Day 18, 19, 20

Well we have this big discussion on planning so that one does not get off track and here it is a blog for three days due to way to much busyness.  I spend those types of days bouncing between what I feel are priorities and usually end up feeling guilty because I didn’t get anything done that made me feel really good.  The biggest reason I have a tendency to not finish things because I am always bouncing from one project to another instead of completely something then moving on.  I watched a wonderful little two-minute video on simpletruths.com call Eat that Frog.  It is about procrastination and how to overcome it, by doing the things that you really don’t want to first.  These things are called energy zappers, so you want to get then off your list so that you can do more of what you love.  For me that would be exercise, that is one of my biggest frogs.  On my first blog I spoke of detesting exercise.  I was reprimanded by my son-in-law after that post with the following comment.

“In the book  ‘The Science of Getting Rich”, Waddles, the author talks about NEVER writing down your worries/fears/lack minded thinking. I am not judging, but when you actually write that you DETEST exercise you are attracting that kind of thinking into your routine. I am very proud of the commitment you have made and am excited for the changes you have and will continue to have. I guess you could say something like “I am finding ways to motivate myself to exercise more and enjoy it since this has been a challenge in the past.” What we think about we bring about and when we write things down and share them with others they think about them as well and they are manifested that much more in our lives.”

With that regard I am duly reminded that exercise is my frog the thing that creates anxiety in me. I only wanted to share with you so that you also understand that we all struggle with negative self talk.  What I should have also said was that it is probably now the organized, structured have to do it exercise that zaps my energy.  Riding my bike, swimming, and snowshoeing in the winter have all been wonderful exercise that I truly enjoy, and since increasing my health I have been able to participate in these things more.  The task then is to find a way to enjoy what is necessary, such as exercise.

Till next time – here is to eating your frogs first.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 16/17 – Planning

As you can guess I am combining two days into one post.  The reason lack of planning.  If anything can throw a wrench into a program or desired change it is lack of planning. I know that not every circumstance can be planned for and tonight really happened to be one of them. Not to complain but my husband forgot a very important thing that he needed to do today, and because he forgot we had to do it in the evening after I got out of the office. Which meant no dinner, or we eat dinner and 9 or 10 pm that evening. We ate late the night before. One rule for health do your best to not eat more than three hours before retiring for the night. Monday night we ate at 9 pm and was in bed at 10 pm. Sleep deprivation continues. So tonight I broke one of the rules because of lack of planning and ate out with my husband because I did not want to be eating at 10 pm. But alas it was still only two hours before bedtime and sleep was not restful again. I am truly struggling with the fact that I was unable to make the whole 6 weeks without eating out.
Let’s talk about planning a little. Many folks hate planning, they think that when you have to make plans all the time it creates more stress in your life. I would like to say that it can be monotonous to have to always live by a plan, but once you become good at it and it becomes part of your routine, there is more stress when there is no plan. Not just the emotional stress, but there can be physical stress as well (like lack of sleep). I am currently reading a book titled The End of Overeating. Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetitie, by David Kessler, M.D..  It has been a great read on how the food industry encourages our overeating by what they call layering of our food (that will be for another discussion time). What I would like to talk about today is near the end of the book in the Food Rehab chapter. Here he talks about just-right eating. Let me give a short synapse. Basically it has to do with planned eating, meaning choosing food in appropriate quantities. We need to figure out how much to put on our plate so that we feel satisfied until it is time to eat again. Dr. Kessler says that a just-right meal keeps away hunger for approximately four hours and a snack for two hours. He says a way to begin to change to eating a just-right meal, is to cut your portion in half (put only half of what is normally on your plate), wait thirty minutes and ninety minutes after that and see how you feel. If you feel unsatisfied and truly hungry then the next meal make it three-quarters of your normal portion. Again see how you feel thirty and ninety minutes later. At dinner last night Mike and I each had a small salad and then split the main course, I was plenty satisfied when we left maybe even a little over the edge. I would like to quote him directly for the next paragraph because he hits it right on the waist line, that we need to eat innately or intuitively is how he says it. “Some people count calories because they find it the easiest way to know how much they are eating. Others are willing to weigh their food to determine portion size. But those strategies are impractical for most of us because they take too much time and are too difficult to do. A better approach is to develop an intuitive sense of how much you need to feel satisfied. By paying close attention to how much food you eat and how long it sustains you, you will learn that portions smaller that you’ve come to expect will hold you perfectly well.”

For today – here is to just right eating. May you choose well and be satisfied.

Namaste’
Dr. Kareen

Day 15 – week 3

Today is the start of week 3.  Weighed in at 254.4.  A total loss now of 7.8 lbs., this week I only managed to take off 1.4 lbs.  Not as successful on the scales as I had hoped.  It is very difficult not to make excuses or I should say to not use them.  I do believe this week will be better as I will get more exercise once our grandson has gone home. Also my sleep schedule should return to normal.  I craved more sweets this week, but did not indulge thank goodness or 1 lb would not have been lost.

We  have now talked about omega 3′s, BMI, and sleep deprivation.  This week our subjects will be water, positive thinking and cortisol. I still am not getting three quarts of water in the best I have done was one day of 2.5.  My thoughts at the end of two weeks; this is still doable, but that it takes discipline and focus, and follow through.  I know that I could have found time to get in thirty minutes of exercise if it meant getting up 1/2 hour earlier, I just didn’t have the gumption to do it I really wanted to sleep.

So here is to continued striving to make different choices.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 14

I was thinking this morning as I was juicing how some people complain about diets because they are restricted and have to eat the same things.  The reason this thought came to mind was because we were again drinking juice made from kale, spinach, apple, lemon and broccoli. The juice is still very refreshing and I enjoy it as much as most people enjoy a cup of coffee, which most people drink very morning, basically doing the same thing every morning.  So why do we complain when we have to go on a diet?  Maybe the reason is that we feel imprisoned by the idea of being forced into something.  My father’s wife kept asking me how my diet was going and I said “I really don’t like the word diet, did you know that the word die is in diet?  Not that that is the reason, but maybe it is a psychological thing to all of us.  Do to my not liking the word or the context we decide that this is a nutrition plan or a change in lifestyle which means it is by choice.  Many times we choose to go on “diets” or food plans and they don’t work or they work until we stop them.  Thus calling this a nutrition plan may not be the best choice either. Let’s think about all the reasons we choose to go on one plan or another.  For most it with the main objective being to lose weight.  Even gastric by-passes are for the purpose of losing weight.  For some there may also be underlying health issues such as diabetes or heart disease.  But most of us just want to look better and have not thought a lot about the other issues that come with obesity.  So for me choosing to live innately for 6 weeks was to see if it could be done, what I would feel like I missed out on and what I would gain in  regards to my health not just my weight.

Today marked the end of two weeks, and I can say that 90% of the time I have not missed much of the things that I gave up.  Walking in Suttons Bay yesterday with Mike and Hamish, Mike said he wished we could sit outside at the little pub and have a beer.  It didn’t sound good at all I was thinking water or lemonade. I thought back to the pasta salad on Friday night after the bike ride, even that was not missed.  I enjoy the green salads, with fresh cucumber, the garden fresh zucchini in my eggs and just chewing.  When you eat a lot of vegetables you better expect to chew a whole bunch.  So for today I just want to think on how great I have been feeling (other than a loss of sleep due to a grandchild), how blessed I am that I will have the energy to run with my grandchildren (another one on the way), and enjoy my golden years (which are a few years away yet) because I knew that I could make a different choice.

Till tomorrow here is to having a choice.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 13 – The Ride

Well it is close to midnight.  I have completed the 13th day of my challenge.  Tonight was challenging for numerous reasons.  First I knew that I was going to be eating at the end of my bike ride with food that was probably not on my food list.  Secondly I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to complete the bike ride.  Initially I was to ride with a friend, but she fell last week and hurt her shoulder so my husband got to ride by default.  I was nervous about riding with Holly as we were going to do the road option and I was afraid that it would be to hilly for me.  So with her not doing the ride Mike and I were able to stay on the trail.  It was a steady incline for 3/4 of the ride and about 8 miles of it was on old railroad grade through orchards and woods.  It was a beautiful ride.  At 7.2 miles they had a rest stop with water, fruit and cookies.  I ate only some grapes and watermelon.  Mike consumed a cookie as well it was slightly challenging to watch him eat a cookie.  The next mile was on pavement then started the sandy gravel road.  At that point our speed slowed way down and I was quickly becoming discouraged and unfortunately thinking I was not going to make it.  What drove me to continue was knowing that I had another rest stop in about 3 miles and then after that only 8 miles left to go at which point I could say “I did it” and of course I would be able to eat because I was becoming very hungry.

When we reached the town of Suttons Bay and I saw the finish sign, I teared up a little.  The twenty-mile that Mike and I have ridden before we have done very leisurely, by resting often and taking three or more hours to accomplish it.  This time we had a time limit, and I did not want to be the last one-off the trail (my competitive side coming out). It felt really good to have accomplished this ride and we did it in 1 hour 50 minutes.  Next week we plan to ride the Betsie Valley Trail which is 23 miles one way and we plan to do it round trip.

So now comes the time to eat, and I am beginning to sweat again only not from the humidity this time.  Oh did I mention that it was 85 degrees and 100% humidity today for the ride.  I really hope I sweated off ten pounds.  Dinner was cherry bratwurst, italian pasta salad, romaine lettuce with ranch dressing, and corn on the cob.  I had the bratwurst with no bun, had one scoop of pasta salad, some salad, and two ears of corn.  They were also serving root beer floats.  Mike got a float and I must admit I was very tempted to get my own. I also must admit I took a gulp of his and then remembered the rules.  But not only that truthfully it was not all that good.  It was cold that was nice but I would have rather had another ear of corn or bratwurst.  It was nice  to know that that kind of sweet just wasn’t as appealing.

After our bus ride back into town we had to wait for our bikes to be returned and that is when the cravings hit.  The first that I have had since this started or at least this intense.  I wanted french fries with ketchup.  I wonder if it was my on and only taste of sugar that was driving me towards that craving.  Either way we did not stop and satisfy it.

Over all the trip was wonderful and we will be doing it again next year maybe I can get a few more folks to join us.

Till tomorrow here’s to new adventures.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 12

It was a busy day for Mike, Hamish and I.  We did get an eight mile bike ride in, thanks to Cassie we were able to take Hamish.  She loaned us her instep child carrier that you pull behind your bike.  Hamish loves it.  Last night we had a good nights sleep which was helpful to get through the day, we pray for another tonight.

Our juice this morning was broccoli, carrot, kale, apple, lemon, spinach and parsley.  I shared it with Hamish as well, we just water it down to half and half.  He drank it right down.  I still have to say that I am really enjoying my fresh juice every morning.  Even after the challenge is over I plan to continue juicing.  It invigorates me for the day.  And the whole process with cutting things up, juicing and then clean up takes 15 to 20 minutes which I know for some it seems like a lot of time, but the way it tastes and how good it make me feel it is worth it.

Tomorrow night is our bike ride from Traverse City to Suttons Bay, 19 miles total.  I pray that I can make it.  It has been a few weeks since I have ridden any great distance.  I am both excited and nervous.

Till tomorrow here’s good wholesome juice.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 11 – sleep and weight loss

I would love to tell you that I have accomplished this challenge with no hiccups, but alas I am unable to.  The last few days I have not ridden my bike to the office.  Yes it has been one excuse after another, and Cassie my office manager has been sure to inform me that I have not been following through with the deal.  I appreciate her being my accountability partner.  Our first night with our grandson Hamish gave us only five hours of sleep instead of our normal 7.  It is amazing what two hours of sleep can do for a body. So let’s look at some of the ways being sleep-deprived may have an effect on your weight loss and your health.

There is evidence that the amount of sleep you get and the quality of sleep “may silently orchestrate a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your appetite”.  (The Dream Diet: Losing Weight While You Sleep. By Colette Bouchez, MD).

Dr. Michael Breus, PhD., author of Beauty Sleep and the clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Ariz. says “it’s not so much that if you sleep you will lose weight, but if you a sleep-deprived, meaning you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly.” There are two hormones that are key in this process they are ghrelin and leptin.  Breus says, “Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin.  Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have less leptin.”

Until tomorrow here is to a good quality nights sleep.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 10 – omega 3′s

There is still a big push for omega 3′s and I have to say that I totally agree with the research.  Especially on a personal note as I see huge differences from when I diligently take it and when I don’t.  Part of my 6 weeks challenge is to take my omega 3′s, probiotic, a & d vitamin, and the multi-vitamin.  My personal benefits even before the challenge have been less inflammation, especially when traveling, no more swollen feet and legs.  Also I have had less menstrual problems, and I think that it has been a huge contributor to my weight loss.

Many folks ask what is omega 3′s and why do we need to take them.  First what are they; 1) an essential fatty acid, meaning the body can not make them so you must get them from outside the body.  Usually through your diet, eating fish, grass-fed beef, wild game such as venison.  2) it is composed of three unsaturated fatty acids, α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Now the long list as to why we need them.  Research show that with today’s Western diet most of us are deficient in EPA an DHA Omega-3 fatty acids.  This deficiency has been linked with poor development in childhood, including learning and behavioral problems such as ADHD.  With teens and adults it has been linked with breast, colon, and prostate cancers ( I know you can almost say everything is linked look for the common denominator), heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression, skin disorders, and digestive disorders like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.  In the elderly it has been linked to arthritis, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s.

EPA and DHA are essential for the proper function of every cell, tissue, organ and gland in the brain and body.  They are the main component of the brain neurons and all cell membranes.  Without it you have a decreased function and you can have this without symptoms.  So if you’re looking to rebuild your health… innately you need to be taking omega-3 and it needs to come from fish.  Vegetables do not contain EPA and DHA, so consuming flax or borage oil will not give you the proper essential omega-3′s.  You can go to our website www.village-chiropractic.com and under nutrition watch videos from Dr. James Chestnut, D.C. for information on the brand we choose and why.

All else is progressing well on the home front and with the challenge.  I have juiced, eaten well and taken my supplements.  I went to a body rolling class this morning which left me very sore.  I will have to explain that one another day.  So till tomorrow, look into your essential fatty acids and see if you are getting enough and the sufficient kind.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 9 – BMI

We, Mike and I have made it past the first week.  Exercise is still the biggest issue.  This week may be even tougher to establish a system, actually no system will be established we will be lucky to get in any exercise at all.  This week will be our week to feel like young parents trying to fit everything in.  Our grandson Hamish comes to stay with us Tuesday night for a week.  We ask for prayer to hold it all together.  I did not ride my bike this morning as it is way to dark even with my light.  My road makes me very nervous to ride on.  So I rode back after lunch and home after the afternoon shift.  At dinner this evening Mike said he had weighed himself and he would tell me his weight if I promised not to get mad.  I said I won’t, and I guessed that he was at 168.  Before we started this he was at 175.  He said I had guessed right and 168 it was.  When we got married 26 years ago he weighed 175.  He said he doesn’t know when he weighed 168.  I asked how he felt about other things.  His comment was lighter, but he knows that he needs to begin doing his push ups and dips and core work and he feels flabby and weak.  So his plan is to get back to doing Jullian’s shred which might be easy for both of us with Hamish.

Well let’s have a little discussion on BMI, body mass index.  First I will give you a website that you can go on to calculate your BMI.  It is www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi,  just put in your height and weight it does the rest.  The website also gives you tables if you click on the link to the right of the calculation chart.   I am 6 feet tall and currently weigh 256 my current BMI is 34.7.  When we started the biggest loser innate style last September my BMI was 45.  It is truly exciting to have come so far.  BMI is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight.  Experts generally consider a BMI below 20 to be underweight and a BMI of 20 to 25 to be healthy. BMIs of 25 to 30 are generally considered overweight, while a BMI over 30 is generally considered very overweight (obese).  BMI over 35 are considered morbidly obese.  Your waist measurement is also used to determine your level or potential for diseases caused by being overweight, obese or morbidly obese.  If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop health problems than if you carry fat mainly in your hips and thighs.  Women with a waist measurement higher than 35 and men with a measurement higher than 40 increase their risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, some types of cancer, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, liver disease, and irregular menstrual periods, to name a few.  Get out your scale and your measuring tape and see where you fall on the health or disease chart.  Till tomorrow.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen

Day 8

Weigh in day.  I am now at 256.0  for a total loss of 6.4 lbs.  I did not lose that much in a week during any of our programs.  So I think that it will be very safe for me to say that what and how much you eat is more than half of the equation to weight loss.  Now of course this whole program is about more than weight loss it is about rebuilding your health, which means that we have to have balance in how we eat, think and move.  I still faltered in the movement department last week and know that I have to kick it up a notch this week.

Our juice this morning was cucumber, lemon, celery, mint and a little spinach.  It was extremely boring.  I don’t think the  cucumbers had much flavor.  We have decided that kale is our favorite thing to juice.  Because the garden is overflowing with zucchini our breakfast again included eggs, onion, zucchini, peppers, and garlic.  Mike and I went for a drive today to Mackinaw City, thus we packed a lunch.  I did not want to have to make another exception yesterday was enough.  I have to say I think I may have broken a rule yesterday though.  As our trip was a spur of the moment decision I had to scramble for a lunch plan.  We had tuna in the cupboard and lots of veggies to put in the tuna; peppers, radishes, green onions, and zucchini (just kidding no zucchini).  But I have only miracle whip in the fridge so my first bit of sugar all week.  We ate the tuna on romaine leaves instead of bread.  Packed apples and almond butter and had a picnic lunch in Petoskey.  It was a gorgeous day.  Our late arrival home left me scrambling again.  So I pulled out two talapia fillets and I sautéed , (I know you can guess)?  Yep, zucchini, peppers, onions, mushrooms, green beans, garlic, and some tomatillo.  It was yummy and fast.  As long as you have vegetables in your refrigerator you can cook a quick healthy meal. You don’t have to open a single can.  So the goal for this week;  more exercise and continue to eat and juice properly.  Later this week we will talk about BMI, why you should take fish oil or omega 3′s and we may also get into insulin resistance.  Till tomorrow.  Have a fantastic journey rebuilding your health.

Namaste’

Dr. Kareen