Mike's Journey Losing One Hundred Pounds

Mike: before, after

Hi all, I’m Mike.  I have struggled with my weight pretty much since elementary school.  Now in my mid-thirties I decided to make some changes for good to have a more active, enjoyable life! 

Superhero Mike's running a 10K

Over the past year I have been on a journey to create a healthier, more mindful, version of myself.  Using the lessons that I have learned over the past several years from Barb, I have lost over 100 pounds, completed a 10k race, and I am training for a 10-mile race and a half marathon!

While I’ve been on this journey, several people have asked me “What’s the trick?” or “What’s your secret?”  To me the “secret” is no secret at all; it’s doing several small things that add up to making a difference in your overall health. 

For me the four key pieces of advice that I would pass on to anyone who wanted to make a change are:

1. YOU have to want it.   Over the years I have tried fad diets.  You know “drink this everyday and magically the weight will fall off” or “do this workout for three months and you’re cured…” which for a temporary fix they were successful, but didn’t change any of the bad habits that I had.  And why did I try these crazy schemes?  Because this person, or that person told me that I should, not because I wanted to.  It took me wanting to make the change for it to truly stick and be effective!
2.   Take control!  Be the one who controls your food choices.  Obviously, the best way to do this is to prepare your own meals.  However, it’s pretty unrealistic to do this for every meal!  How I have combated this issue to plan, plan, and plan some more for these situations.  If I know I am going to be eating a meal at a restaurant, I will go online and decide what I’m going to order ahead of time so I’m not tempted to make a less optimal choice on the fly when I get there.  I’ve also learned to ask for exactly what I want and make substitutions all the time.  Don’t be scared to do this!  Not once, has a server told me that they couldn’t do what I had asked.  If I am going to a friend or relatives for lunch or dinner I will ask what’s on the menu so I can plan the rest of my day around that and also suggest a dish that I could bring that I know fits into my plan for the day.
3.  MOVE!  Get out there and exercise.  When I started all this last year I wasn’t running six miles right away, I started small.  Walking a mile a day, then gradually increasing the distance and intensity as my fitness level increased.
4.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  You will make mistakes, or make choices that you may regret.  It’s okay!!!  Learn from the situation, let it go, and get back on track immediately (not tomorrow, or next Monday).

Thoughts on Memorial Day

Memorial Day used to be one day. May 30th. And it was meant for remembering those who gave their lives for our country. Schools, stores...most everything was closed that day. And almost everyone I knew marched in the town parade as part of the band, scouts, 4-H...or something. 

But, 1971 changed that.  The Uniform Monday Holiday act, gave Memorial Day, along with other holidays, a yearly Monday spot to assure a 3-day holiday weekend for all. Hey, we love our 3 day weekends. No work for 3 days! Kids home for 3 days... More time to go somewhere and do something!

Whether the 3 day weekend was good for the actual observance of Memorial day, I'm not going to judge. But, I do want to connect the dots on 3-day holiday weekends and an increase in overindulging in less healthy foods.

Every event that comes along that changes our daily routine can play havoc on weight loss or management efforts. Weekends are more difficult for most people, because the routine demanded in the week is simply not there. Holidays are even more challenging because they add a celebration element to the lack of routine. And when a 3 or 4 day holiday weekend comes along, it can really screw things up. Out of routine and celebration mode.

Just be aware that you need to be much more vigilant during long holiday weekends. Keep your head on. Take fresh fruits and veggies with you to all those gatherings. Focus on eating slowly, enjoying friends and family, and being active. 

Having fun doesn't mean giving up on your weight loss/wellness plan and diving head first into the bag of potato chips or pie and telling yourself that the holiday weekend doesn't really count. It means mindfully choosing to act like the healthy, svelte, active person you really want to be. 

As they say..."Fake it 'til you make it!"

Movin' With the Yard Work

My neighbor is in constant motion. She stands just over 5 feet, but that small frame delivers purpose and determination...in addition to speed. When it comes lawn and garden work, no one can keep up with her. Trimming. Weeding. Planting. Harvesting. Mowing. She even mows for another neighbor. She rarely stops moving. And she's got 10 years on me. 

She's the epitome of "YES, you can count yard work as exercise!" It depends on what you're doing, but aerobic conditioning, strength training, and flexibility, can all be done outside. But, take care.

Don't go crazy as the weather turns nicer. If you've been more sloth-like all winter long, don't expect to zip right out there and mow lawn, weed the gardens and plant all in one day. That's a recipe for bit time pain and suffering. Be sure to warm up by walking and going through some general full body motions to get prepped for your yard time.

And, be mindful. When your body gets tired, listen and respect what it's saying. Fatigue means it's time to stop for the day, stretch out, and do the rest tomorrow. It doesn't mean to man-up and bust your body trying to get it all done. Respect yourself.

It's a beautiful time of year. Time to enjoy your body in motion and learn to use mindfulness to understand it's limits. You'll get along much better inside that body of yours if you do...

Gluten Free Pasta Trial #1

Gluten is a hot button topic these days. But. Is it really bad for everyone like some popular authors are trying to convince us?  Or is it really okay for those of us bread loving fools?

If you have celiac disease, an auto-immune disease, you're already aware of the terrible pain and damage that gluten causes. That's why it's a given that celiacs must avoid gluten completely. 

But there are some people without celiac disease, who do have gluten sensitivity. Their symptoms vary. But, if gluten is the cause, the symptoms will be dramatically reduced when eliminating gluten.

One thing for sure: avoiding gluten is not going to make you lose weight or magically make you healthier. It's just not.

That being said, I decided to do a little experimentation in the gluten-free world for those of you who do need to eat gluten-free.

My massage therapist, Rebecca, gave me 3 different gluten-free pastas to try. The first one I tested was a corn, quinoa, rice, and fiber blend by Garofalo. I was making a homemade marinara sauce, so I wanted the pasta to be hold up well under the sauce. 

Yummy! This blend got a 5 star rating (out of 5 stars) by our family for taste and texture. In fact, it may taste even better than our usual whole wheat pasta! It held up perfectly under my sauce. Even the leftovers the next day reheated perfectly. 

Make Your Motivator a Positive One

In tears, a woman shared her memory of getting stuck in a dress while trying it on. (She'd even grabbed a bigger size than she usually wore; she knew she'd gained a bit of weight.) The zipper broke: it wouldn't budge at all. She swallowed her pride, and had to walk out in the dress to find a saleswomen. She had to be cut out of the dress!

Another woman's neighbor asked when her baby was due. She wasn't pregnant. She'd just gained 25 pounds.

You've been avoiding mirrors and cameras. Unfortunately, you just saw a recent photo of yourself and hardly recognized yourself. How is it that photos add 15 pounds to you but not to anyone else in the photo?

Whatever your "Oh, Yuck!" experience was, these events can make great motivators to start dropping body fat and getting healthier. The trouble is, these negative motivators don't last. 

Once you've been on your weight loss plan awhile, and pounds and sizes drop, you feel better about yourself. The negative motivator dissipates. It's important to create a positive motivator before this happens. 

Identify the positive things you're aiming for with your weight loss. One gal told me she wanted to be a "Hot Momma" and be able to walk on the beach in a bathing suit without worrying about what she looked like. Another told me she wanted to be strong and active enough to get down on the floor with her grand kids to play, and get back up with no trouble. And, I'd like to be able to play golf when I'm 107.

Now, instead of running away from your "Oh, Yuck!" experience, it's time to pull yourself toward what you really want. Envision yourself as that Athletic, Happy person, that Strong, Svelte person, or that Active 100 year old! Now, practice doing the things that support you becoming that person. Practice doesn't mean perfect. Practice simply means you're working to form the habits you'll need to become the person you want to be.