Losing it during Transitions

I am in transition and ready to move to some "next level" of my life.  Moving from "losing it" to "using it."  Yesterday I stepped on the scales and saw for the first time a number that pushes my weight loss to 60 lbs.

Over the summer the first 50 lbs fell off relatively easily.  I could walk twice a day, get out and go do something when I felt like I was going to eat every thing in the kitchen... all the freedom that summer brings to an educator. I was talking to a teacher this week and she said, "I feel like I am a different person when school is in session." Educators take on a responsibility that is only known to other educators.  The responsibility and the public service aspects of the job are not without their toll.

The  important emotional aspect of this new lifestyle of "healthy presence of mind" is being slammed on a fairly regular basis.  This week was no exception..   I always judge my weeks by the big 10: fire trucks, police cars, social workers, more than 5 meetings, phone calls from the district, angry parents, fights on the playground, rain, novel events, and accidents on campus.  This was a very big week... we hit 8 of the big 10.

My job is high stress.. but  "If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere" - Frank Clark

I admit on Tuesday, I was literally "dizzy" from the stress of the job, but the rewards stack up much higher.  Visits from kids meeting their goals for a trip to the prize box, hugs, visiting camp to see the faces of triumphant 5th graders who made the whole day hike and got to hold a snake, the closed doors chats with community members in need of support and assurances, hugs, a visit to the middle school where our kids go and seeing them in a truly wonderful setting, and a nice long ride with a wonderfully gifted teacher...In all,  too many rewards to list.

Any one can dwell on the stress and pain of life, or take the very wonderful moments that are a part of every week, every day, every moment and grab a healthy state of mind .  This week I breathed mountain air, and walked through ancient trees.  I got to see the cutest little mouse on the Wildcat Loop.  Spring flowers and showers completed an overall victorious week.

I can define my life by victories, steps clocked, hugs and smiles or by the stress, aches and pains.  I choose to walk on and try to find the  wonder that rests in the quiet moments asking to be discovered and relished.

Losing During a Tizzy

My sweetie has been in a bad mood .. for about 12 years, but particularly so this last month..  It was his birthday at the end of January,  so maybe it's midlife crisis..  In this I discovered that grumpy people make me want to eat chocolate.  Do you think there is some kind of chemical reason for this?  My job is mostly stress, so it's not just stress.  It's grumpy people mixed with stress.. Prescription: Chocolate.

A friend at work announced that she was going to retire.  I was shocked, thinking she had as many years as me to wait.  She talked to the retirement folks and found that she was about 3 bucks off what she needed.. so she signed up. People leaving mixed with stress.... Prescription: Chocolate 

Maybe there is some other flavor that will make me say, "It's ok...breathe"  Hiking seems to do it.. but it's not as accessible as chocolate.  When I find a better remedy.. I'll post it.. in the meantime.. a small square of chocolate is a great little pill .. when the trail is just not in the cards.

Losing while missing loved ones..

Today would have been my dad's 93rd birthday, but he died at 54. This family tree link gives his birthday as 2/11/1919, my sister can join in here, but I thought he shared a birthday with Lincoln and my niece, Marla on the 12th. Samuel Joseph Mayeux died after existing in a coma for the better part of the last year of his life.  Diabetes took his life.  He died from injuries incurred from an accident we believe to be brought about during his diabetic blackout, resulting in serious brain injury that brought about his coma, the serious injury of another man, and one man dying on impact.

Type 2 diabetes runs in families.... but it doesn't have to.   Diabetes is not etched in stone, it's determined by genes AND lifestyle choices. If my family had spent more of the times that most resonate in my mind.. fishing, hiking, camping, swimming, my dad might have at least met my kids. We can and must change the way we eat, and the way we live, so that our children don't have to worry about diabetes and heart issues in their 50's.  Eat less, do more that's the formula to insure that you can spend more time with grandbabies.

I hope to leave memories of activities with my grandkids.. fun things to do while Gramma visits.  Until this year, that was not the track my life was on...  Now, I look forward to hikes with my kids' kids and a few memories to strengthen their love for the outdoors and an active lifestyle.  

It would not do my dad justice to leave it at this.  He taught us to love the written word, to "go look it up" when we had questions, to experiment in the kitchen and the garden... While he could be heavy handed when we stepped out of line, we never doubted his unconditional love. When he called me "Baby girl" it was always with a soft heart. Not a day passes that something in my life brings him to mind.. 

When I work with kids and parents at school, I often invoke "things my daddy said"... Favorite quote "If you fail to work with your head, you will have to work with your back." 

That lesson I learned when I was suspended from school, and he had me plow with a hand plow a few rows by the ditch in our back yard... I learned to use my head, and not get caught the next time.. :) .. Love you, Daddy

Keeping on Losing It

I don't believe in plateaus when it comes to weight loss.  There have been a number of studies that found that people who say they have plateaued have most likely increased their calorie input and decreased their activity.  It's just the upkeep of losing it.  Keeping ON loosing it, and keeping on track.  Eat enough less, do enough more.. lose weight.  It's just like 2+3= 5.

Follow through, now there's the rub.  My Big Hairy Goal for the holiday was not to gain anything.  My daily goals were being active and avoiding sugar, and I had mixed success.  On activity, I did well, but food.. not so much.  I did manage not to self sabotage by not baking or making candy, which I normally do during the holidays.

Now it's January 15th and I am back on track.  This week I lost a pound and a half, and I managed to avoid stress eating all week and all weekend.  Even though my boys got trounced by the Niners.  It could have been worse, the Niners are my second favorite team and it puts me rooting for the same team as most of my California friends and family.  I did have to take two walks to finally calm down.  It feels good to be back on track.

Here are some tips that worked for me: 

Start to measure your food again, if you've stopped: Finding and grabbing the right measuring cup, cleaning it up and putting it back where it belongs gets to be old, fast.  At some point, I decided "I know what 1/2 a cup looks like. Right away, I started measuring wine, because even an extra oz can really add up fast.  Then a week into my "get serious, girl" campaign, I poured the 1/2 cup of milk I've been steaming each morning for my coffee, and thought... I haven't measured that for a while.  I got out the measuring cup, and realized that it was 3/4 cup ... 92 calories instead of 61 or 217 more calories than I had booked. Combine that with all the other little "measured" items and it is a lot of daily calories, add that to days of just barely making the goal, or going slightly over, and clearly there are more days that I am WAY over my plan than not.

Kick up your activity level: It's a new year and a new you, kick it up.  Add one thing to your "activity" routine.  For me, something that was simple was to add to my daily steps goal from 10,000 to 11,000.  That goal has encouraged me to stretch out my treadmill time, do some step routines while watching the Saints play so hard and lose (not that I'm bitter), find a new trail... something you like.  Just add it in.

I've been reading this book, Younger Next Year for Women: Live Strong Fit and Sexy - Until Your 80 and Beyond. by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge.  It's an easy read, and has some great information.  They speak of the "reptilian brain" the one that determines if we are growing or decaying.  This is the "hunter gatherer" part of the brain, and if we are not moving, this part of the brain believes that there is a famine, since we are not "hunting or gathering."  By being active, we tell this part of the brain, that there is reason to grow and not decay as rapidly.  Of course, we will continue to age and get wrinkled, but we can FEEL better.  Being 50 or above, is no reason to "accept" decay of the bones and muscles.

Muscle matters: Over the holidays Dr. Oz became my new BFF.  I love using pseudo-science to show "how it works" and I can tape it and fast forward through the eye rolling tedious things.  There was this great "Kick up your metabolism" show, and one thing that stuck with me was that if you build muscles your metabolism runs faster.  As you know, unless you live under a rock, the older you get the slower your metabolism gets...which is a good thing, because you really don't want your cells to die any faster than they already are... right?

The guest was Chris Powell, fitness guru to the stars, apparently.  The article linked explains why your gluts and thighs are key to burning extra calories.  So, for me that equaled increasing the weight for those muscles and squats....whenever I have a few minutes alone, I squat or sit on a wall.  It must be working because my butt hurts.

Avoid Pitfalls: We all have them, and I eat something on weekends that I don't eat during the work week.  Of course, being off for two weeks I had two weeks of weekend lunches and breakfasts and became reacquainted with foods I had given up.  Like chips, which I had replaced with carrots.   So, 8 baby carrots in the lunch bag, and an apple, and a cutie orange or two.. still about the same calories as the little 12 chips that equaled 150 calories.

The most glaring difference is breakfast.  On a typical weekend breakfast I have granola, and fruit with yogurt, between 390 and 450 calories.  On weekdays I have 2/3 cup of regular oatmeal and 5 slices of banana for sweetener with my coffee for breakfast, which is closer to 250 calories.  Or 1000 calories a week less!! Clearly a better choice.  I LOVE my granola with Chobani breakfast, but saving it for the weekend is clearly a better choice.  I do opt for the granola Chobani for lunch sometimes... and eat the fruit on either side as a snack.

Get Right: Self talk continues to matter and reaching those little daily goals matter.  Simply saying, "I am not going to eat more than 2 Dove chocolates tonight."  and doing it, gives that little boost of confidence that helps me to walk past the Ghirardelli mint bar in the office.  One little victory can lead to the next...

Track It: There are a LOT of online sites that have calculators that can use your age, height, sex and weight to determine your daily requirements to maintain, or lose weight.. I use Lose It.. and love the community feel of the site. It has great apps that sync up quickly and allow you to track as you go.  It also gives you a plan that matches your goal for weight loss. The draw back is I have to find a number of my foods elsewhere, so I have My Fitness Pal and Calorie King to check on calories.  They have web and android sites as well.

Losing it... Phase II

It's soon to be a new year.. I love the symbolism of the old man being replaced by the new  baby... because it feels like that, doesn't it?  This is the year, I will.... fill in the blank with yet another promise you will make to yourself and then fail to completing.

Why are goals so easy to set in January and so often cast aside by February.

I think it is because January invites big AUDACIOUS goals!!  World peace and best selling novels kind of goals. There's nothing at all wrong with audaciousness, without such visionaries buses would not fly and TSA would no longer see our underwear.

My friend, John, on Losing It, who has lost 83 lbs and has more to go, just changed his Lose It handle to "John Phase II" this morning.  I was so inspired by that thought.. phase II..

I've made some good choices and changed my overall health, and jean size, but I have not reached my goal, and because of the "holidays"  I am currently participating in choices that won't lead to further weight loss.  In fact, I will not be able to maintain my jean size with my "holiday choices."  if I allow them to be the norm.

So, phase II it is!  Not sure what this means yet, but I signed up for a "Shape up to Music" class at the local adult education center and in the next few days will be cleaning out the shelves of the last of the "holiday treats"   Onward and downward.. not just to look good in my jeans.

My mom used to say that there's no one who speaks louder than a reformed (fill in the blank) preaching about the virtues of (fill in the blank) .. So, here's my sermon:  You have to get older but you don't have to decay.  Activity keeps it all working.

January, a year ago, I saw a walker or a wheel chair in my future.  I was "pre-diabetic", could barely walk because of foot and hip pain that made standing impossible, spent most of my time winded from the extra weight. Though I was fairly active at work, most of my personal life was spent with my butt firmly planted in a chair. Now I have a slight ache when I get up to walk across the room, to get my keys and go out for a nice long hike in the sunshine or to hit the gym.  Before school let out, I ran a 13 minute mile with my 5th graders, and Wednesday I went on a 2 mile hike up a mountain. It is a rare occurrence that my FitBit doesn't register 10,000 + steps for the day.

But I can't get complacent, because  I am a doughnut away from a yo-yo diet.  While I have high hopes for that little baby new year, I feel that a  "Phase II" plan is in order.  I am setting public goals and have a plan to fulfill each of them.

• Lose 1 lb a week, until I reach my goal
• Increase steps to 12,000 a day by February
• Participate in cardio activities at least 3 times a week
• Continue a commitment daily activity of no less than 30 minutes for at least 6 days a week
• Add more raw foods to my daily intake 
• Forgive more easily
• Assume and present positive intentions always

I want to see more views like this one...first hand

Move over old man!  Coming through...

Losing it and cooking traditions

I pulled out the Ces't si Bon Cookbook because I have pecans, brown sugar, and evaporated milk.  Most self respecting Louisianian women know exactly where I was headed, well for sure my kids and siblings know.  Praline Lane, right on the way to Old Fashioned Fudge Street (none of that marshmallow fluff)  and a quick flight across the Divinity cloud cover.

It's sunny and cold, the candy would set up perfectly, but despite the fact that I have everything needed to make it happen, it is not going to happen.  It's the sugar, I can't be trusted with it and I will eat a lot of samples.  All the while making the excuse that I'm cooking it for the neighbors.  Who will get some of it.. true.. but a lot of it would end up in my belly.

So now, I'm looking for a yummy baked item without pure sugar.  Yesterday on Dr. Oz, my new favorite talk show,  Sam Talbot made these great lemon zest pancakes at 155 calories.  He is a type 1 diabetic and appeared on Top Chef and has a website called, "The Sweet Life" where he speaks about his life with Diabetes 1.  Of course, I can't get this book before Christmas, and my neighbors still have no goodies, from me.

We just got Anne Burrell's cookbook, and I'm thinking about making the Dried Cherry and Almond Biscotti  but neither the book, nor the website lists the calories, which means I have to plug it in at the SparkPeople Recipe Calculator .  She's not known for her "weight control" recipes.

I wonder how cooking changes the calorie make up.  Is there a chemical change, or can I just add all of the ingredients and divide by the servings to get the calories?  Since calories are the energy burned by the food, seems like baking or cooking it would change the calories... not being a physicist, all I can do is count on this little calculator, that I use all the time for my recipes.  More than once, I've changed the way I make something to substitute this fat or that sugar to drop the calories, so it's a great tool.

So, I'll try the pralines in the calculator.. OMG, if I make 25 pralines out of the recipe, they will be  275 calories EACH... and the Burrell Biscotti recipe makes 30 cookies at 148 cal .. I guess my neighbors are looking at biscotti, I'll eat at least two.. to make up for the lack of pralines.

Mmm maybe I should go get poinsettias... the neighbors are all watching their weight too...

Losing it .. while under the influence of Christmas

It's Christmas... or near about. This is what our house normally looks like, but we didn't get around to it this year.  It should be my vacation, but I have another day, to file and finish stuff that should be done.

I finally turned on Christmas music to maybe coax me into the mood..., Sad about lack of family.. and at the same time candy surrounds me.  Wonderful, lovely dark chocolate candies.. Yes, yes, you know it, into my belly.. get into my belly.  

Where is Christmas?  I was thinking about other Christmases and how much time we spent with others.  When our kids were little, we spent time and energy involved in the needs of others, and that made the season.  Tomorrow will be a better day... not sure how but I think it will have something to do with what I can do for others.

Merry Christmas.. I guess, we'll see.