Embracing My Health

Thanks for the encouragement and support in response to my last post.  Seeing the progress really is a motivator! 

I’ve got a week and a half of holidays ahead and I’m thinking about them this morning.  I don’t want to back track.  I’m feeling two things.  One, I’d like to continue losing weight, or at a minimum stay at my current weight.  And two, I want to feel great.  I don’t want to feel that physical malaise, icks, blahs or that “ooph, I shouldn’t have eaten that” feeling.  

I’m going to have to be flexible since I will be staying with family.  But here’s my first thought.  I think I will buy enough produce when I get into town to make a massive salad to go along with each meal.  That way, I can pile on the raw foods and minimize the amount of cooked and less healthy food choices I’m eating.  Paul & I decided we are going to pack our juicer and blender too — if you can believe that.    We both love our green lemonade juices first thing in the morning.  And I definitely want to keep my green smoothies going as well.  It’s a little unorthodox to travel with a juicer and blender, sure…  But keeping the high quality nutrition coming our way feels more than worth it.

My question for you today:  Do you have any strategies you are going to be following through Christmas and New Years?  If so, share with us! 

Embrace Love, Embrace Life, Embrace Your Health!

This past week was a good one.  I’m feeling more and more of a divide from my prior eating habits and my new ones.  I haven’t completely settled into a new routine, so the time to stick to my healthy changes is every day.  I created pages that I posted in my pantry letting me know how many days to my next goal.  It’s been great having that visual reminder.

So, to the numbers…

(more…)

Weight: 246
Height: 5′8″
BMI: 37.4

Measurements

Neck: 14.25
Bicep: 14.5  (-.5″)
Forearm: 11 (-.5″)
Chest: 46 (-1″)
Waist: 44
Hips: 48
Thigh: 26
Calf: 18

No weight loss this week, but I’m not surprised.  I am happy to see some body “restructuring” though — with some inches lost around my upper body.  It’s interesting that my size has shrunk in regions.  My waist and hips have lost weight first, and now my upper body is seeing some results.  My neck and limbs have seen the least reduction… I’m guessing that will start to appear as I continue on.  Any loss is exciting though.

Oh, and I have to tell you.  I reconnected with a friend yesterday who I haven’t talked with for 4-5 years.  I found her blog and was so inspired by her.  She has a son, who is only a couple of weeks younger than Amira, who inspired her to transform her life to be the healthiest she can be.  Last I saw her, she was beautiful but carrying some extra pounds.  The new pictures I saw of her – she’s fit, trim and.. a TRIATHELE!  And not just a triathlete – one who wins first prize in her category!  Absolutely inspiring!  She’s definitely inspired me to get my fitness routine into gear!  More on that to come!

My question for you: What motivates and inspires you to be your healthiest?

Embrace Love, Embrace Life, Embrace Your Health!

Weight: 246
Height: 5′8″
BMI: 37.4

Measurements

Neck: 14.25
Bicep: 15 (-.25″)
Forearm: 11.5
Chest: 47
Waist: 44 (-1″)
Hips: 48
Thigh: 26
Calf: 18

The progress was slower this week.  I found encouragement though in looking back at some old numbers.  For example, since my highest point after Amira’s birth…

• I’ve lost 39 lbs.
• I’ve lost nearly 10 inches around my waist
• I’ve lost 6 inches around my hips and chest
• My BMI has dropped from 43.3 to 37.4

I need to get some new photos up of my progress.  I’ll try to do that today.

I’m finding that adding green juices and smoothies and eating more raw meals is making this journey to optimal health much easier.  It isn’t as difficult, physically or psychologically.  That alone is making me a fan of raw eating.

My two week challenge with Paul went really well and helped me push through 5 lbs of loss.  I’m strategizing another challenge for myself.  I’m going to do a short challenge followed by a longer one.  My first will be between now and Thanksgiving.  9 days including today.  My goal: lose 3 lbs.  My second will be from November 29th until Christmas, nearly 30 days.  Goal: lose 12 lbs.  Accomplishing both of these goals would have me at 231 lbs on Christmas morning.  That would be a Merry Christmas to me, indeed! 

Breakfast this morning was juice:

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1 large leaf of purple kale
• 1/2 a cucumber
• 1 pear
• 1 apple
• 1/2 lemon

As always, I do love my green juices.  Well, in the case of today, purple juice. 

Embrace Love, Embrace Life, Embrace Your Health!

Weight: 248
Height: 5′8″
BMI: 39

Measurements

Neck: 14.5
Bicep: 15.5
Forearm: 11.5
Chest: 48
Waist: 46.5 (-1/2″)
Hips: 49 (-1″)
Thigh: 28
Calf: 18.5

My camera battery is dead because a particular 3 year old played with my camera yesterday and left it on all night.    I’ll get a new photo up with the next check in.

I haven’t lost any additional weight yet – but there was some more inches lost around my midsection.

A little fun happening:  Dancing with Amira this morning, my pants shimmied their way down and literally off my hips.   Whee!

Goal for next check in – to have lost some weight in addition to inches!

Weight: 248
Height: 5′8″
BMI: 39

Measurements

Neck: 14.5
Bicep: 15.5
Forearm: 11.5
Chest: 48 (-1″)
Waist: 47 (-2″)
Hips: 50 (-1″)
Thigh: 28 (-.5″)
Calf: 18.5 (-.5″)

This numbers check-in is a good example of why you can’t just trust your scale as a measure of your progress. The scale shows me at the same weight as my July 26th check-in. However, and it’s a big however! I’ve lost inches! An accumulated total of 5 inches! That’s some progress!

I need to remind and encourage myself of that because I want to see the scale numbers drop and I want my self-portrait updates to inspire me. And it doesn’t. I’ll be honest, it takes some discipline and determination to post these photos. I’m embarrassed of my size. But my embarrassment is outweighed by my commitment to have this be a journey to optimal health and fitness. Every day, every number, every picture is a part of that journey.

I see the headline on the Yahoo homepage: “If current trends continue, nearly all Americans could be overweight by 2030“. I click over to an ABC News video. And what is the commercial that I’m given to atch before the news article? Oreos. A back and forth “bonding moment” between a son and father (albeit over webcam) eating Oreos together…

Anyway. The video news blurb audio wouldn’t play for me after the advertisement for whatever reason. The only thing I could see was video image after image of overweight people. I gave up and searched online for the study and found it: (”Americans Could Be Overweight Or Obese By 2030.” ScienceDaily 29 July 2008.).

The net conclusion of the study: as much as 86% of American adults will be overweight or obese by 2030.  96% of non-Hispanic black women and 91% of Mexican American men…  That’s no small number.

The only thing that will begin to alter these numbers are you and me.

Want to buck the trend with me?

Since my tooth trauma almost a month ago, and even before that, the fact that we are not covered by healthcare has been on my mind. And, if you’ve seen Sicko, you know even if you ARE covered by health insurance – it doesn’t mean all that much either (especially if you get really sick). Here in the US the only thing to do is be your own healthcare provider and provide yourself with PREVENTATIVE healthcare. For the most part, our doctors either don’t or aren’t equipped to have our best health interests at heart. I know for many it frustrates and angers them, but they are trapped in a system.

Now that I’m pushing forty, and have been feeling the effects of taking my own good health for granted… I know that’s not an option any more. I can’t foist the responsibility off on anyone or anything else. The buck stops here, as they say.

My goals are 1) to be fit enough to run, jump, and play with my daughter and be able to do whatever physical activity I want. If I want to learn to rock climb, I want to be able to do that. If I want to take a week long hiking trip through the Olympic Peninsula, I want to do that. If I want to run around the pond with my daughter at full speed, I want to do that! and 2) to eat food that brings health, healing and longevity to my body.

I think that sums it up without getting too complicated. I’ll be adding more details as we go along — but I think it covers everything in those two goals.