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!

I wish I had thought about this when I was at the gym.

I keep saving images and ideas and forgetting to save the actual link,
I owe someone credit for this piece.

My partner took me to the gym the other night and my heart just was not in it, I ended up walking for about 15 minutes, "stretching", and then sitting around. I also wandered and looked at bulletin boards and artwork pensively.

I had too much on my mind and I found that walking, which is my favorite exercise and the start to my routine, just was not distracting me or making me feel good. I just kept thinking more and sort of feeling like my thoughts would knock me over.

I got yer link right here!

I have never felt that way before. I did not turn to my Todd for help because I was glad he was busy exercising and I did not want to interupt.

Aside: Todd hit the top of the cardio heart rate on the elliptical for the first time since this summer. This is a big deal for him! Snaps to Todd!

Todd has been working out 3 times a week with cardiac rehab staff since August and he is now on his own. I am very proud of him.

My goal is to get back to the gym this week and to "fake it until [I] make it", as a mentor once preached to me. If my thoughts overcome me, I will just walk slower or go and do some weight machines, or perhaps some actual stretches and deep breathing.

Meanwhile, my daily weighing for the study is going well. I do not enjoy it, but I do it and the cat helps me remember.

"Meeeeweigh yourself and give me a treat oooow!"

Last week and this week my weight has barely moved. It is down but stable, I am not sure why. I guess I have plateaued, but I really have not done a decent job of controlling my diet quality and I have not exercised that much.

Hmm.

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...

I do my best to avoid taking favors from the Family.

(I cannot remember where I saved this from now, crap. When I find out I will cite.)

Overshot!

My Health Coach just called for my monthly check in.

Admittedly, I signed up for this benefit for the opportunity for $$ if I complied. I am chatty, I like to answer questions, why not?

I am looking great! Beautiful posture and winning smile!

Well, I guess I am a sucker because I have long passed the required number of calls and I keep on trucking with my health coach. I always forget her name, but she lives in Ohio and is nice.

She has been very supportive of me and has given me credit (or slack) for the big stress in my life since May. I have listened to her and appreciated her rah-rah-rah attitude.

Last month she encouraged me to really minimize my goal for November. She talked me into making a goal of going to the gym or playing Wii intensely once per week. I was also supposed to do some mental health work.

The overachiever in me thought that was pretty lame, but I humored her.

I actually am taking Spanish and sort of polishing off my French.

She just called to check in with me and I blew that goal out of the water and I feel AWESOME!!

I went to the gym about 3 times a week and did several mental health care activities.

She is so smart. Set the bar low and feel amazing and motivated!

Off to sign up for fencing and physics classes now...

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.