Break Sugar and Food Addiction in 48 Hours

We are on Week 2 of The Daniel Plan. This week Dr. Mark Hyman talks about food as medicine and says that we can change the way we think about food in 48 hours. 48 hours? That's doable! I can do 48 hours of eating clean. No sugar, no processed foods, just whole plant-based foods. I've done it before and I am sure I can do it again. If you think about it, it makes sense, if you go without eating sugar or junk food for 48 hours, you have technically broken the addiction. All we have to do is string enough 48 hour breaks together and we will be on our way to living addiction free!

I love in The Daniel Plan on page 36 where it states, "Every bite you take is a powerful opportunity to create healing or infirmity" and on page 37, "Take the junk out and let the abundance in." That's what I want to do! I want to create healing within my body and I want abundant health and energy so that I can live the life God intends for me to live.

We also learned about the fitness connection this week. Pastor Warren and his team of experts state on page 42, "Moving your body even just a little bit on a regular basis impacts not only your physical health, but also your intellectual, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual health." That's what I'm talking about! Every aspect of our life is affected by moving our body "consistently." I'm on a two-week workout streak. I decided last week to start looking at working out as a "job" that I love to do with the pay being energy. It's already paying off in additional energy. Every hour I workout seems to add an hour back, so it's never an hour wasted. I usually read a book on my Kindle and listen to music on Pandora while I'm on the treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike, so it feels like I'm getting twice as much done. I ALWAYS feel better after I workout. It makes me wonder why consistent exercise has ever been an issue. I think it's just the effort it takes to get to the gym, but if it's my "job" I'm not going to miss it. I'm going in to "work" Monday-Friday. I get weekends off to go hiking or whatever other exercise sounds like fun, but during the week, I'm sticking to my work routine. So far, it's working like a charm. I have committed to working out at least 30 minutes, but more often than not it's an hour, sometimes longer if I go for a swim. Getting paid to get fit, I could get used to a job like this!

Kathy


Here is a video of Dr. Mark Hyman talking about how food can be the strongest addiction or the most powerful cure of what ails us. I am looking forward to breaking my sugar addiction by giving my body the right food information and updating my biological software!

The Daniel Plan and My New Job

Julie, a group of ladies, and I started studying the Daniel Plan yesterday. We are meeting up every Tuesday for the next six weeks to discuss what we learn as we read the book, watch the video, and doing the study guide exercises. This week was the intro. We were asked to rate how we feel we are doing on a scale of 1-5 in the areas of Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. In all areas except Food, I feel that I am improving which is a 3 on the scale, but Food varies day-to-day and overall it's a 2 (Some Good Days). I am looking forward to the next six weeks so my numbers go from the low end of the scale to the high end. I want to rate a 5 across the board!

In the introduction Pastor Rick Warren says "For change to happen in any area of your life - whether you want it to be financial, vocational, educational, mental, relational - it actually works best to begin with the physical. You commit your body to God and all other things follow." I believe that's true because when we don't feel healthy, all we care about and focus on is wanting to feel better, all the other things become a lower priority.

In an effort to make my physical health a priority, I decided to look at exercise the same as I would a job. I would normally go to a job Monday - Friday first thing in the morning. I may not want to get up and go to work every day, but it's something I have to do to survive. How often do you miss going to work? Not often, because you want the pay. The pay for consistent exercise is abundant ENERGY. It will improve my health in ways that extend beyond money and in fact will save me money and most likely make me money in the long run because it will enable me to have the health and energy I need to pursue my dreams, help others, be active with my family, and travel the world. Those are the kinds of rewards I want from a job. How about you?

Look for a TGIF post coming soon!

Kathy

Floss One Tooth

I'm reading Choose Yourself by James Altucher. In one section he is talking about habits and makes a great illustration of how his friend's wife made a radical suggestion to floss one tooth. By flossing one tooth, you are sending a message to your brain that it is important and you are more likely to floss all your teeth. I love this concept and plan to use the "floss one" idea to get consistent with my exercise routine. Inconsistency has been my biggest roadblock to success! I am committing to doing one minute of exercise every day. Seriously, who can blow off a minute of exercise? ONE MINUTE! It's amazing how often I have skipped exercise all together, but when I look at it with the "floss one" philosophy, I doubt I will ever miss an exercise session again. How about you? Do you exercise every day? Do you do strength training? I challenge you to do one rep. Just one...and see where it leads.

Kathy

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. 

The secret of your success is found in your daily routine." ~ John C. Maxwell

Do You Exercise Consistently

I was chatting with a friend the other day who lost a lot of weight and now does bodybuilding competitions. I have known him for several years and he is familiar with my struggle to get in shape. He made an observation that my exercise seems to be in spurts. I agreed and replied that the most consist I have ever been with exercise is when I was a member of Anytime Fitness. The moment I said that, a lightbulb turned on above my head. I loved working out at Anytime Fitness because I could go there...any time! I like that I can just pop in whenever I'm in town and get a quick workout in. I also like being able to access the other Anytime Fitness gyms when I'm out of town.

So, if I liked working out there so much, why did I cancel my membership? The main reason was I couldn't justify a membership to use one piece of equipment which was the elliptical machine. It main thing I used when I worked out. Sometimes, I would get on the treadmill or the stationary bike, but 99% of the time, it was the elliptical. I LOVE the Precor Elliptical that they use. As soon as I gather that big chunk of change, I will get one to use at home, but, I like to get out of the house, especially after I've been hibernating all winter and starting to go a little stir crazy. Also, when I'm at home, there seems to be a zillion things that I "should" be doing besides working out. I can't tell you how many times I've done an exercise DVD while at the same time picking things up things that are out of place.

When I get on the elliptical, I have a routine that I love. I play some upbeat music on Pandora, read a book on my Kindle App, and work up a sweat at the same time. It's the only time I can combine doing three things at once in harmony like that and it makes me feel like superwoman! I usually knock out an hour that seems like 5 minutes and I'm sweating by the end. It's like a mini vacation. It works for me. Eureka, I think I got it. In order to exercise consistently, find an exercise you like to do!

What works for you? What exercise do you most consistently do?

Kathy

Early Bird

This morning I woke up at 5 a.m. I love waking up early before the hustle and bustle of the day kicks in. It's a peaceful time that I can focus on prayer, devotionals, meditation, visualization, writing, and exercise. Most of the time when I get up early, I feel like I accomplish more in the first couple hours than I accomplish the entire day when I wake up late. It's nice to have my priorities taken care of before noon! I also find that I'm more likely to get my exercise in and stick with my clean eating routine when I get up early. I have more time, I don't feel rushed. It makes me wonder why I ever sleep in!

What time do you like to start your day?

Kathy

Spring Break

I usually keep my grand kids and nieces a few days every spring break to take them to do fun things. I often sit on the sidelines reading or surfing the Internet while they are busy at play, but this spring break I'm making more of an effort to join in starting today when I got in the pool with them and played volleyball. I forgot how fun being a kid is. I'm looking forward to doing more fun things during spring break! 

Kathy

Hibernation Mode

I often joke to my family that I go into hibernation mode in the winter. My body feels like a sleepy bear in the winter. I just want to cozy up on the couch and read or write. Along with that cozy feeling, I want comfort food. Winter seems like an uphill battle when it comes to sticking with an exercise and clean eating routine. I thought maybe it was just me until I was reading "Flip The Switch" by Robert Cooper. Here's what he says:

"A lack of physical movement, no exposure to bright light, skipping breakfast, and other unhealthy A.M. habits can each increase the body's hibernation-like instincts. This casts a long shadow, since you're more likely to store fat and feel tired all day long." 

Wow, does that ever resonate with me! I don't usually skip breakfast, but I often don't have my first meal until mid-morning, which I know isn't a good idea because my body has already went 8-10 hours without food, sometimes longer depending on how late I ate the night before. I feel like I'm solar powered and run out of energy if I don't spend some time in the sun. I know a lot of people who tan in the winter just to get exposure to bright light, but I don't feel that's the healthiest thing for me to do. I have windows and skylights to look out of in the winter, but that's just not the same as being out in the sunshine. I love to go for hikes at the State Parks and can't wait to get started doing that again soon.

Going into hibernation mode sounds like an excuse, probably is, but it feels real to me. I know it's a vicious cycle too because once I eat the comfort (aka junk, processed, sugar-laden) food, it makes me feel sick and tired, then I don't want to workout which makes me feel sick and tired on and on it goes until I'm completely out of the flow. I am holding onto hope that I will bust out of this vicious cycle soon.

Spring cannot come soon enough for me!

Kathy

No Pain, No Gain

Sometimes I think the reason I have struggled with obesity is because I cannot embrace the "no pain, no gain" philosophy that is so prominent in the fitness world. I've heard it as long as I can remember, especially in the gym. Over and over we're told to exercise past the point of pain. That's not in my DNA! My brain tells me to avoid pain at all costs. This pain avoidance syndrome contributes to my struggle beyond pushing myself in the gym because I also use food to numb out emotional pain.

The place I want to get with this pain threshold is the middle ground. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone, but I don't want to push so hard that I injure myself and get put out of commission for weeks. That is exactly what happened a few weeks ago. I was working out on the treadmill with my daughter beside me, who is Jillian Michaels junior! She lives by the "no pain, no gain" motto and doesn't feel like she's worked out if she's not hurting somewhere. I just don't get that.

Anyway, we were on the treadmill and she was giving me her usual lecture about how I needed to get my heart rate up and how I wasn't working out hard enough. So, ramp up I did. I took the incline from flat to the max (level 15 I think) and increased the speed from a 1.5 to a 3. Needless to say, I was "feeling the burn!" I dropped the speed down and left the incline high the rest of our workout. Well, that was three weeks ago and the arch of my foot hasn't stopped hurting since. I've been limping around in pain every day. Where is the gain? The gain for me shows up on the scales!

I understand what my daughter was intending for me to do, to ramp it up a little so I'm a bit winded at least, but that doesn't work for me. I would never make it on the Biggest Loser because I don't like being told what to do and when I am pushed, I tend to go to the extreme - beyond the point of pain to injury!. I think pain avoidance is why I've always been drawn to individual workouts like walking, swimming, and home exercise programs. I'm not competing, showing off my strength/endurance, or trying to keep up with with anyone. I'm just being me, going at my own pace, and doing an exercise I enjoy.

I have always believed that when it comes to exercise, something is better than nothing and pain is not part of the equation. That philosophy kept me healthy for many years. Yes, I was overweight, but I had abundant energy and I didn't get sick. It wasn't until I started using junk food to self-medicate that my health went downhill with a quickness. I've learned my lesson there too, for the most part. I still have moments of weakness that I call being human, but most of the time, I eat clean.

So, while I'm working out around the foot pain, I am reminded once again that "No pain, No gain" is so retro, at least for me. Live and learn!

Kathy

A Day In The Sun

I've never been diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but it wouldn't surprise me to learn I have it. When it's cold and dreary out I just want to hibernate and stress gets to me a lot quicker. The older I get, the colder and longer winter seems. That's why days like today feel like a godsend. It has been in the 50's with the sun shining all day which has energized me physically and spiritually. I've been going all day on solar power. I park far away from the store entrance and take my time soaking up the sun. I plan to get outside as much as I can the next few days while its warm to recharge my energy stores which should help me finish the Great Weight Off Challenge strong. 

I hope you are enjoying your days in the sun too! 

Kathy

STRENGTH TRAINING

I admit it, I bought into the 80/20 rule on nutrition and exercise. I believed that being healthy and fit was 80% nutrition and 20% exercise, maybe more like 50/50, but I love what Tom Venuto and Shawn Phillips say in the Kryptonite Report and that is it's 100% nutrition and 100% exercise. Not just any exercise either, but strength training. They both say that strength training is the only way to sculpt your body. That makes sense too, which makes me ask myself why I have put such a low priority on strength training?

I have never been a fan of grunting it out in the weight room. I used to work at the YMCA when the weight lifting room was right across from the customer counter, so I heard grunts and moans all day long. It sounded painful to me and I don't like pain! My idea of a workout was to do step aerobics or go for a swim.

There was a time when I liked using the Nautilus equipment. In fact, I purchased that equipment when the old Y closed. It has sentimental value to me. I still use it from time-to-time, but I don't think I ever really understood how important those clanking weights are to my vitality as I age. I really enjoyed the story that Tom Venuto, author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, shares about the 90 year old man who trains with him - how much strength training helps him stay mobile and enables him to travel and continue enjoying his life. It even helped him prevent falling when he tripped and stumbled.

I am 51 and can see the writing on the wall. Either you strength train and keep your body strong so you can get around and enjoy life or you atrophy and pay the price with a ho-hum existence. So, off to the gym I go to listen to Tom's book as I strength train!

Stay strong, live long.

 Kathy

Overcoming PROCRASTINATION with DEADLINES

I think I could win an Olympic gold medal in procrastination! I've done it as long as I can remember, since high school when a report was due and I would hole up in my bedroom last minute to get it done. There is something about an approaching deadline that motivates me. Why I don't feel that sense of urgency from the beginning, I haven't figured out yet. I do know that I have accomplished many things in my life with deadlines. I have passed hundreds of tests and college courses, processed more work reports and business records than I can remember, published three books, and achieved nearly every goal that has a hard deadline.

The Great Weight Off ends March 30th. My goal was to lose 30 lbs during the 90 day Challenge. As of today, there are 28 days left in the Challenge and I have lost 2 pounds. Technically, I lost 6 pounds and gained 4 back! So, I have a lot of work to do during the month of March. Time to get my head in the game. With the deadline quickly approaching, it's making my laser focus skills perk up to help me get as close to my goal as I can in a healthy manner.

So with the finish strong plan in mind, I created what may appear to be a grueling workout schedule and nutrition plan for this month. I'm putting it out here to make myself accountable to do what I say I'm going to do. You would think publishing my weight in the local newspaper every week would be enough accountability, but apparently not as much as a countdown to the end of the Challenge. 28 pounds in 28 days? We will see! Philippians 4:13.

Kathy

My Exercise and Nutrition Plan for this week

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my 51st birthday. My husband took me to Mammoth Cave to celebrate. Somewhere warm he said. I'm always ready to go somewhere I've never been before. I love new adventures. See all those stairs? I was feeling it by the time the tour was over and it reminded me why I'm on this journey. I want to continue enjoying things like this as I age. I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines because it's hard to get around. So as a gift to myself I am going to continue to eat clean and keep moving. Happy birthday to me! Good health is the best gift we can give ourselves. 

Kathy