitness Challenge" experiment is 31 days of pleasure -- I may be on to something good.

Day 3 of 31

Today's Recap Monday January 3, 2011

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
I had my first cup before I headed out the door; then got another cup with my coffee.

2) Eat real food.
I had an Odwalla Superfood for breakfast (better for me than a pastry) and I had cabbage, bean sprouts, green beans, mushrooms and carrots for lunch

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
As I was going down the list, I hadn't done this yet. Easier to drop and do 25 then to have to come back to it later.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I started the bath for Caitlin and Christopher and popped in my Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD and did the "Power Mile" I walked 1 mile in 14 minutes; and then started it again to get to my 20 minute goal. I could have kept going but Eric needs a break and the children need me to cuddle on the couch. That is the best excuse I have for not exercising, but I need to get my 20 minutes in to be healthy -- so I think I can skip the guilt trip -- it just wastes time. I did end up finding a bunch of new fitness episodes that are free on Hulu. When I get tired of Leslie, I'll check those out.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I drank my fruit today in the form of the Odwalla Superfood. I also had a small handful of banana chips, but those are not raw fruit so I am not counting them.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
I had already hit my goal at lunch, but then Eric made a wonderful dinner that had beets, potato, grilled onion, mushrooms in this broth with a little pork. It was wonderful.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Bedtime is before 10:00 pm.

Additional Notes - For some reason Eric thought it funny that after trying five minutes of the Hulu Cardio "For A New You" I declared it too intense and said I would try it again another night. (He'd probably assert that it was the bottle of beer that I was drinking while making this declaration that caused him to try to suppress a chuckle.)

1-03 Monday Daily Plan, Day 3 - achieved all goals.

Day 2 of 31

Today's Recap Sunday January 2, 2011

Here is how today went:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
I hadn't grabbed a sip of water before walking into my favorite coffee shop this morning. I ordered my small coffee to go, but I also asked for a large glass of water. I finished the entire 20 oz cup of water before taking my first sip of coffee.

2) Eat real food.
So far today I have had a head of romaine lettuce, an Odwalla Superfood, and some homemade soup that included a tiny bit of pork and a lot of bean sprouts, mushrooms, zucchini, with a hint of oyster sauce for a mu shu inspired flavor. Then I had my granny smith apple and a cup of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I got my sit ups out of the way first thing this morning. I decided to have a bath, and did 25 quick sit ups while letting the tub fill. It felt good to get it out of the way first thing. Then, later today, I did another 25, and now as I recap the rest of my day I think I will do 25 more. The great thing about sit ups for me is they help me feel full. That followed by a glass of water and I will be ready for bed.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
This is a great thing to get out of the way first thing in the morning. It's 1:49 and I haven't done this yet -- it's cold outside. I think a twenty minute dance party is in order with the kids at 2:00 pm. Was able to get 11 minutes of "dance walking" with my son before he melted down. That is how it goes sometimes when you have toddlers. So, I found my Leslie Sansone "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD and according to her mileage tracker for "Get Up and Get Started" I walked 1 mile in 20 minutes. I think I usually go about 1 mile in 14 minutes, but it doesn't matter -- it is more important that I was moving for 20 minutes. My three year old daughter did a few minutes of the exercise routine with me. I had ten pound weights in each hand, she had the little cute one pound purple weights. It is important to me that my children see exercise as a part of daily life.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
Done. See above, real food.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
Done. See above, real food. Also, for dinner I had a 1/2 cup of kidney beans and a whole avocado cubed with a little lemon juice. It was delicious and very satisfying. I replaced my evening beer with a glass of carrot/celery juice that Eric made in the new juicer. Then I have been reaching for celery sticks instead of my dark chocolates. It is definitely the beginning of the honeymoon phase because these things feel easy to do. It's like trading up to a better choice and it feels good.

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
Planning on getting up at 5:30 tomorrow so my bed time should be 10:00 to make sure I get my full seven hours. I may even call bedtime an hour earlier if I feel sleepy and my son is ready for bed. Some days you can just tell everyone is exhausted, and going to sleep is the best answer to the tantrums and whining that can start to creep over the household at the end of the night.

Additional Notes - I decided to copy the Daily Tracker for the next 5 days so I am set up for success Monday through Friday. A small cheat sheet of the seven simple tasks for my purse and I am ready to face the work week.

1-02 Sunday Daily Plan, Day 2 - achieved all goals.

Day 1 of 31 Day Fitness Challenge

My Daily Plan for the next 31 days is as follows:
1) Start every morning with a glass of water
2) Eat real food.
3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.

Repeat every day - through January 31st. If I meet these goals I will treat myself to a massage at Sumbody Spa in Alameda, CA.

Today's Recap Saturday January 1, 2011
It is almost too perfect, I have been thinking about this for the past several weeks and today is the most amazing day to start. Today is the first day of the new year.

Here is how today went:
I woke up with no idea that today I would actually start my 31 day challenge
1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
I did start my day with a glass of water, but if I hadn't I could still drink a glass of water tonight and meet my goal. The reason I think it is good to start the day with water, is it is something physical you can do to send a sign that you are making deliberately good choices.

2) Eat real food.
I have eaten several real foods today including - peas, eggs, carrot, celery. I also had half a tuna sandwich on whole wheat toast and two small slices of pizza with ham and black olive. We ordered a medium pizza for the four of us. I had a large serving of veggies before I had my first slice of pizza and I had another large serving of veggies before my second slice.

3) Do 25 sit ups every day.
I hadn't done sit ups in a while, but I did just get down on the floor and do 25 of them. I could do this every day for the next 31 days. I have found that sit ups are great for controlling my appetite. When my abdominal muscles have been worked, I find that it is easier to say no to dessert. There is nothing I have ever read in any weight loss book to suggest there is any reason for that - sometimes I just chalk up things that make it easy to lose weight as a weird quirk in the way my mind works. These things may make me seem odd, but they are gifts and I don't question them.

4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for 20 minutes every day.
I have an apple computer, I turned on my iMovie program and recorded myself exercising with the kids for twenty minutes. The video recorder tracks the seconds. I had fun, and the kids liked jumping on the bed while mommy dancesd/walked around the room.

5) Eat 1 fruit every day.
I ate a granny smith apple. I wasn't going to, but I am recording my progress and I didn't want to pass on this one on day one. I couldn't get myself to bite into the apple, but I sliced it and put it in a cute japanese bowl. I set it to my left as I typed. The next thing I knew the bowl was empty. If you have a hard time getting excited about the idea of eating fruit and veggies, slice them, cube them, get them into snack size bites and put them in a great dish. Set them near where you are. We eat mindlessly so easily in our culture. Use this fact to your advantage and set yourself up for success.

6) Eat 4 vegetables every day.
I had zucchini, bean sprouts, green beans and sliced carrots with my dinner. I didn't use to eat veggies daily. That is one of the biggest changes I made that helped me lose 100 pounds (and counting).

7) Get at least seven of hours sleep every night.
I am setting my bed time at 8:30 pm so I can get plenty of rest tonight. This is a gift you can give yourself that you get to enjoy tomorrow. It is amazing how much easier the world is to manage when you've had a good nights sleep.
1-01 Saturday - Daily Plan, Day 1 - achieved all goals.

GETTING STARTED

1. Go pick your favorite glass from the cupboard, fill it with water, and drink at least one sip of it. The more beautiful the glass, the more you will enjoy this experience.

2. Grab a calendar or a piece of paper and be prepared to plot out the next 30 days. If you'd prefer to plot out the rest of the calendar month, that is fine too. It doesn't matter if you are part way into a month. The 30 Day Fitness Challenge isn't about following this for exactly 30 days. It is just a convenient way of thinking about more than a few weeks as part of a plan that has an end goal that will be achieved.

3. Stop and reflect for a moment. What is your current energy level at this moment? On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is "I can't lift a muscle" and 10 is "I can leap tall buildings in a single bound" what number are you at this moment.

4. Pick an activity that is in line with your current energy level.

1) Rest - close your eyes, unplug and unwind.
2) Stand
3) Step side to side
4) Lift your knee up and march slowly in place.
5) Walk around the room at a normal pace.
6) Walk a little faster.
7) Walk a little faster than that.
8) Lift a weight
9) Do 10 jumping jacks.
10) Run

What would happen at the end of the two minutes if you did this activity? If you were tired and you closed your eyes, maybe you're ready for a nap. Or, if you had a little energy, maybe you are feeling more awake and refreshed. Right now - instead of actually doing the activity - just imagine doing it. If you can't imagine doing it with a smile on your face pick something even easier.

5) For the next few minutes (pick an amount of time that sounds good to you - 1 minute, 20 minutes etc) do the activity above of your choice.

6) The next time you are hungry eat something you know is healthy. If you are feeling confused about what counts as healthy - let's start with just thinking about raw (unprocessed) fresh fruit or vegetable. If you aren't used to stocking these things in your house, then it is time to open a new chapter in your life. What is your favorite fruit or vegetable? Start with that and then add another.

7) You're done. Good job! Give yourself a gold star for the day and grab another sip of water.

Why Drink Water?
In Deepak Chopra's Perfect Weight I remember he described the image of drinking water like giving your internal organs a shower. That image of taking care of myself has helped me drink many glasses of water. I hadn't been a water drinker. I was a diet soda drinker for many years. Our bodies need water to help flush toxins from our bodies. Drinking water is one of the easiest things you can do when it comes to improving your ability to lose weight and feel better.

Daily Fitness Challenge
The only one size fits all plan I could honestly recommend is one that is made just for you, by you.

Take a calendar or a blank piece of paper and plan out the entire month.

There are millions of ways you could lay out your plan. For me, for this first (31 day) challenge, I am already midway through Saturday. It is 4:28 pm but it isn't too late to start.

You could make a different plan for every day - if you like variety. You could do a plan for weekdays and a different one for weekends.

I like the idea of having the same plan every day with the structure loose enough that I have variety.

Simple Daily Practices for Health and Happiness

Listed below are seven basic practices that are good for you.
They are easy to do and they can add up to make a big difference in your life.
Our problems with weight usually stem from our not doing these simple things.

1) Start every morning with a glass of water.
2) Eat real food.
3) Do (pick a number) sit ups every day.
4) Walk, move, step, march, dance etc for (pick a number) of minutes every day.
5) Eat (pick a number) fruit(s) every day.
6) Eat (pick a number) vegetable(s) every day.
7) Get at least (pick a number) of hours sleep every night.

You could spend hours trying to find the perfect number of any of the above.
If you haven't been exercising on a regular basis and you think you could manage to do 1 without feeling too overwhelmed, start with that.

Pick a number greater than zero that you know you can successfully achieve, and start tracking it.
Your first 30 day challenge begins today.

Track your process daily.
What kind of a reward would you like at the end of the 30 days? I would love a massage at Sumbody in Alameda, CA. If I do the following for 30 days I will treat myself to a 60 minute massage.

Note: It is better to have 25 out of 30 days of success, than 5 perfect days and then quit. Consider that if you quit you have 25 days of failure. Don't fall for the "all or nothing" trap. It only keeps you from moving forward toward a healthier happier you.

Fresh Start

I am working on a 30 day Fitness Challenge, but the holiday season is the busiest time of year, so it didn't come together in nice neat fashion.

That is ok, because I think with health and fitness -- it isn't about starting on January 1st and having a perfect year -- it is about making choices that you are happy with.

I have lots of ideas about what would make me happy in 2011. Treating each day as a fresh start in a calm relaxed way. Paying attention to the details without feeling hyper critical.

For breakfast this morning I had a cup of coffee with whole milk. I had homemade carrot and celery juice that Eric made on our lovely new juicer. I had bacon, scrambled eggs with peas and half a slice of whole wheat toast. I could go though my meal with a red pen like a school teacher. Cross out the toast, bacon, eggs, add more veggies replace the milk with soy milk... but really - it was lovely and even though bacon isn't at all on my good foods to eat for health list -- I do love the way it tastes, so I will eat it from time to time.

A fresh start doesn't need to happen in the form of a "perfect day". It can be about slowing down and making choices that you are happy with. The happiness can come from eating vegetables that are loaded with nutrients, or from something that just tastes great. This year's fresh start is about finding balance between both good things; becoming healthier and stronger and happier in little ways, every day.