health wise

Is there ups and downs in your blood sugar? Slow absorbing carbohydrates can help you manage blood sugar levels. The only "bad" food for you to eat is "too much food" that bad habit in itself is an invitation to the beginning of obesity. Good health results is a combination of efforts including being educationally informed, getting the proper amount of sleep, consuming nutritional food, continual moderate exercise, stress relief, relaxation, free time, enjoyment, laughter, taking vitamin and mineral supplements, keeping your mind alert by using it (mental exercise), and of course always have your yearly check up. Don't forget your spiritual growth! I allowed stress to overcome me this past week but it can be a killer. (Hang in there heart!) Stress can cause a heart attack, or can trigger a range of illnesses, from backache and headache, to gastrointestinal problems, and weaken the immune system. Bless you all. On a lighter note:

Children walk with God when they see real faith lived out.

ups&downs

I don't know which is worse, the ups and downs on the scale, or the ups and downs in life. They both can cause an early death. Now I hear it's better to be heavier. What happened to the on set of diabetes, heart diseases, and all of the other known health issues that arise from complications of obesity? I do know for sure the yo-yo syndrome is not good for the heart. I guess there is a distinction amongst "Phat" words. Heavy, fat, and obese, they all conjure up a negative image in my mind. I missed my weigh-in this week, I know I had a loss, I hope I can hold on to it for the next meeting. I missed posting yesterday, my (scale) of life has had a huge (gain) and the stress is taking its toll. All of a sudden getting healthier by losing weight is not a priority in my life at this time. The heart can only cope with so much. The Lord knows that and that is why He says come unto me all ye that are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. I don't know if this problem will be resolved to all's satisfaction or I will be at rest in a box. For nine days I could hardly eat or sleep and all of a sudden I'm at the other end of the spectrum. Oh, the sweet sound of going back to being balanced again!

Love is not a feeling, it is a decision!

speed eating

One of the reasons for speed eating is subsisting on a restricted calorie diet, coffee only for breakfast, and a vegetable-only salad for lunch. That much control may make you feel virtuous. The truth is you're not getting enough nutrients to make it through the day. By evening you've hit a wall. "You're starving!" Never allow yourself to go hungry. It has a rebound effect. The result is "speed eating" at dinnertime. That little setback can leave you feeling defeated and depressed. Maybe even given- in- more, and continue the frenzy saying I messed up today what's the difference, I'll get back on track tomorrow. But the cycle repeats itself again the next day. I messed up yesterday, I better eat less today. Hello, does that sound familiar? How about this one, "I was good all day, so I deserve to eat as much as I want for dinner."


P.S. I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; Perfection is God's business.

article

Milk isn't the only bone-building beverage: A beer may also help, say British doctors. It's a good source of silicon, a mineral that is thought to stimulate collagen production, a building block in bone formation. In a preliminary study, doctors looked at 2,847 people from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study and found that men and premenopausal women who consumed the most silicon- about 40 mg a day- had the highest bone mineral density, a measure of bone health.

Silicon is rarely listed on nutrition labels, so it's hard to tell how much we consume, says study author Jonathan Powell, a nutrition researcher at St. Thomas's Hospital in London. A 120z. beer has about 7 mg of silicon.

This news is no reason to start or increase drinking, because excess alcohol consumption raises other health risks, including osteoporosis itself. Your healthier options are to eat plenty of dates, mangos, melons, spinach, and apples. Some bottled mineral waters are also good sources of silicon. R.D.

growling stomach

There are a few things that make my stomach growl. Lactose intolerance is the main culprit that growls in stereo. Irregularity blabs it to the world with moans and groans. Fizzy sodas and gas producing foods all have a noise or two to sound off. I saved the best for last. I don't hear it often but it is a welcome noise, I am not ashamed, when it yells feed me. That means I certainly did not overeat that day. It's like hearing the caching on a Vegas pay off bandit. I know I will be reaping a reward the next day on the scale. Maybe now I will have another loss this next weigh-in and chalk it up to two in a row. There is a drawback to the surprising growl while in bed tonight. I was too preoccupied since yesterday to sleep or eat. I don't mind if I forget or don't have the will to eat but I don't like being unable to fall asleep. Why I'm the one who has a bad case of "Hyper- somina Sleep Apnea." I guess there is somethng wrong going on in my life these last couple of days. The last time I couldn't sleep at night was six years ago. I don't even care to think about a nice Easter dinner at this particular time. My salavating glands are on vacation. Well I shouldn't inflict upon the public my drab feelings of being numb all over.

This older guy was out to impress his date by taking her to an up scaled restaurant. He did not see people waiting on benches in the lobby and assumed he had it made and they would be eating shortly. The attendant greeted them and asked him if he had reservations. He answered, in reply by saying we have no reservations, we'll eat what ever you have.

Wishing you all a Blessed and Happy Easter just incase I don't make a post tomorrow!!!

maker

Between 12 to 3 pm today on Good Friday is a time for me to reflect on my maker. "HIS PAIN IS MY GAIN"

I repent and am sorry but thankful.

How to find joy? Keep.....

J - Jesus First

O - Others Second

Y - Yourself Last

Amen! I am not ashamed of the Gospel or His name.

This posting is my Freedom Of Speech right.

hooray

Last week was a 12# gain, this week was a 10.75# loss. I'm back on my water pills again without taking the supposed Potassium prescription along with it. After a whole week the doctor has not called in the scrip yet. So it was a water loss and I am still 1 3/4 up but, it makes me feel more confident to try harder and hold on to my four month old resolution. Now when I see no cheese danish in the coffee room instead of feeling disappointed I feel relieved. I'm sure when someone is having Easter dinner in the family we will be having ham, which I like very much, but packs on the water retention. This "chocolaholic" will be bombarded with the good tasting bad stuff everywhere I go this weekend. I only hope that I take small portions at each opportunity to indulge in decadency! (No lectures please, I'm not as strong as you are.) I did do 55 minutes in the weight room yesterday. My house is almost emptied of the enormous amount of simple carbohydrates. I want to be obedient, didn't you say Lord "deny the flesh." Give me the strength!

java/coffee

Okay now the sceintists say coffee is good for you. I wish they'd make up their minds. It may have its benefits but remember too much of it has draw backs and addiction to caffiene is possible.

* The antioxidants in your morning coffee may improve insulin's ability to do its job. More research is needed to determine why coffee does this, so for now, , keep to one or two cups daily.

*In moderation, caffeine may actually do your diet some good by boosting metabolism and helping to burn more body fat-even while you're eating. Five minutes after you down a caffeinated drink, your body starts to react: blood vessels dilae, the pulse rate quickens and your metabolism undergoes a meteoric rise. Suddenly, you're alert, energetic, focused-and you'll probably stay that way for several hours.

* Caffeine starves off hunger, which is why it's an ingredient in many diet pills. Dieters who have just one cup of coffee with beakfast or lunch will boost their metabolic rate by 25 to 30 percent for three to four hours.

* Caffeine appears to protect brain cells from the damage that leads to Parkinson's disease. In a study thoes who had up to six cups a day were five times less likely to develope Parkinson's.

* Other studies found that people who imbibed four to five cups daily cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%.

* There is a compound in coffee that appears to protect against colon cancer.

* The caffeine in a cup of coffee can increase alertness and improve performance on tests of mental function.

* Coffee drinkers had slightly higher blood pressure, but weren't at greater risk of developing hypertension. A cup a day protects against heart disease- but not for heavy drinkers.

Don't forget there are pros and cons to everything. When in doubt always check with your physician. I always say it's better to be safe than sorry. Some destructive habits can't be reversed. Bottoms up, good to the last drop!

good start

I'm off to a good start 8:00 am this morning. I passed the weight room up and heard some loud dance music. Like a magnet I was drawn back to the doorway and entered in without thinking. I only did 30 minutes but something is always better than nothing. I next went to the coffee room and my usual cheese danish was either gone or not available. That little delay saved me unnecessary empty calories. I offered to volunteer for 3.5 hours to keep myself away from the lunch room. Tonight is the dreaded weigh-in. Thinking about it gives me shivers of another 12 pound gain like last week. This time I took my water pills but I've noticed my shins are still puffy with water retention. I wonder if they need to be stronger. Funny how, when you ask yourself a question your conscience answers you back. Alright already! I heard you, cut back on as much salt as possible if you want results. I feel energized from the early exercising. Why don't I continue with that beginning of the day instead of my java and a danish or two? Don't answer that conscience, I don't really want to stay fat. My diet dilemma and battle is mostly within my mind. What a revelation!

blame

Who can I blame now for my fat cells? Let me count the reasons for me being off of the normal weight chart: it's in my DNA geans obesity runs in my family, I'm big boned, my mother over fed me, I have a slow metabolism, diets just don't work for me, I'm boarderline Diabetic and have to eat every three hours, I'm insulin resistant and have a hard time with white carbs they don't burn they get stored, everyone keeps pushing food on me and taking me out to eat, I'm older now and I am getting the middle age spread much later, all of the pains in my body keeps me from moving around so I am sedentary, and I don't have time to take care of myself. Snap out of it! Tell it like it is. You eat the wrong kinds of food, portions are out of control, eat too often, move around too little, when exercising you do the bare minimum, you don't know how to say no, you think it's too late to change, and the amount that needs to be taken off will take forever and your time is getting shorter. Now that all sounds a little more believable!

Bright colors, such as red, yellow and orange, may make people hungry, according to current research. Experts recommend that people decorate their kitchens and dinning rooms in muted tones, such as blue and light brown. by Johns Hopkins Health , Weight and Stress Clinic.

caffeine

You know you shouldn't have too much caffeine, since it can cause anxiety and insomnia. What you probably didn't know: Some foods pack a caffeine wallop nearly the size of your morning java jolt (a cup of coffee has about 80 mg. of caffeine). Food manufacturers aren't required to list the amount of caffeine in a product, so many people are in the dark. There are no government guidelines on how much we can safely consume, but the American Dietetic Association says 200 to 300 mg. a day is okay for most adults. (In Canada, the recommendation is a maximum of 85 mg. for kids.) Surprising sources of the stimulant: SODA A can of cola has about 40mg., while Mountain Dew has 55.5, Sunkist orange soda has 41 mg., and A&W cream soda has 29 mg.. YOGURT Dannon coffee yogurt has 36mg.. ICE TEA A bottle of Snapple MintTea contains 42 mg., Lipton Iced Tea has about 30 mg. per bottle. WATER A bottle of glaceau vitaminwater Energy has 42 mg.. RD

I love coffee, Dr. Pepper, and chocolate but I try to keep them off of my shopping list. Not only do I like the tastes but I can always use the energy. At one time in my life I was addicted to caffeine. It was like a drug and when addicted to caffeine you go through withdrawal symptoms. Anytime I give in and have just a little, the cravings strongly come back, headaches, and worst of all the sleepiness is compelling and my energy level is stuck on lethargic. I am a little reluctant to try more than one serving. I get the same kind of scared feeling when my old nicotine craving crosses my mind or I get the urge to have one drink of alcohol. If only my food addiction could also be curbed. Life surely is a constant vigil.

food alert

I don't know how it all came about but I feel overwhelmed with a stock pile of unwanted food in the house. I seem to have violated my own no-fail environment. I don't have all the sugar laden items I use to buy before but there is too many simple carbohydrates in every corner of my food areas. I'm insulin resistant and should stay away from eating too many of the wrong carbs. The last time I went on a low carb diet, it worked fairly well for me. I would like to try it again but don't know what to do with all of the food I have that would sabotage my efforts. I guess I'll start packing up the items in bags and drop them off at church. I will have to throw away any containers already opened. I actually dislike throwing food away. That drawback comes from being hungry too many times when I was younger. (Gosh that reminds me, I was suppose to continue writing about my childhood in the entry of 3/12 "overeating.") Back to my next diet attempt. I know diets per se are only a temporary fix but I need the jump start my battery, is low. I should also find some kind of measuring chart to put in view on this site so that I can't hide my gains any more. Time to be accountable in view. I'll be buying some time by chart searching, anything to procrastinate. Please help me find a graph, thanks!

workouts& meds

While most drugs won't affect your workout, some can make you drowsy or uncoordinated:

COLD MEDICINES - decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, can boost heart rate and blood pressure, antihistamines such as Benadryl, can be sedating, causing fatigue and poor performance, (try a topical nose spray, or less-sedating Zyrtec or Claritin).

ANTIANXIETY MEDICATIONS - Valium, Xanax and others may sap energy and slow reaction time, leading to injury, (take medication before bedtime, not before your workout, talk to your doctor about lowering your dose or switching to a shorter-acting drug, such as Ativan or Serax).

ANTIDEPRESSANTS - Tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil may reduce blood pressure and cause lightheadedness, drowsiness or poor coordination, (take medication before bedtime, not before your workout, ask your doctor if you can take a lower dose, drink more water as symptoms are aggravated by fluid loss, sweating).

ANTIBIOTICS - Cipro, Amoxicillin and other antibiotics may upset the stomach or cause sunburn, (take medication after exercise or at least two hours prior, also wear sunscreen if exercising outdoors).

DIURETICS - Lasix, Dyazide and other drugs that lower blood pressure dehydrate you, this leads to overheating, headaches, muscle cramps and heart rhythm disturbances, ( drink plenty of fluids and eat potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, orange juice and raisins, ask your doctor about switching to a calcium-channel blocker).

Disclaimer_ always check with your doctor no matter what you read or where you read it from. Never change your meds on your own. There are pros and cons for everything you ever read. Even if you have been exercising before with these medications and felt no symptoms, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Have a safe productive workout.

SHALOM...have a Blessed PASSOVER and a prosperous year!

old journals

Here are some random notes from one of my many many journals, word salad if you please! In 11/02 I was 303 pounds. Losing weight is a journey, not a destination, and I will enjoy the process. It takes 21 days to ingrain a habit be it good or bad. Commit to changing the stinkin' thinkin' that interferes with you getting well, losing weight, gaining strength, and having control. If I really want to, I can do this for myself, without anyone stopping me or coming first. Diets don't work forever. Try instead to use; behavior modification, life style changes, being nutritionally informed, using substitution, liking who you are, and simply eating, breathing, and moving, make the change and be consistent. Matt.5:6 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after rightness; for they shall be filled." [Spititual food should come first!] ( This bottomless pit needs to eat the right foods also.) Don't wait for motivation, motivation is in the doing. Make a couple of lists of exactly what you want, understanding why you want it, what emotions play a part in your eating habits, who or what situations set you up for instant failure, list small goals, and allow yourself to be human with making errors and overcoming small set backs. List the good habits that you know that will give you what you want to accomplish. When you hit a plateau or a rut, find something new to do to go to another level of effort. Knowledge is power! Never feel >feckless< , weak, worthless, or incompetent, it will eat away at your strength and put a damper on your spirit !!! Looking forward to seeing you again.

burn fat

Eating eggs regularly may help speed fat burn, according to Donald K. Layman, Ph.D, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The key: lecucine, a metabolism-regulating amino acid that helped study participants who had eggs or other leucine-rich foods (such as low-fat dairy and lean meats) for breakfast lose more fat and less fat-burning lean muscle than those who ate a carb-rich A.M. meal.

We will not be talking much about the weigh-in last night. I'm on my way to the weight room. I will say I gained 12 pounds in one week. They kept saying that can't be right, get weighed again! I made a lot of mistakes last week and this does not surprise me, although, I didn't take my water pills every day. I tried to wet an envelope with my index finger and couldn't come up with one drop of saliva over and over again. The water pills are depleting my saliva to the point where I need water when I want to swallow food. HOLD ON TO YOUR HOPE AND NOTHING WILL DEFEAT YOU.

eat less

If you eat protein for lunch, you'll eat less at dinner. A study at Yale found that women who ate a high-protein lunch consumed 31 percent fewer calories at dinner compared to those who ate a high-carbohydrate lunch. Researchers speculate that the extra protein triggers an increase in cholecystokinin, a hormone that curbs appetite, and also raises your levels of glucagon, another hormone that decreases the desire for food.

Since I already have that weight gain to face up to at the weigh-in tonight, I am going to eat breakfast and lunch. What's the sense in even exercising at the weight room? I waited until the last 45 minutes before the bus came and decided to stop in for a minute or so. I know I like moving to the music, why didn't I go there this morning? Now I only have a little over a half of an hour to work out. I love how it makes me feel after I leave that room. My step counter only registered a count of a mere 2,900 steps. My voluntary work today encountered a lot of sitting. My tally count for good habits was only five. That's okay with me at least I am far away from the zeros I use to get for doing nothing at all towards a more healthier life style. Every little bit of effort is an improvement.

One more thing I must get off of my chest. I am truly disgusted with the internet services and computers. They reveal many mistakes and don't take commands to my satisfaction. At the center in the computer room I decided to enter in my blog for today. When I clicked on compose, yesterday's entry came up in the suppose empty box. It read are you sure you you want to leave unsaved changes? It was already posted yesterday and even had a comment. I could not post a new entry. I tried for over an hour. I always thought it was my computer, provider, or my server that wasn't meeting my needs. My site meter has been wacko for over two months. One more rant, I had a long poem from Donna said posted 2/25 and blah blah blah and I noticed the other day it was gone, on that also was a comment from somebody who really liked how I worded it. How do things just disappear off of the screen when I'm not on it or around?

gain

The scale in the weight room registered a five pound gain this morning. I'm not going to wonder why. Saturday evening I ate a whole pound cake by myself, one pound of butter and one pound of sugar. That certainly warrants the five pound gain. Everytime I talk about the good efforts I put forth, I receive comments about how committed I am. Those pats on the back always makes me too confident and I let my guard down and I tell myself you deserve to cheat. After all, an extra workout will balance it out. Then, something comes up and I never make it to the weight room. Feeling guilty is a real damper on motivation. Being put on the spot and pressured and feeling overwhelmed doesn't make things any easier. I received a really cute and dressy jersey for my birthday. Now I have a perfect top for a wedding in three months. The draw back is the size is way too small. It will take about a 60-70 pounds loss to fit in it comfortably. I can't lose that much weight in such a short time! I keep telling people not to buy me clothes, but no one listens, every single year, and every holiday. I guess you can tell I'm not in a good mood, there are times I don't like myself. When that happens, I can't muster up motivation or energy for much of anything. No big deal, tomorrow is another day, another chance is always close at hand, of course, unless the over weight takes its toll.

misc.

FACT: One of the disease protective effects found in fruits and vegetables are antioxidants, which include specific vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that protect cells from oxidative damage by free radicals. Phytochemicals reduce the risk of cancer by blocking or suppressing agents that cause cancer, and reduce the risk of heart disease by shielding LDL, cholesterol from oxidation and decreasing cholesterol synthesis and absorption.

JOKE: You know it is time for a diet when you notice the left side of your compact car seems to bottom out a lot.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have of trying to change others.


Did you get caught by anyone trying to play an April Fool on you? I tried twice to fool someone on the telephone and they both acted as if it what I said happened was no big deal. Can't I do anything right? I told my daughter I was mad at her for not showing up at the early soccer game Saturday when I had to wait for her in the rain, why didn't you call me about the cancellation? I thought I was using a mean voice. She said they played on the wet grass and didn't see me there. I sure felt bad, I never went for my granddaughter's game, I thought it would be called due to the rain. My daughter tells me she knew by my tone I really wasn't mad. Then I called the leader of my weigh-in club and told her I spilled red Kool-Ade all over my weight recorder's recorders and I had no more new forms to replace them. She said how many pages were ruined? When I said "April Fool," she replied I knew you were kidding because you would have been crying if that really happened. I'm not a cry baby?

diet steps

THE JOURNEY IS ONE DAY AT A TIME AND ONE STEP AT A TIME:
1. Be patient with yourself.
2. Take it one meal at a time, one day at a time.
3. Plan ahead, anticipate "down " times, prepare healthy and satisfying snacks.
4. Keep busy. Find new hobbies and things to do instead of eating.
5. Remember, you are in charge. You've made the choice to lose weight. You are choosing what to eat.
6. Never skip meals.
7. Review the evidence. Check your copies of your weekly menus to see what choices give you a good weight loss.
8. Don't be obsessed by the scale. Some weeks you won't lose, but you will have made great attitude and behavior changes.
9. Reward yourself often for behavior changes (not with food).
10. Don't be a diet bore. Enjoy life.
11. Smarten up. Take time to do something for yourself every day.
12. Place a 1-pound can of solid vegetable shortening where you can see it. It will remind you of what one pound of fat looks like. You won't want that on your body again!
DAILY REAFFIRM YOURSELF WITH ACCLAMATIONS:
1. I am a valuable person to ME.
2. I can do this if I really want to.
3. I do not want to be unhealthy.
4. I DO WANT TO BE IN CONTROL!