40-Renovation -- Part 2 -- Not Alone

I really think that the 40th birthday of someone's life is really a significant moment.  My weight is only part of the 40-renovation.  Mentally I am a different person.  It has changed the way I think about some things, react to other things, care about some things, and discard and not even pay attention to most things that just simply don't matter to me directly.  Now that I have started to pay attention to it (as with most things) I am finding that there are many others out there who go through this same experience.

http://takimag.com/article/10_things_about_turning_40
Hilarious!  Geared more towards men, but applicable to really anyone.  Very funny video in the middle of the page. =)

http://blog.thesource4ym.com/archive/2010/03/19/top-10-signs-youre-turning-40.aspx
Also very funny blog about turning 40.  Again a little more geared towards the men, but men sometimes have a way of just really laying it all out there that in its comedic simplicity just makes me laugh. =)


http://womenatforty.com/about-this-site/
An entire site dedicated to Women at 40.  Life. Love. Reality. In our fortieth year.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n10_v52/ai_19653902/
Excerpt:  Camille Cosby told it to Oprah and Oprah told it to me and, a few weeks ago, I told it to a Sister-friend who was feeling down, distressed and depressed because her life was about to take a dreaded turn. She was turning 40.  What Oprah told me Camille told her and I told my friend is this: "You should be out on your veranda dancing because you are about to experience one of the most magnificent, marvelous events in a woman's life."

http://turning40.net/
Another site dedicated to turning 40.

http://www.theboot.com/2010/06/29/court-yard-hounds-cher/
Cher recounts to Martie from the Dixie Chicks how her 40th year was her best year.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1705115/ - Kevin Smith:  Too Fat for 40!

This isn't a link to an article but a movie.  In typical Kevin Smith style of his Q&A sessions, one audience member asks a question which then turns into a two hour answer session filled the realities of this time period in our lives, lived through a man with way more money and resources than most of us - so in other words not different - but amplified. =)

and of course, Louis CK above. =)

40-Renovation -- Part 1 -- My Journey To Date and My Big Goal

When asked my age, the first thing I think of is - what year is this?  Since I was born in 1970, if the year is 2009 - that means I am turning 39 on 11/2 of that year.  So on January 1, 2010, I knew from the moment the clock turned 12:00:00 AM that I would be turning 40 that year in November.  At the stroke of midnight I was laying in bed, watching a marathon of The Biggest Loser and crying over being fat, unhealthy, not where I thought I should be in my 40th year of life.  My mind was focused on how I had lost a friend to ovarian cancer (she was in her early 40's), and another (in her late 30's) had just been diagnosed with uterine cancer.  This isn't supposed to happen right?  This is abnormal?  Nope.  Two other friends would be diagnosed during the year. One for her second battle with breast cancer, and cancer would take another ones life.  I could only wonder what was my fate with cancer going to be.  I had stopped smoking earlier that year, but I knew I wasn't as healthy as I could be - and what could I do to change that?

It was at that moment that I decided to start on the journey that I am still on, and really feel as though I am only in the first 1/10th of this journey almost 14 months later.

I had to start somewhere with making a change and the most extremely unmaintained part about my life was my health and my weight - so that was where I started.  On this journey I have been exposed and learned about new (to me) ideas about food, fuel, nutrition, health, additives, preservatives, manufactured foods, etc.  It made me turn my focus to movies and programming that would help me learn more about others going through the same things I was going through - Biggest Loser, Heavy, I Used To Be Fat, Thintervention, Cooking Shows, Superfat vs Superskinny, Food Inc, Food Matters, King Corn, Fast Food Nation, PBS' FAT, etc.  It made me rethink everything I was doing about my health and wellness - today and in the future.

Now, 40 is my reality.

In my early 20s I left college, literally ran away from home, moved to another state far away and didn't tell anyone where I was going (friends or family).  I went from Nanny to Corporate Assistant and by my late 20's Project Manager and Web Producer.  I would have my first real relationship that would become a roller coaster of my mid to late 20's and finally end when I was 28-29.

In my 30s I was laid off (literally 16 days after my 30th birthday), and within just a few months I would meet the man that would care for me in a way I thought was never possible both physically and mentally and emotionally.  We would both become beacons for each other in our lives and would grow up and grow together. =)  Shortly after meeting him, and at 380lbs I would have 80% of my stomach removed, lose over 80lbs and that still wouldn't be my wake up call.  I would spend the next decade pretty much living the life that Kevin describes in his 30's. =)  Owning my own business, working from home every day, watching movies, playing online games and video games, and eating my way through every food I had never tried, and if it tasted good, eating most of it again and again.  I would stay between 300 - 320 lbs.  In my late 30's I would finally wise up and marry that amazing man who had been there for me through more than you can even begin to imagine and somehow, still not only really liked me, but loved me like no other.  I would quit smoking after 17 years to prepare to have 20lbs surgically removed from my abdomen that was getting in the way of lots of things in my life - physical fitness, intimacy, general mobility and effecting my body imagine and self esteem.  I would have complications from this surgery and spend 8 months recovering with a huge hole in the front of my body b/c I was so unhealthy, had horrible blood flow and add to that I didn't quit smoking early enough before my surgery.  I would finally be fully healed in August 2009, right before I turned 39.


Then in January 2010 that takes us back to the first paragraph of this blog where I would finally wake up and realize my role in all of this, the responsibility I would need to take for myself, and here I am today.


It has been an amazing 14 months of information discovery and personal growth.  I am very proud of my accomplishments listed here and the many more that I have had each and every day. =)


I make new strides every day but when it comes to the big goals, I like to keep it simple.  The big goal I have set for the year is to be under 200 by the time I turn 41 in November.  So far I am on track to attain that goal in a healthy manner.  That is assuming just a very little bit over 1lb per week between today and 11/02/11. =)

To date here are the efforts, changes and victories I have made so far that put me in a better position of achieving that goal:

- Lost 58lbs since 1/1/10, and I am 135lbs lighter than my heaviest weight ever. =)  I have lost 6lbs of that in just the last 35 days of my new workout routine.
- Lost 6 inches on my waist, 6 inches on my hips, 4 inches on my thigh, 2 inches on my calf, 1.5 inches on my upper arm for a total so far of 19.5 inches lost.  I have lost 2.5 inches of that just in the last 35 days of my new workout program.
- Given up microwaving anything but my kitchen sponge
- Given up all soda or processed drinks other than coffee, water and tea- I now strive for 51% raw foods at each of my meals
- Started minimally cooking my foods to get the most nutrients and live organisms into my system for my fuel and overall health at each meal
- I have evened out my moods and energy levels where I feel fantastic each and every day
- Choose foods and nutrition combinations that keep me feeling satisfied and I am almost never hungry yet I stay within my calorie range almost every day
- Started eating as much local and organically grown foods as possible
- I am learning how to use food and vitamins as medicine to cure minor ailments and keep me healthy 
- Went to more farmer's markets in 2010 than I had been to in my entire life before that year
- Gave up obtaining any new plastic and paper bags.  I have resued what I already have, and have reusable grocery and produce bags
- Gave up all make up until I can find some that do not contain cancer producing ingredients
- Started using all natural and vegan shampoos, conditioners and body and face lotions that do not contain cancer causing ingredients

- I am currently working out 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training 6 days per week and I am on my 34th consecutive day today.
- I have increased my hand weights from 10lbs, to 12.5lbs to 15lbs in just one month of strength training.
- I am open to the fact that I don't know everything about anything and there is always new information that I can learn to make me a better and healthier person for me.
- I love myself and my body more than I ever have and I treat this vehicle with the respect it deserves each and every day
- When in doubt, I turn to my Rules to Happiness and I find one that can help that moment and I apply liberally:   http://onestrongsiren.blogspot.com/p/rules-to-happiness.html

It is amazing what kind of changes I have made in just one year when I put my heart, my open mind, my moving feet, my yearning soul and my love of self all in high power mode and let it guide me to a better place.   I am excited to see what the rest of this year will bring. =)

Adjustments

I have found that I need to make some adjustments to my program - to help achieve my weekly goals and cut some empty calories from my plan. Specifically I want to:

- Workouts first thing in the morning are much more effective on my weight loss goals. I did a week of workouts first thing in the morning and lost 4lbs. I did a week of workouts in the evening and only lost 1.6lbs. All of the science shows the benefits of working out earlier in the day not only from a metabolic standpoint, but also a mental standpoint - I get it out of the way and don't have to stress later in the day about getting it done.

- Cutting out cheese from my diet entirely will help save those critical calories for other more nutritious foods. I will miss you cheese. =)

- Cutting back on my sugar intake needs to be a focus for me moving forward. I got some Agave Nectar and I generally only use Turbinado sugar (raw sugar), the two tablespoons I am adding to my huge iced tea in the morning ends up being a huge percentage of my calories at the end of the day compared to the other foods that I am eating. The Agave Nectar is 60 calories per teaspoon, so it is right in line with the Turbinado, so it will really have to be a reduction of my sugar intake that will help.

Those are the adjustments I am going to work on. =)

Day 23 of My Facebook Motivational Workout Program

While watching The Biggest Loser weeks ago Dr. H recommended to one of

the contestants that she needed to commit to 90 minutes of activity, 6 days a week for the rest of her life to combat her obesity - or she may as well pack her bags and go home. I watched that clip about a dozen times. Many times on the Biggest Loser they don't mention weights, speeds, calories, etc. and this time it really hit home.

Her starting weight is about 13lbs heavier than where I am right now - AND - I used to be 133lbs heavier than where I am right now. He was talking to ME.

It was at that moment I decided that's what I needed to do. I needed to make that commitment to myself right then and I needed to see it through. I needed something to motivate me to keep going every day while I was starting this new habit. I needed something so motivational that no matter what I would make sure I got in those 90 minutes a day.

So I started the Facebook Motivational Workout Program. I started out posting my intention - 45 min cardio / 45 min strength training 6x a week, then each day I post to Facebook when I complete my 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of strength training in a post like:

Day 22 Complete! 45 min cardio / 45 min strength training - WOOT!

I am now on Day 23 and I haven't missed a workout day!

I went to NYC Thursday - Saturday of this past week and I wasn't even going to let that deter me from getting in my workouts. I worked out every day of the trip.

The simple idea of having to post to Facebook that I couldn't find 90 minutes in a full day to devote to me, my health and my well being is a mortifying thought - so I have done it every single day even Sunday's which are my day off - but I still post that it is my rest day and all that I am grateful for in the week that my body and mind have given me the strength to do this and continue doing this.

This has helped keep me on track and motivate me on days that without that component of accountability I would have easily talked myself out of going down there.

The "Likes" and comments have really helped too. When people you know and love but don't see on a day to day basis can give you that feedback in such an easy way - it is so helpful every day to have that boost of support and encouragement.

If you find that you are having a hard time sticking to your workout, or want a place to track your progress with great feedback try the Facebook program - it works great for me. =)

Do Your Thing

Soul Men (2008) - with Bernie Mac and Samuel L Jackson performing Isaac Hayes - Do Your Thing



Whatever you wanna do, you've got to do your thing.

Love On!

About Water

I spent a day watching BBC health/weight programming on YouTube.

I saw some interesting information about water.

In the past I have learned:

- A person trying to lose weight should drink half of their body weight in ounces of water per day

- Not having enough water in your systems - digestive, muscular, lymphatic, endocrine, cardiovascular, urinary, etc. means that your body will pull moisture from your waste to aid these systems if it does not have enough.

In the videos I was watching I learned two new things:

1.  Water that is consumed alone, on an empty stomach, literally leaves your stomach almost immediately.  The pyloric valve at the end of your stomach doesn't recognize it as food, so it lets it pass immediately.  To illustrate this in one of the episodes they gave two men a meal of broccoli, mushrooms and chicken.  They had them drink a glass of water before consuming the meal.  Then they gave another two guys the same meal (including the water), but all mixed up in a blender, heated and served as soup.

The men who consumed the soup reported being hungry AN HOUR AFTER the men who consumed the water first, then the meal.

So eating soups can help you lose weight and feel full longer.

The pyloric valve at the end of your stomach that closes shut when it senses food in your stomach.  The men who drank the water expanded their stomach, then the water immediately left.  The food came in to the already expanded stomach, the valve closed sensing the food.  The volume of the food didn't even even fill half of the space where the water had expanded the stomach.

For the men who ate the soup, the valve closed immediately on sensing the soup, and the stomach expanded and kept all of the contents in the stomach.

2.  In another episode, they had two twins.  One consumed 2 liters of water per day, the other took in no water for  a week.  Their skin levels were tested for elasticity, dryness, etc. before and after the week.  The results showed no difference between the girls.  It appears that 80% of the water that our body uses comes from the foods we eat - further supporting the soup theory above, and further supporting the idea that soups could really help someone lose weight and feel full while they are losing weight.

Good stuff! =)

What after-effect do you leave in your wake?

When people encounter you, what impression are they left from their interactions? 

I was a little cranky about two weeks ago because my workout was starting later than I had intended, I hadn't had breakfast yet or any caffeine.  I am trying to make sure that I work out before eating breakfast so I am drawing from the fat on my thighs for energy and not from the meal I just ate.  To top it off I had a really hard time falling asleep the night before thoughts just keep coming in and out of my brain on things I hadn't thought about in over a decade, and things that definitely didn't need my mental attention at 3am. 

Just before my workout my awesome niece had texted me asking for some help with something and I spent the time texting how I was cranky b/c I hadn't had breakfast, was late to work out, etc. but that I would text her when I was done so I could help her.

Now what have I transferred to her in that exchange?  What impression have I left her of me at that moment?  Was it really necessary for me to tell her all of those things and transfer that mood to her when she could be having a totally awesome day?

I saw this on Twitter:   You know when someone means a lot to you when their mood can easily affect yours.

That made me think about a time when I wasn't as happy as I am in my life right now - much more extreme than that exchange on text message.  There was a time when I would take any opportunity to pull someone/anyone into a bad mood that I was having.  If I were tired and frustrated, I would take out that aggression and frustration on anyone around me.  I would talk to them with angst and annoyance.  I would give them quick, quip answers to their questions and treat them with a level of disrespect.  I would do this mostly to the people closest to me, ultimately the ones that I subconsciously knew would put up with it.

I know I am much better than I used to be, because I am more happy and respectful of those closest to me.  I have apologized about a thousand times for my past behavior, and I try every time to make up for what I have done to those closes to me, but it can be easy to slip back into that behavior or cause a chain reaction with an interaction we have even had with a stranger and pass that on to a loved one.

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.  ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

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