I AM A WARRIOR

315! That's what the scales show. I slipped for a few months, started eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted like I have done a million times before. I didn't pay much attention. I thought you know maybe it's my destiny to be fat. What's the use of keeping up the battle day in and day out. I started dragging around, wanting to sit down, wanting to sleep. Just let me sleep...

That's when it hit me. Yes, I can eat whatever I want. I can stay 150 lbs overweight, but I will sleepwalk through life. Eating crap makes me feel like crap! So, I started thinking about it. Wondering what I did differently when I lost the 25 lbs. Well, I didn't have to think long. I was part of a challenge group. I checked in every day. I drank vegan Shakeology. I know there is controversary around supplements. But, I could plainly see that it worked for me. Should I be eating fruits and veggies and beans and other sources of plant-based proteins? Absolutely! But here's the deal. It's not always readily available. Call it an excuse. Whatever. I just know when I drank Shakeology my cravings were gone, my joint pain was minimized, I had more energy which enabled me to want to move more and workout. I LOVE the Beachbody workouts. I have several of them. As I did them, I got more energy and it broke the cycle.

So here I am six months later and trying to decide what should I do. Should I remain "impartial" and explore other avenues to health and wellness? The answer is clear as daylight to me. I'll stick with what works. I see Shakeology and the Beachbody programs as a tool to transition to the more active and healthy lifestyle I seek. When I saw the name American Fitness Warriors, I knew that was where I am meant to be. I AM A WARRIOR! I am a survivor. The enemy may try to defeat me but I put on God's armor and get back up and live my best life, every day, one baby step at a time, consistently! That's the only way I know to get a grip on obesity.

I am more determined than ever. I know that I cannot let up to win this war on fat and disease. I am digging my heals in and preparing to climb the mountain to success. I don't want to climb the mountain alone. My mentor John C. Maxwell says, "If you're climbing a mountain alone, you're just taking a hike!" I want to take as many people as I can on this wellness journey. I want us all to be warriors and claim our victory over a sickly mediocre life. We deserve to health, but only we can make the choice to be healthy.

Are you with me? I am training to win the Beachbody Challenge starting July 7th. I'm no longer on the fence. I'm in 100%. God keeps bringing me back to this. I am paying attention!

Peace, Health & Happiness,

She-ra, I mean Kathy :)
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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

HEALTH & HAPPINESS HACKER

What do you want to be when you grow up? How many times have we heard or even asked that question of ourselves or others? I think 13 year old Logan LaPlante is onto something with his "hackschooling" philosophy. I agree with him that once you're motivated to learn or do something, you can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. I have done that more times than I can count in my life. If I get intensely focused on doing something, it will happen, it's just a matter of time. I feel the same way about this wellness journey. I have complete faith that I will be my healthiest self within a few years. I just have to be patient and consistent with the process. I want to be a health and happiness hacker! I agree with Logan when he says that hackers are are innovators. They challenge and change the system to make them work better.

"Having the hacker mindset can change the world." ~ Logan LaPlante

Logan also mentions Dr. Roger Walsh, creator of Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC), who says that there are eight basic things that we can do to achieve health and happiness: Exercise, Diet & Nutrition, Time in Nature, Contribution & Service, Relationships, Relaxation & Stress Management, Religious & Spiritual Involvement. Dr. Walsh says even small changes in these areas can increase our health and happiness.

There are many things I want to do, but when it comes to what I want to be, I want the same things most of us want... I want to BE happy, BE healthy and BE loved for who I am.

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

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

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

Falling Off and Getting Back on The Health Wagon

How do you define falling off the wagon? I used to think it was a long period of time where you ate or indulged in whatever your vice is whenever you wanted. My definition has changed because I no longer go off the healthy eating and exercise plan for days at a time, but even indulging in a little junk food here and there can slow down progress as I am seeing this week. I now think of falling off the wagon as eating past the point of feeling full, deviating from my healthy eating plan, and/or skipping my daily exercise. How often do I do this? At least once or twice a week. It used to be daily, so I am making progress. I have learned that it is a journey and the hardest part is not beating myself up along the way.

If there was a degree in falling off the healthy eating and exercise wagon, I would have a PhD! I probably hold the world's record. I would say I have fallen off the wagon every week (for many years it was every day) for 50 years! I fell off the wagon when I didn't even know I was supposed to be on the wagon. I have always been interested in riding the health wagon, but I kept falling off. Stress would throw me off like a bucking bronco, still does sometimes.

I may be voted off of an episode of the Biggest Loser for not dropping weight fast enough, but I would probably win Survivor because my body is very efficient at storing energy! I have to remember that the only person I'm competing with is myself. My health matters most to me. Good health is what will keep me around for my family. It is what enables me to pursue my dreams and help my community. I will just keep getting back up and getting back on the wagon as many times as it takes. Wellness is a journey.

I used to have a food concession business called, “Health Wagon Concessions.” It was in the early 90's. I set up at fairs and tried to sell healthy foods such as raw veggies and fruit kabobs. You can imagine how well this business did going up against elephant ears and deep fried corn dogs. I suppose the literal health wagon concept was before its time. Now, as baby boomers are aging and more concerned about health, maybe we are more willing to consider healthier alternatives, even when we eat out.

How do we get back on the health wagon? You know the answer as well as I do and that is to get back up, dust yourself off, and saddle up again and again and again until you reach your destination. Once we arrive to our healthiest place, we should be a pro at knowing what it takes to stay there!

Some things that help me get back on the wagon are to have plenty of healthy foods around and keep the junk food away, especially when I'm away from home or traveling. If I get too hungry and there is junk food around, forget about it, the temptation becomes overwhelming to eat the chemically addictive sweet and salty treats. As far as exercise, it helps me to schedule it in like an appointment or do it first thing in the morning. Otherwise, the day gets away from me and the excuses come rolling in.

Getting on the wagon is a metaphor for living your healthiest, happiest life. What makes you want to get on the wagon in the first place? What is your why? Why bother? Why keep getting back up again? Once you find a strong enough why it makes the how possible. For me, I want to feel comfortable in my skin again. I want to live a quality life full of activity and adventure. I don't want to have to limp around and look for the nearest bench when I go for a walk. I want to walk normally and have abundant energy. I want to see my grandchildren grow up and take them to do things without wearing out. My reasons for continuing to get back on the wagon are strong. I may continue to fall off, but I will NEVER GIVE UP.

Kathy

“What can I do today that will make me healthier than I was yesterday?” ~ Kevin Gianni 

OCD Impulsive Behavior

Do you have OCD?

I think you know whether you have impulsive tendencies and/or obsessive compulsive disorder or not. I have never been diagnosed with OCD, but I know I have impulsive tendencies. It's almost a joke in my family to turn the canned food upside down to see how long it takes me to notice it. I can tell you it's right away and to leave it upside down bothers me on some level I do not understand. I cannot leave it that way. It must be ordered. I started doing the same thing with hand sanitizer several years ago, where everything I touched made me think of germs and I used hand sanitizer if I couldn't wash my hands immediately. I got a grip on that and don't have to use the hand sanitizer anymore, although I still carry it and/or baby wipes in my purse. Even though the OCD has subsided, I still struggle with impulsive behavior sometimes, especially when it comes to food. I cannot have junk food around me. Chips, cookies, candy, any of those things seem to call my name and the temptation to eat it becomes too great. Impulsive behavior has caused much grief in my life and contributed greatly to my becoming 150 lbs overweight.

I used to have an issue with impulsive spending too. If something was 50%-75% off, I would buy it just because it was such a good deal, even if I didn't need it. I cannot count the number of times I have went shopping for one or two things and came out of the store with a cart full of merchandise, sometimes forgetting to get the very thing I went into the store to get.

I realized that the behavior was not helping me, so I set out to change it. I still struggle with impulsive behavior from time to time, but nowhere near the level that it used to. I read somewhere that OCD is common in creative people. I would like to think that's it. It is more likely due to feeling I had no control as a child. Either way, impulsive and compulsive behavior does not benefit me and is something I deliberately set out to change about ten years ago. Like everything to do with getting healthy, it is a work in progress complete with momentary setbacks. It takes determination and patience to change any negative behavior.

Awareness is the first step in changing any behavior that you want to change. A willingness to change is the second step. Sometimes our impulsive behavior brings us a false sense of security. In order to change it, we have to separate the behavior from our identity. That is where I am at now. I love Joyce Meyer's message about implusive behavior. She says that thoughts will creep up, but a "tadpole doesn't have to become a frog." I agree! I believe that what we focus on expands and what we resist persists. For me to turn off the impulsive behavior, I have to focus on something that benefits the greater good. That is what I am doing now. I am focusing on turning my health around, focusing on helping myself and those who want to join the journey to live a healthier and happier life. That is what I want to expand. Thank God for people like Joyce Meyer who have faith, strength, and bold courage to not only change their own life, but to help others along the way. She inspires me to want to do the same. That's an obsessive compulsive behavior I can live with.

If you struggle with impulsive or compulsive behavior or even if you want to understand a little more how lift yourself up and live a healthier, happier life, listen to Joyce's messages and apply what resonates with you!


Kathy

MONDAY

Monday, the word strikes dread for millions of people who hate their job. I have worked at several places where when you ask someone how they are doing on Monday, they say they can't wait until Friday. I've had that thought myself at a couple jobs. I never lasted long at places like that. Some people can turn off their job from their personal life, but for me, it's all meshed together. I believe that if we are in a job we despise that it affects our health. Life is too short to be miserable. I understand that the bills have to be paid and that there is a sacrifice to be made if you give up a steady paycheck, but that doesn't stop us from searching for purpose and meaning in our life and putting out resumes to places we would rather work. I think even just the search helps you feel more in control of your life. It's when we feel out of control that the stress can take over and send us on a downward spiral. There is no better day than Monday to gauge how things are going in  your life. Are you looking forward to Monday or do you dread it? If it's the former, you're on the right track. If it's the latter, it's time for change.

I used to think of Monday as a mini-new year, a time of fresh starts. The problem was I would neglect myself all week long and then think I could start over on Monday. I realize now that it's all accumulative and takes a long time to reverse the effects of neglect of our body by consuming junk food and lack of exercise. Mondays are no longer a starting over time for me, but a time to continue on the journey, to gauge whether I'm on the right track, to make plans for a brighter future, and to take action that will help me reach my goals. Mondays are now more of a road map. Where am I going? What am I doing to get there? Who can help me along the way? Who can I help along the way?

I hope Monday is good to you and life is everything you hope it could be. If it isn't, then use your road map and start your journey. Good health and the adventure of a lifetime awaits you!

Kathy