Back in the saddle.

I have been tracking my meals on myfitnesspal again. I have really enjoyed it because this time more people I know are actively using it and I really cave to peer pressure.

My coworkers and I have been eating salads and/or soup at lunch. Some days I love my salad and some days it goes more like this:

Always a pleasure, Garfield Minus Garfield.

My husband and I have been supporting each other and again, that peer pressure makes all the difference.

Was Guilty the eigth dwarf?

I did not make it to the gym yesterday, but I ate healthy...right up until I split a vegan banana walnut pancake with my love.
I am not sure if anyone is reading this, but I feel like if I post it somewhere I OWN that truth and I can work from it.

There is always tonight for the gym!

(This is my gym, but now the foliage is much greener!)

Well, I went to the gym last night

and I am pretty darn proud of myself!
My partner has been going 3-4 days a week in the mornings. I am proud of him.

I hope to get back to the gym again.

New friend! Opa!

Several nice friends encouraged me to try Greek yogurt and I trusted them, thankfully!

Meet my new best snack friend:

Fage!

They sell it at SuperTarget near the normal yogurt; I am sure at other places have it too.

Even a favorite artist, Gary Baseman, sold out to Fage:

I add some Bob's Red Mill 5 Rolled Grain Cereal to mine sometimes. In fact, I JUST did, that is why I had to hurry here to tell you this.

The little snack version comes with a few different sides. I like honey and cherry the best. I also like to add frozen raspberries and blueberries on my own.

Why didn't I bring more to work?

I wish I would use the bigger size with less packaging. I am working on it. I put blueberries in a little to-go cup with some plain and for some reason it was just not the same. It did not taste as good. I have the same problem with regular yogurt. WHY?!? Too much air?

Also, I bought the Stoneyfield Farms variation and I was not as pleased, though not utterly unhappy.

Meh.

ALSO (!) I have used it in cooking to make healthier sauces. Nice.

Thanks recommenders!

Work Workout

Yesterday I did not go to the gym with my partner. He tried to get me to go, but I knew I was too tired and had too much work to do by today.

Slight dramatization. I am much more pale with fair colored hair. Plus, I am female.

I know, it is a terrible thing to put work before exercise and wellness, but it really was a time to work late with good reason. Trying to work less and take more time for myself could be a whole different blog!

I wish I could do more exercising while I worked!

Well, not exactly.

Standing and moving around at work is always nice; stretching at your desk while on a conference call, taking the stairs, and walking to the furthest bathroom or copy machine to get a few more steps in- depending on your needs.

A standing height desk (or adjustable desk) would be great! There are several benefits that have been found by those who choose this option, including better back health and feeling more alert.

Look at how fit and content she is, plus her desk is so organized!
I would keep my Dansko's over heels though and that cord is a safety hazard!

I have long considered a balance ball chair for better posture and constant core strengthening.

NO! Not that kind of ball chair!

This Kind:

This is NOT how I would use it, I mean, how can she read her emails from that angle?

I tend to wiggle my legs around and get restless as a rule, so a structure balance ball chair might help me use that excess energy to my benefit. I wish I could test one for a week before committing to it though.

Now this is the stuff! And her desk is neat and organized too!

Maybe when the network is down I could use the chair for some stretched while I make phone calls?


Well, let's not get carried away...

Heart troubles coming on...

First off, I just got home from the gym with my Todd. for the first time he had to find me because I was still exercising and he was ready to leave!

I am not going to guess how much the New Yorker article on
Wes Anderson influenced my getting there.

Nice.

Second, I have had more interaction with cardiologists, endocrinologists, and other metabolic experts in the last year than I care to count. I am grateful for all of them, I just wish I never had to meet them!

It is a love/hate relationship.

Unfortunatly, a loved one was treated for their 2nd heart attack/disturbance/major artery blockage today. I am grateful for those caring for them, for their choice to seek help, and for their health insurance. I am very grateful that they are recovering nicely and can continue this wonderful life.

I bring this up because as I waited for news and absorbed this reality today, I kept thinking about the elements of our health that we can control.

There are so many factors involved in our health: genetics, fate, environment, circumstance, HOWEVER, despite the efforts of public health professionals, public policy makers, and health care researchers, millions of us do not take control of the elements of our health that we can impact.

Remember: I am not a health professional or a graphic designer.
I urge you to seek professional advice for your health and promotional materials.

For me, I struggle with diet and exercise. I trust that what "they say" about a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and being physically active is true, but I struggle to live it.

Par exemple: This open faced Croque -monsieur was fantastic and had 3 dipping sauces! 3!
It was delicious with nearly zero nutritional value. Le sigh.

People spend a lot of energy worrying and discussing all the terrible health problems that occur in this life to ourselves and others, news media outlets make a killing feeding a culture of health care fears. People spend a lot of money trying to find the fitness secret that will save them, some find it but not without a lot of sacrifice and commitment to lifestyle change (the hard part).

Many sacrifice Oreos, for example.

I am still searching for my best game plan for a new normal of healthy foods and consistent exercise. I have been exploring cookbooks, changing how I shop, taking nutrition classes, trying nutritional supplements (ground flax seed and fish oil), and of course facing the gym. This blog is one of my personal attempts to stay on task- I think to myself: "tell the world, and then live it!". I also like to track what I have tried and to hear feedback from others.

There are so many ways to improve your diet and exercise and invaluable health related reasons why it is important to try, to explore, to think twice and to ask for help. Some are peer based, some are spiritual, some are fun, some are strict, some are social, some are free, some are expensive, some are sweaty, some are heavy, some require a surgeon, and some can be dangerous.

You are invaluable! Take care of yourself!

It is very overwhelming, but thankfully there are many others in the same boat and they can help you to get motivated and see results. Success stories can be found all over, like in books, online (some are linked in the right had nav), on tv, and at your local gym. I thank you and Google for this blog, it is not much to look at, but it does help me keep tabs on myself. Let me know if you would like to join me, or pipe in with your own ideas!

I wish you clarity and patience as you seek the best ways to stay healthy. Of course I wish you health!

Nobody's fault but my own.

Today on FML:
Today, it’s decided, I’m going a diet. For real. But I said that yesterday. And the day before. FML

I can relate, but cannot agree.No, this is not a "FML" worthy scenario. This is my fault, my lack of self control, my lack of commitment.

I believe in eating whole foods and I know that I need to overcome my sweet tooth, my habit of eating out, my resistance to exercise, and my sporadic cooking schedule.

I believe these are reasonable and feasible.

I can change, I can try again. I am doing the best I can, and I know I am not alone.

Todd and I are in a little competition to see who can lose 10 pounds first. I will post our method of tracking, etc once we get officially started. I am not so much motivated by the competition, but by my desire for him to be healthy and follow doctors orders, and he reminds me that he wants the same for me.

This weekend we tried to go to the gym together, but it was closed early. We went home and played SingStar together in duet mode.

Shake it!

We danced and sang, we broke a nice sweat.

We plugged in our neglected Wii controllers for future at home workouts together.

Dear you!

I just had to share this post from Passive-Aggressive (and Just Plain Agressive) Notes, it cracked me up and also was a nice reminder.

I was dragged to the gym!

My partner is starting to phase out of his highly monitored fitness classes, hooray for Todd!

Last night he made me go to the gym with him.

Well, he was assigned by his instructors to go on his own and earlier in the evening I was totally stoked to join him! I really was, ask him.

Wahoo, let's go to the gym!

But I had started working at home and fallen asleep (deep cat nap) by the time he was ready to go. I tried so hard in my half-awake state to get out of going to the gym. I think I put up a pretty great, really whiny fight.

Todd is the dragn. Missy is the kitteh.

He won. I reluctantly went to the gym.

Todd gloating because he got me to the gym OR me celebrating because I went to the gym?