Doc's Report

I had my annual appointment with my primary care physician yesterday.  I had gone in two weeks ago for my fasting blood draw and was anxious to hear what she had to say.  And, you know me, I had her write down last year's numbers and this year's numbers before we started that part of our fabulous conversation.

The blood work report:

Total cholesterol (which was fine) is down 56.

Triglcerides (which were scary high and I promised they would go down because she wanted to put me on meds) went down 142!

HDL (good cholesterol) is up 8 (needs to go up a little more, still...hello, salmon! and I'll keep on with the flax and chia - which I already love!).

LDL (bad cholesterol - which was fine) went down 26.

Gotta ♥ this!

I really was a little worried that I'd be the one person that could lose 80 pounds in a year and go to the doc and be told it was time for medication.  Nope.  Not a chance!

Thank you, Take Shape For Life & Medifast!!!

  The "I'm a Rockstar" was waiting for me at the staff breakfast this morning with the "Amazing!" card.  What a great reflection of how AMAZING I feel!

Busy and Living on Auto-Pilot

This past week has been a bit insane.  Between the end of the school year, waiting for my assignment for next school year, finishing up a grad class, getting ready for the next class, deciding to be a TSFL Health Coach, keeping up with family, getting in some time with friends and making sure that I'm doing what I need to do to be healthy...  Whew!  I'm exhausted!

I really have been thinking a lot about my journey to healthy life and weight - but haven't so much been thinking about my food choices.  Sure, this could be a recipe for disaster.  Oh, I know that the ugly stuff could easily rear it's ugly little three-headed (pizza, buffalo wings, ice cream) self right into my path.  But, it hasn't been the case.  Not at all.

Instead, I'm on auto-pilot.  I'm drinking lots of water, eating my 5 MF meals a days and getting in a tasty L&G everyday.  It's great.  And, I'm moving a ton.  This past Sunday, I passed the 20,000 step mark!  Yahoo!!!

And, yes, I've made the decision to take my journey and put it to good use helping others.

And, I know where and what I'm teaching this year.

Life is good.  Things are all continuing to work well for me.  I'm losing weight.  I feel fantastic.  I'm holding my head up high.

How about you?  How are you doing?  Have you been working your program and ingraining the Habits of Health into your life?  I hope so!  

It's been fabulous being able to take care of things without 110% of my attention being on food.  Instead, it's on life!

And, you know what?  If I can do this - so can you!

Go get 'em, tigers!

Today's Habits of Health Discussion

Today’s Habits of Health Discussion

Habits of Health Recap

What have you learned ?

This month’s experience of sticking our toes in and starting to get a taste for Dr. A.’s Habits of Health has helped me to take the time to focus on my goals and why I am on this journey. 

It is easy to say, “I want to lose weight.” It is a completely different thing to sit down and imagine a different life for myself – one at a healthy weight that includes a consistent involvement with physical activity…not just when the weather is cooperative – I am in Wisconsin, after all.

The act of sitting down, reflecting on my life, my health, my choices and planning for things to be different is so much more than ordering my Medifast meals from Take Shapefor Life and eating five of those a day plus preparing a Lean & Green.  Planning to be successful, navigating roadblocks and pot holes along the way, choosing to stay on plan, accepting slips and moving forward are all part of this journey.

Sharing my choices and my journey are also something that has been a large part of my success and is something I committed to when I recommitted to this program thirty-six days ago.  Through this blog, my participation in discussion groups and blogs on mymedifast and my two Medifast-focused facebook groups, I am sharing my journey and all aspects of this process with the people in my life and those along on this journey with me.  Having the support and encouragement of as many people around me as I can pull together has helped me to focus on my goals because I know people are watching, listening and cheering for me along the sidelines. 

What positive changes have you made this month?

It has been just over a month since I have recommitted to this journey and to my goals of health, weight loss and physical activity.  In this time, I have made a very focused effort to share my journey, take time everyday to evaluate my progress and where I may need a hand and I’ve taken a step back from my plans for an intense summer cycling program.  I am focusing on each day as its own opportunity for me to move closer to my goal, while enjoying each day as the gift it is.  This time around, I am working to appreciate the process and where each step takes me – not just on what the final portrait will look like.  

Today's Habits of Health Discussion

From my Health Coach's facebook group

For our group's May Challenge, everyday has a theme. 

Tuesday's are Habits of Health Discussion Day

Tuesdays Habits of Health Discussion

Accelerate your weight loss

Page 66 Habits of Health

1. Eat your first meal replacement within an hour of waking up.
I still struggle with starting my "eating" day early.  I've always been one to have to wait an hour or two to eat - but I'm getting closer to an hour.  If I don't, I start to feel very tired and sluggish.  As with everything, I'm a work in progress!
 

2. Don’t over exercise. If you haven't been exercising don’t start now. Wait three weeks then you can begin to add activity to your schedule as you learn Habits of Motion that are sustainable over time.
After my second week back on the program, I started walking 4-5 times a week.  Then, I got myself a fitbit!  I'm walking at least 6 days a week and aiming for 10,000 steps a day.  Some days, it's quite a bit higher.  Of course, there's a few days that I don't quite get there.  Something to work towards!

3. Be sure to have all five meal replacements with your lean and green every day. Eat slowly and use a straw for liquids.

One of the things I really focus on is evenly spacing out my meals during the day.  Sometimes, life at work catches me off guard and I miss my 4th meal.  When this happens, my L&G (dinner) becomes meal #4 and my last two meals are my Medifast meals.  I usually feel like I'm getting a double dessert on these days...the silver lining!

4. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. Tea and Crystal Light count.

You can bet that I'm getting at least this much water in everyday!  I try to aim for 1/2 of my water being pure water - no additions.  The rest is a mix of unsweetened, home-brewed green tea and Crystal Light (which I dilute the daylights out of).  Gotta have my water!!!

5. Measure your lean and green portions.

I weigh every part of my L&G meals.  Sure, I'm guilty of a little extra L or G every once in a while, but not more than once a week - and it's no more than 1/4 cup of a Green or 1 oz. of a Lean.  Weighing is more accurate than measuring cups.  The Vegetable Conversion Chart is a great tool to keep in the kitchen for a guide to weighing your Green servings.  I have mine in page protectors clipped to the side of my fridge for handy reference!

6. Keep your daily carbohydrate level between 85-100 grams. 85 is optimal.

YES!!!  Some days I'm under that 85, but usually I'm right in that range.  I try to keep it a little different so that I keep my body guessing.  This also helps me make sure that I vary my L&G meals.  It's terribly easy to get in a rut of eating the same tasty L&G for a few days in a row.  I track all of my meals on myfitnesspal and that tracks my calories, carbs, fat & protein for easy checking and daily meal planning.

7. Take advantage of all the support that you can-including support calls.

You bet!!!  Early on in my program, I did weekly phone check-ins with my health coach.  As my needs changed, I did more email check-ins and am now an active participant in her facebook group for clients.  I've found my health coach to be a great source of support, information and encouragement through every step of this journey!

8. Keep a daily journal

I keep track of my day and progress a few ways.  1. I log all of my meals & water on myfitnesspal, along with my weight.  2. My weight & activity is tracked on my fitbit dashboard. 4. I participate in the discussion boards on mymedifast everday.  5. I reflect on my journey daily through this blog.  I also share this blog on my mymedifast blog!  6. I record all of this EVERY DAY in my daily planner.  Check out the picture!

9. Review your goal and secondary choices every day.

I plan my meals the night before, log them in on myfitnesspal and prepare them.  This way, I know my nutritional needs are being met, I'm prepared for the next day and am ready to continue making decisions that are best for my health.  Waking up and having this part done is a big step towards having a great day!

10. Have no more than two approved snacks every day if needed.

Yes!  I always have dill pickle spears on hand - even in the mini-fridge in my classroom.  And, if you know me, you know I've ALWAYS got some sugar-free gum on hand.  Did you see the newest Extra Dessert Sensations flavor?  Ooh...I just picked up a pack this weekend!!!

11. Don’t add extra carbs.

No way!  This can really be a challenge when out to eat, at a social event, and, for me, especially at a Brewers' game.  Having a plan and having a healthy & approved snack in my bag has been my key to staying away from the extra carbs.  I'm not perfect, and I have my slips - but 99.9% of the time, I'm keeping it on program!

12. Dont drink alcohol.

This is a slippery slope for many.  I've never been a big drinker, so I can abstain from alcohol without even having to think about it.  If I want something a little special, a diet soda or a few limes in my water do the trick! 

Name some activities that you can do around the house or office when you feel stress or cravings

• Clean
• Scrub the bathroom
• Closet Cleanout - Very rewarding!!!
• Knit
• Read
• Visit mymedifast discussion boards or blogs
• Check-in with my two TSFL/Medifast groups on facebook
• Hooping to my iPod with my weighted hoops
• Dance to the music
• Take out the recycling - the empty MF boxes added up!
• Update my blog!

 List some healthy snacks

• Dill pickle spears
• Sugar-free gum
• Celery Sticks
• Sugar-Free Jello
• Almonds

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!

 List some healthy fats

• Canola, flaxseed, walnut or olive oil
• Green olives
• Low carbohydrate salad dressing
• Trans-fat-free margarine

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!

Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs

Boca/Morning Star Farms burgers

Eggs, egg whites, Egg Beaters

Tofu

Cottage Cheese

List some meatless options

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!
 
 Wishing you all a great day of achieving your goals!  See you tomorrow!

Today's Sneak Peak Into the Habits of Health

I have mentioned a few times that I am involved in a few facebook groups for support with my weight loss journey.  My health coach with Take Shape for Life has a great group that is quickly growing to include other coaches and their clients.  Everyone is at a different point in their journey and has different goals, yet everyone is open, honest and supportive of the others in the group.  It's a safe place to ask questions and share successes.

Yesterday began the May challenge in the group.  Each day has a theme.  Monday's roll call included a check-in on how you're doing, a weigh-in, and posting a picture of your feet on the scale.  Oh yes...we posted pictures of our weight on facebook.  You bet!  It is a closed, super-secret group and a safe place - but it still takes a deep breath and a prayer to post that sort of thing on facebook.

Today is Habits of Health discussion day.  Each Tuesday my coach will be posting information on the Habits of Health: The Path to Permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health from Dr. Wayne Andersen's book/website for us to discuss and use as a launch pad for our own reflection, goal-setting and focus on our program.

I will admit that I have had Dr. A.'s book since September and have spent a little bit of time with it.  However, I quickly dropped the ball.  I've been meaning to get back to it - and Habits of Health Tuesday's are just what I need to get back to the book.  I will be pulling it out when I get home from school this afternoon and I will work my way through the book and the accompanying workbook Living a Longer, Healthier Life.  I said it here.  I must do it now.

Today's discussion topic from Habits of Health focuses on four things.  1. Identifying the choices that support optimal health and implementing a plan to incorporate them into daily choices, also listing 10 choices that support your health right now 2. Becoming aware of daily choices that do not support health 3. Thinking long term and not instant gratification 4. Creating a microenvironment of health.

Choices that support my health:

• drinking at least 1/2 may weight in pure water each day
• eliminating/minimizing consumption of caffeine
• eating at regular intervals
• walking daily
• running or cycling 4-6 times a week - Yes! Me and the bike have reunited, at last!
• choosing non-processed foods over packaged foods with additives
• adding strength training to my days 3-4 times a week
• asking for support of the people around me
• choosing to eat at home instead of putting myself into situations where I feel I'd make decisions that are not in my best interest
• actively participating in groups that support my journey and encourage me to meet my goals
• logging my daily activity, food choices and water consumption in my journal and online
• using my fitbit to evaluate my progress and set goals for more activity

These things are just a glimpse into what I'm doing each day to improve my health.  I'm sure if I were to revisit this list in a month or two, I would have more to add.

One of the things that helps me most is having an environment that supports my health.  Living alone, it is easy to keep only the foods I should have in the house.  From Medifast packets to plenty of fresh vegetables and lean meats/meat alternatives to water bottles and a variety of green teas, my kitchen is stocked and prepared to support me on this journey towards improved health.  Of course, I am accountable to maintain this environment and not let momentary struggles and/or lapses in judgement allow me to bring home a pint of frozen custard or a dozen donuts.  But then, I would still have to answer to myself for these choices.

Now I really am looking forward to spending some quality time with Dr. A.'s book and thinking more about my journey and what lies ahead.