Oh please G-man, save me from my fat self!

When I decided to write this blog, I wanted it to chronicle my trip to a healthier me. More and more, I have been finding other topics to write about. Now don't get me wrong, it has been a great exercise eating healthier, and feeling healthier. What this comes down to is personal choices; personal freedoms. Freedom being the key word here. I am FREE to eat as healthy as I want, or as poorly as I want. I am FREE to exercise and get fit, or remain my favorite shape, which is round. I am proud to live in a great Nation that affords me all these freedoms, right? Well, looks like I am wrong.

The latest attempt for the government to control what and how we eat involves forcing movie theatres to now display the calorie count of all the snack foods it sells. Maybe I am being narrow minded here, but when was the last time you ordered a large tub of popcorn with extra salt and butter and thought to yourself, "Gee this is so-o-o healthy for me!"  Yeah, I can't remember having any other thought about that big tub o'corn except yay! Free refills!

Little by little, our Government has had a hand in controlling what and how you eat by forcing fast food chains and other private businesses to post the calorie count in their meals. I for one do not go into a McDonalds and order a Big Mac because I am counting calories. All I am thinking about is that oh so greasy goodness. I also don't go into a Burger King looking for a salad. There is a group of people out there that think no matter where they eat, they should be able to get healthy food. That's great, I sometimes want to eat healthier food too. Tell you what, lets all pile into our Hybrid vehicles and go to the nearest healthy fast food joint. What's that you say? There aren't any? Well golly I wonder why?

We have restaurants like Burger King, Taco Bell and Arby's. We DON'T have a Tofu King, or a McBean Sprout or a Falafel Bell. If it is so important to have healthy eating options, why doesn't the loud minority open up affordable and healthy eating fast food joints?  I guess the key is affordability. Case in point, last week Tom and I decided to load up on fresh salad and veggies to continue our healthy eating journey. We purchase some tomatoes, some salad greens and some shredded carrots. We spent about $30.00. Thats right, for three ingredients. We could barely afford the tomatoes, but whats a salad without tomatoes? We could not afford the cucumber and the peppers we wanted either. And forget the fruit prices! No wonder more and more Americans have developed poor eating habits, they simply cannot afford to eat healthier!

The point I am trying to make is, I strongly feel that the Government should not be instructing private businesses on how and what they can sell. If the Government feels so strongly about my eating habits, then they should stop importing my vegetables from other countries and charging me three bucks per pound for a crappy tomato. One dollar for a cucumber from Mexico. That's right, a single cucumber! Five bucks for three peppers from Guatemala. It's very hard to find vegetables grown by local farmers, thereby supporting my local economy. Get the picture?

Now, if you will excuse me, I am about to go to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for a Big Ass Burger. As a nod to my oh so concerned government, I will pile said burger with some fresh lettuce and tomato. Bon Appetit!

Time to pick a pack of pickled peppers!

For those of you that read my last post, you know that I started a walking program that began with mastering the mountain I like to call, my driveway. I am happy to say that the walk back and forth to my mailbox is starting to get a little easier to tolerate. Not that I still don’t huff and puff, it’s just that I don’t mind it as much. I figure this higher altitude I now live in is turning my brain to mush. I mean, who in their right mind would continue this bodily torture, right?

I am also trying my hand at gardening. By this, I mean I dutifully watched Tom dig holes to plant some new rose bushes. Not to be outdone by this manly display of energy, I have planted a little indoor greenhouse, starting some fresh veggies and flowers inside so they will be ready by April to plant in the garden.   This is satisfying on two levels. One the one hand, we plan on canning and freezing the vegetables come harvest time. Not only will this save money on buying costly produce in the stores, but the health benefits of growing your own veggies without the use of pesticides and other nefarious agents cannot be discounted.  Also, since our flower garden is situated on an incline, we will be able to work off more calories planting, weeding and cultivating our babies all summer long.

This made me think about how many calories are burned with simple gardening chores. For example, we have about two acres, if not a little more of lawn that needs to be mowed. Then there is the weed pulling, edge trimming and mulch hauling that is inevitable. I did some research, and came up with the following list of gardening exercises and the benefits thereof. These calculations are based on the average body weight of 150 pounds:

Digging, spading, filling and composting, 340 calories per hour

Lawn mowing with a power mower, 306 calories per hour

Raking the lawn,  292 calories per hour

Laying down crushed rock, 340 calories per hour

Planting seedlings, 306 calories per hour

Watering the lawn and garden,  102 calories per hour

Weeding the garden,   306 calories per hour

Light duty, picking flowers/vegetables, 204 calories per hour

Chopping and splitting wood,  408 calories per hour

Carrying and stacking this same wood,  340 calories per hour

Wow! Just think, a few hours in the garden, a couple of days a week, and before the summer even gets started I should be able to see a marked improvement in my overall well being. Just the time it took to put this article together has gotten me excited enough to put on my workout clothes and get digging. Of course, I will need to shovel the fresh snow that is now covering my workout canvas.  I wonder how many calories you can burn shoveling snow? I guess that will have to wait for another blog!

Happy Trails!

Oxygen Mask Anyone?

Well, I am happy to say that we finally completed the move to Tennessee. The last couple of weeks have been spent unpacking and accustoming ourselves to the climate and slower lifestyle. We are ecstatic over the fact that it is the middle of February, and we have been able to wear short sleeves and keep the windows open to let in the scent of spring fresh air.

Of course, all this warm weather means I cannot push off my outdoor exercise regime anymore. So I decided to start back on a walking program. Two years ago, I was walking more than five miles a day and barely broke a sweat. In my mind, I saw myself picking up the program where I left off. I thought I would begin my regime yesterday, but first I wanted to put the outgoing mail in my mailbox down at the end of my driveway.

It is approximately one hundred yards from my house to the end of my driveway. From the road, the driveway slopes gently yet steadily upward to the top of the hill where our house is located. It felt great to walk down the drive, head in the air and deeply breathing in the mountain air. I put the mail out, then started walking back to the house to collect my honey so we could begin our walk together. I didn't count on the not so steep grade to our house knocking me for a loop! By the time I reached the top of the drive, I was ready to call in a Medic. I realized then and there just how out of shape I had let myself become. I felt like that cocky quarterback from high school; you know the one who 25 years later still thinks he is a Heisman Trophy candidate, but pulls a ham string getting out of his la-z-boy rocker.

I am nothing if not persistent. Last night, we managed to walk about a mile or so and navigated our way back to the top of our drive. It was small consolation that my fiance felt as winded as I felt. We are determined, however, to take at least one walk a day, slowly going a little farther each day. If anyone has any spare oxygen tanks, we are accepting donations at this time!

Happy trails!

So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight!

So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight!

Recently I gathered up my family members for a goodbye dinner to celebrate my impending move out of state. There is nothing my family loves more than a good party for ANY reason, so naturally they were all in attendance. We got together early on a Saturday afternoon, catching up on each other’s lives and chatting about what took place since we last seen each other for the holidays.

My oldest daughter was full of sun and fun having just returned from a week long Caribbean cruise with her boyfriend; her first vacation paid for by her own hand. My youngest daughter, on the brink of teenage bliss, showed off the tomboy she always had been is now blossoming into a young woman. And my only son just followed me around giving me all sorts of advice, as if I was a child moving away from home for the first time, instead of the other way around.   

My family was all around me; Brother, Sister, Mom, Brother in law, Sister in law, Nephew. And I cannot forget to mention Roxie, my mom’s German shepherd, as much a member of the family as anything walking on two legs. You could measure the noise level with a Geiger counter, which is not only normal at a Henry family gathering but also a requirement in our family by-laws.(Go ahead, look it up, I’ll wait..) Everyone was talking and laughing at once with hands reaching over hands to snatch up the last chip with dip or piggy in the blanket. Being the mom that I am I could tune into specific conversations to see if any food needed replenishing or any arguments needed a referee.

Instead, I heard a lot of reminiscing. This past year saw two of my children leave the nest and start lives of their own.  Many anecdotes started with “Remember when Mom did..…” and a few minutes later peals of laughter were ringing through the house. I stood apart from most of this and had the morbid thought that it was a little like being at a funeral. Think about it. A funeral is just another going away party where family and friends get together over a little food and drink and remember why they love you. It’s not often you get to hear with your own ears when you are being eulogized, but that is what it felt like, in a manner of speaking. Since moving away from my family feels like a little part of me is dying, I guess it felt good to know that I am leaving such wonderful memories behind me.

It will no longer be so easy to just swoop up the kids for an impromptu backyard cook out, or a matinee movie. No more Saturday afternoons playing Wii for hours on end.  I will certainly miss watching the same Pixar movies over and over again and seeing who can remember the most movie quotes.  Yet I take with me the same memories I have left with them. I leave for them my own living legacy; family love and joy. If they remember nothing else about me, I hope they remember how much I love them and how much joy they have brought to me. I hope they pass this legacy to their own children, however since I’m not ready to be a grandmother just yet they can hold it for the distant future.

As the night drew to an end I was reminded of one of my favorite musicals, The Sound of Music. So I will leave you with this refrain: “So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight!! I hate to go and leave this pretty sight!” (Come on, you know the rest… go ahead, sing along with me!)

Love you guys!

Mom

xoxoxo



Road trip anyone??

It's been a little over two weeks since I decided to embark upon a journey to a healthier lifestyle. I've always loved road trips. The best part about them is, if you get lost it's okay. That is what road trips are for! If you are lucky you discover something fun, new and exciting. Sometimes, you find a crappy roadside motel with no hot water and a lumpy bed. This is where I fall in. I had thought these first two weeks would be a piece of cake for me. Life, however, is a fair weather friend.  The stress of coordinating an out of state move, losing my job and trying to say goodbye to family and friends was too much for my waistline to bear. I found out I am a stress eater, something I am not sure I knew about myself until now.

Suffice it to say, I am not pleased with my progress. I've tried to infuse healthier eating habits into my daily routine, but they keep getting lost among the salty snacks and bad food choices that pop up like giant pot holes in front of me. I can't seem to swerve out of the way and avoid them. That being said, I am still in the driver's seat on this journey. I've never been one to turn around and go home simply because I got lost trying to get somewhere. I'm not too proud to stop and ask for directions. I will just consider this a pit stop on my road trip to a healthier me. I may have picked up some souvenirs in the form of unwanted pounds but that is okay. I am getting back on the road today and soon those souvenirs are going to be in a box waiting for my next yard sale along with all the other trinkets I've picked up along my waistline.

Adios and Vaya Con Dios!

Is it too early to think about my spring Cleaning?

One month into the official start of winter, and I’ve already had enough. I have found myself fantasizing about palm trees, warm breezes full of coconut tanning oil and drinks that are served with little umbrellas in them. Winter is usually the hardest month to think about an exercise regime. The average person cannot afford their own personal trainer and nutritionist. It makes you wonder what Hollywood stars looked like BEFORE they mad it big! In today’s economy, it is hard to even afford a gym membership. So like many others, I usually use the great outdoors to get in any type of physical exercise. I thought about taking up mall walking but I didn’t want to embarrass myself with the knowledge that Grandma is probably in better shape than I am. However, I live in a rural area without the benefits of sidewalks. There is no longer any shoulder left on my roads here to walk along; piles of grayish slush have taken up residence and do not look like they are leaving anytime soon.


So, what’s a gal to do when they are thinking about beaches instead of the foot of snow that needs to be shoveled yet again from my walkway? Believe it or not, there are many everyday ordinary house chores that you can do to burn a few extra calories. I was actually very surprised to learn how many calories I burn just by sweeping or vacuuming. Today, as the temperature outside my windows hovers at a balmy 11 degrees I am determined to have a bit of the “fun in the sun” I have been thinking about. First things first, I’ll open the drapes and let the sunshine in. Second, I’ll put on some appropriate Island music. Pandora.com is a great internet radio program. If you go to their themed radio stations, they have Reggae, Hawaiian and Cajun stations. You can do a quick mix of all three if you like. Crank it up! I’ll put on a tank top and a pair of comfy shorts and sneakers. I’ll dance around my house singing decidedly off key, while I complete this list I have found of common household chores and the amount of calories you spend just by spending 30 minutes on each chore:

Activity---------------------Calories Burned
Waxing furniture ----------82
Washing dishes------------ 79
Ironing ----------------------75
Cooking---------------------85
Making the bed----- -------68
Doing laundry--------------73
Window cleaning ---------112
Vacuuming -----------------112
Sweeping------------------- 112
Mopping --------------------127
Stair climbing --------------210

** These calculations based on a 150 pound person, which I wish I was. So a plus size gal like myself can expect to burn a little extra. Remember, the idea is to put your back into it without putting your back out. These tasks should be done as briskly as your body can stand.
　
When I‘m done, I will be rewarding myself with a refreshing fizzy beverage, umbrella included. I’ll sit back, put my feet up, lay my head back and breathe in the scent of my nice clean house while letting the music take me on my well deserved voyage. I am happy because I know this is one trip I can make without worrying about losing my luggage, or sitting next to a cranky baby for 10 hours. Bon Voyage!

Lazy Girl's ten simple steps to a healthier YOU!

Today is day three of my journey to a healthier me. Already, I can feel a difference. I woke up more energized than normal. I don't have that lethargic feeling that comes from eating too much processed food. I know that I have a long way to go, but it feels good to feel good.

I realize that while telling the tale of my journey, I am giving you guys some tips to use. So, I will insert a gratuitous disclaimer here: I am not a doctor, dietitian, nutritionist or nurse. I am simply a woman who after trying all the major diet programs out there and raising three kids has found a few simple truths along the way that have worked for me. I hope they will work for you too. However, I must caution that before you being a diet and exercise program, that you please consult with your family doctor. Whew! Now I can avoid being sued. (smile inserted here.)

Onward to today's topic, my ten simple steps to a healthier you. At the wise old age of 42 I guess I learned a few things, mostly about myself. These steps have helped me, and I hope the help you too.

1) Love who you are NOW. This is the hardest yet simplest rule to live by. Love the skin that you are in. Realize the value of YOU. Take absolute pleasure in who you are as a human being. When you do this, the way you feel about yourself is reflected back to those around you.

2) Stay off the scale. A healthier you is not just about pounds lost. It is a feeling of overall well being. Nothing is more depressing than being really “good” and at the end of the week you do not see results on the scale. This is where some people give up and go back to bad eating habits. But before you do this ask yourself these questions: How do I feel? Do I have more energy? Do I feel more confident? Are my clothes just a bit looser? THIS is how you measure your success, not just by numbers on a scale.

3) Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. I cannot stress this enough. Water flushes toxins from the body, and can help you feel full at meal times. Drink as much as you can handle.

4) Get Support. (And I’m not talking about a new bra). It is vital that you have a good support system in place, at home and at work. Sit your family down and explain to them what your health goals are. Encourage them to join you on your quest. Do the same in your office. This way you wont have to feel bad when you don’t join in eating birthday cake for some random employee for the 18^th time this month.


5) Focus! I don’t know about you, but I have a bad habit of reading while I eat. The brain is not catching the signal that your full, because it is already engrossed in that book that you just can’t put down. By the time you realize it, you have plowed through a second helping of lasagna, or a whole bag of Doritos. Take your time and enjoy the meal. Food should be a sensory journey of culinary delights. Set a pretty place setting for yourself. Light some candles and play some soft music. Take the time to chew your food, thoughtfully and slowly. Put down your utensils in between bites and enjoy a sip of water or other beverage. Think you can’t do this for breakfast? Think again! The pomp and ceremony of a well balanced meal will aid in digestion and carry you through the day with a euphoric sense of well being.

6) These boots were made for walking. Start walking, 30 minutes a day if you can. I personally feel walking is the best exercise you can give to your body. After a few weeks, you can add some toning weights (they can strap to your wrists and ankles) or use a toning band. Many times I am walking down a busy street lifting my arms up and down in slow reps or using my giant rubber band for toning. Sure I get some weird looks from passersby but hey! This is all about me now. Let them look and watch the transformation into a healthier me! (Again, I caution that you see your doctor before beginning an exercise program of any kind.)

7) Time your workouts. Try to do your workouts in the mornings. This accomplishes two things. The endorphins you release will keep you happy and confident throughout the day. Also, you kick start your metabolism for the day. You will burn more fat this way. Nothing is worse than doing your workouts at night. There you are trying to sleep and your body feels like you just consumed 8 cans of Red Bull.

8) Set small weekly goals. Set goals for yourself that are achievable such as “ I will use my TV time this week to exercise” or “ I will substitute fresh fruit instead of pie for dessert”. Setting big goals like “I want to lose 60 pounds” is daunting. Remember, it took many years of unhealthy habits to get you where you are today. A successful return to a healthier you will not happen overnight.

9) Reward Yourself. If you have met your small weekly goals, reward yourself with small treats. Maybe buy a new book or a new pair of shoes. Earrings to show off a new hair cut. There is nothing wrong with spoiling yourself.

10) COMMITMENT. All the diet and exercise programs in the world will not garner results without commitment. Personally, this is where I need some help as well. Everyday, I need to re-enforce my commitment to myself and my family to get healthy and stay that way. I am blessed to have a great family and support system in place to help me achieve my goals.