SouthBeach Diet Week 5

I am looking back over another week.  I wish I could say I am farther along than I am, but I have to remember my ultimate goal is long term and not immediate (although immediate would be very nice).  My scale was bouncing around the 216lbs – 217lbs mark.  Starting out five weeks ago at 230+lbs, I am down at least 14.  Just about 3 lbs a week.  If I keep up 2 lbs a week or 8 lbs a month, that will have me arriving at my goal of 178lbs sometime around June or July.  It is worth the battle. 

This week more than others I found myself focusing on the things I shouldn’t have, like excessive beer, chips and salsa, lots of bread, diet pop, quick easy food.  The interesting thing about it, was I wasn’t craving them, I was just aware of the fact that I should be careful of them.  My wife made split pea soup, and my son made refried pinto beans (without refrying them).  These were both very good, but I recognized from SouthBeach, that the cooking process would send it right to the blood stream as they are easy to digest.  I have figured out how to use spices like fresh Rosemary, Basil, etc…. and various peppers, to make vegetables and other foods taste great.  The biggest challenge for me is making the time to eat healthy.  I would much rather do something quick and easy, or eat a candy bar instead of nuts or a cheese stick.  So I have to think ahead.  I have to make my salad for lunch when I make breakfast.  I’d rather not, but as I get into the habit, it is becoming easier.

The other habit that is becoming easier is that of getting exercise.  I have been getting to the gym around 5:30am and actually have started enjoying it.  I can watch the news, listen to music, and when I get home, I feel good about myself and what I am doing.  I am averaging 5 days a week, and lifting weights on three of those days.  So maybe part of my slow weight loss is due to the fact that I am adding muscle while losing fat.

I am still pudgy around the middle, saggy in other areas, but I did notice, the love handles are much smaller.  I may start taking pictures again like I did a few years back when I started this blog, as a way of showing myself the visible progress I am making.  The hard part is that the changes never happen as quickly as I would like.  Here is to continuing the Battle, despite its slow pace.  Good luck to you.

Do You Know Your BMI and How it Relates to Health and Fitness?

Simply put, BMI stands for Body Mass Index.  Looking at my body change over the years I can see I definitely have some body mass, but is that a bad thing. The Center for Disease Control feels it is a good assessment tool for identifying obesity and overweight issues the population.  Many others use it as a screening tool to help in identifying potential health and weight issues.

Some of those issues that tend to be related to obesity are diabetes, cardiac issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and health issues related to each of these issues. It is generally excepted that those who are in a healthy weight range generally suffer from less of these health issues.

BMI is broken down into a variety of categories:

• 18.5 and below, you are considered underweight
• 18.5 to 24.9, you are in the coveted normal range
• 25.0 to 29.9, welcome to being overweight and the start of some of the health issues associated with being overweight
• 30 and above, you are considered obese

Obviously we all want to be in the normal range when it comes to our personal weight.  Finding out what is normal for you is a simple as typing BMI into the Google Search Engine.  You will be asked for your weight, height, sex and age.  I am 5’11 and today I am 219lbs (that is down from 230lbs three weeks ago), male and 46 years old.  For someone my height the scale looks like the following:

• 131.9 lbs is underweight
• 132 – 178.6 lbs falls into the normal range
• 178.7 – 215.1 lbs your in the overweight range
• 215.2 and above is considered obesity

Today at 5’11 and 219 lbs I am considered to be obese.  In my last doctors visit I was put on High Blood Pressure Medication, told my Cholesterol was high, and after labs it was determined that I am pre diabetic.  The advice from the doctor, get on blood pressure medication, and lose weight.  I have four pounds to go until I move from being obese, to overweight.  Sounds weird to think I will be celebrating becoming overweight, but when it is moving in the right direction that is something to celebrate.  Obviously it will take a while longer, but the real party will take place the day I hit 178 lbs and drop into the ranks of normal.  At that time I will schedule another Doctors appointment to see what impact it has made on my overall health and well being.  Until than I will be battling on to live a more healthy lifestyle in every aspect of my life

Back on Track Week #3 of South Beach Diet

I like to keep people updated on my progress towards becoming healthy.  It is more for me than it is for you, but if it encourages you in some way than great.  If anything becoming a healthier person is a long term process.  Believe me I am looking for a short cut, but they are hard to find, and few between.

As I mentioned a few weeks back, after a year of focusing on other areas of my life (they do play into being healthier emotionally, mentally, and being a basic peace with myself) I am again focusing on becoming physically healthy.  After getting down to 204lbs almost three years ago, I started on December 19, 2009 at 230lbs.  I was feeling pretty down about me. putting on shoes was getting tougher, didn’t like how I was looking, and the worst was a few weeks earlier a little kid was hanging around where we worked and wanted to pat my belly.  Right then and there I new something needed to give.  So on the 19th, Christmas week, I launch the third attempt at losing weight and becoming my physically fit.  I have always been able to drop weight pretty quickly with South Beach, and it fits me, so I dusted off the book and put it back into action.  I stayed on track through Christmas and in the first week, with working out at 5 am, I lost 10 pounds.  I know, lots of it water weight, etc… but for me it was progress.  Than the week following Christmas I got sick.  For me being sick is about trying to feel comfortable, and eating has always helped me feel more comfortable.  Along with my son’s 21st birthday, a New Years Party at our house, and not feeling great, I jumped back up to 227.  Discouraged, bummed, angry, I decided to keep at it.

Today, January 7, 2010, I am back down to 221.  So in three weeks I have dropped 9 pounds.  I should be happy with that.  I am exercising 45 minutes 5 times a week, eating right foods again, and taking my health into my own hands rather than playing the victim and letting life dictate my way of living.  I encourage you to join me in trying to figure out this thing called healthy living.  Bring on week #4.

Balanced Living is Healthy Living

Two nights ago I came home from work exhausted. It had been a long day of meetings, trying to cast vision for the new year, getting departments on board with budgets, a few employee disciplinary issues, all the stuff that takes its toll mentally and emotionally. I had gotten up at 5am to work out, so dinner and the TV sounded really good. What was funny was earlier in the day i was thinking about who two dimensional my life was becoming. Working out and work, working out and work. I was trying to figure out how to build on my relationships with my wife and kids, and with the few friends that I have. All of the sudden the phone rang. My boss had a few extra tickets to the Blazer game that night. My first thought was how tired I was, how this would interrupt my plan for getting mentally ready for the next day via the TV, and then I thought about balance. I quick said yes and tracked down my two boys who where more than willing to drop homework to go to the game.

Blazers lost, but I won. I got to spend time with my boys, We got to enjoy a change of pace, a break from the normal routine, and I got to work on developing my relationship with my boss. The next morning I jumped up at 5 am rather than dragged out excited about the day, not feeling like I am stuck in a rut. Through this and other stories like this I am learning that a balanced life is more important to healthy living than I ever imagined. When I am balanced stress seems to have natural release points whether on the treadmill, through discussions with friends, or the escape of a basketball game. Spending time with those who are important to you keeps those relationships from becoming things that hinder you, and rather puts them into a p;ace of enriching your life. And, balanced living is just fun.

I am trying to find more and more ways to break up my day with things that bring balance. Life doesn’t have to be just about work and working out. It can be about fulfillment, joy and peace. Here’s to finding balance in our lives.

A Change in Focus

Sitting at home tonight I began to reflect upon my day. My work as a nursing home administrator puts me in many meeting, talking with many residents and families, dealing with staff, planning, problem solving, etc… Tonight however, I am not thinking about those things, rather a conversation I had today. In the discussion my friend was describing his overcoming an issue. When I asked what he thought was the reason for it going well he simply said, “I had to stop thinking about what I could no longer do and instead start thinking about living.” How simple and how profound at the same time.

Rather than thinking about all the foods I can no longer eat, I can focus on the things I am able to do as I continue to lose weight. Instead of thinking about having to stop sleeping in, I can instead focus on experiencing life in new ways (running, going to the gym, riding a bike, etc…) I might stop thinking about all I am giving up and instead start focusing on all that I will be gaining.

The battle is tough enough, but a simple change in thinking may make all the difference. It seems logical that we pursue the things we are focused on. If I focus on what I can’t have, or do, I am setting myself up for failure. Instead focusing on the outcome, the finished product, the end goal, I am more likely to get there. Learn from my friend and stop thinking about what you can no longer do, and instead start thinking about living right. Still fighting the battle.

Sparkpeople.com

We all need a little help sometimes when it comes to staying on track with our goals of diet, exercise and weight lose. I have tried for years to do it on my own and have not had the success I would like. My wife has encouraged me to join weight watchers or some other group, believing that the social environment and accountability would be a big plus for me. Off course the big minus is they cost. Then along comes http://Sparkpeople.com. This website puts all the tools at your finger tips. There are meal trackers that will even print out the weekly grocery list. There are workout programs. There are specialty groups. Are you a mom of teens, do you have high blood pressure. Do you skip breakfast. There are others out there to connect with. Community is a big part of the program.

The fact that it is free made me a bit skeptical, but as I wondered through the pages I was not asked to pull out my credit card once. I can have my own blog on the sight, I can share my success and failure on line, and get encouragement to push on. It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but for free it is an awesome site. Take a quick look and tell me what you think. To bad I can’t just push a button and have the weight disappear.

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Taking It a Day at a Time

This afternoon I was sitting around the house trying to figure out how to use my time. Typically on a Sunday I would turn on the TV, grab some chips out of the cupboard, some salsa, and settle in on the couch. However, today I was thinking that I need to start changing the way I look at my time. After all, lately as I look in the mirror I am not liking what I see. I got that way by grabbing the chips and salsa, turning on the TV, and taking my place on the couch. Today would be different, it would be a chance for me to do it right. To do something that would make a difference. Maybe I won”t feel any better today, but a year, five years, maybe ten years from now, I will be glad I broke the cycle and did something different with my Sunday afternoon. Here’s to getting older. How did you spend your Sunday???