Tag Archives: health

Beyond the Struggle

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Someone dear to me shared they were proud of themselves for doing the hard work to lose weight, and sent me a vacation photo in which they are wearing only a swimsuit with no t-shirt or towel to cover up, for the first time in about 40 years. Along with the photo they typed “I don’t show that to anyone, but I know how you have had the struggles with weight like me. I could put it back on in a second if I’m not careful {Crying emoji}.”

Their last sentence is true for me, too, but without the tears. I am aware how easy it is to gain weight if I don’t maintain my healthy habits, so I make it a point to ENJOY those. Here’s how I do it.

  • Track my food. Easy to do, and I love the freedom it gives me to make good decisions about what to enjoy. I use the free MyFitnessPal app, but there are several options out there, even writing it down in a small notebook if I am offline helps keep the awareness of what I consume. I am NOT an intuitive eater, for me tracking is a simple and effective way to monitor what I eat. Related, if I don’t enjoy it, I don’t eat it.
  • Get 30 minutes (or more) of movement every day. I LOVE moving my body in many ways, and I usually exceed 30 minutes by a lot! At a minimum, I walk the Dober Love for 30 minutes every day, but I usually add strength training, bike rides, runs, yoga or hikes to that total.
  • Minimize added sugar. I don’t drink sweetened beverages and I eat mostly whole foods. I get most of my sweet fixes from fruit, or a square of very good dark chocolate. I love desserts, but have them only rarely. I do really enjoy them once in a while. We don’t keep sugary foods in our house. I don’t bake as much as I used to, and when I do, I typically cut the sugar in the recipe, and I give a lot of whatever I made away.
  • Minimize alcohol. I gradually cut back from one drink per day to a drink once or twice per week. I also don’t drink at all the month before a big race. I am not sure I will ever be alcohol-free, but I am surprised that decreasing consumption wasn’t a hard change to make or continue. I do love craft breweries and it is dark beer season, so I typically get half-pours or 5 oz. tasters when we go out. If I want a cocktail, I make myself a ‘Baby Manhattan’ with one shot of bourbon and a half-shot of vermouth or cherry whiskey. It is the perfect amount for me.
  • Prioritize rest. I get enough sleep, and I make sure one day a week is a very low-intensity exercise day where I just walk the dog or do relaxing yoga.
  • Strength train regularly. I love Caroline Girvan’s online workouts, she has a lot of free series on her YouTube channel. When I’m not training for a race, I follow one of her programs (I just finished her Iron Series) and that means I am lifting 5x per week. When I am training for a race, I back that down to 2-3 sessions per week. Now I love strength training, I hired a personal trainer years ago and it was maybe the best money I ever spent on myself. Strength training, when done correctly will improve mobility, increase muscle mass, and change your body composition for the better. It can dramatically change how you look, improve your athletic performance and help you stay injury-free. As with anything else, you have to keep doing it to keep enjoying the results. I have no problem keeping this up as I love the activity and I love the results.
  • Take care of my mind and spirit. Every week I attend either a church or a yoga class, and the weeks I miss doing that, IT SHOWS. I can’t explain why there is a difference, but I can say with 100% certainty that my weeks go better when I spend one hour communing with the divine. And I remember that thoughts are not facts! I pay attention to how I talk to myself and do my best to keep that dialogue positive. I have enlisted professional help to deal with some of the big stuff in my past and my present. I have benefitted greatly from the wisdom of counselors and professionals who are trained to help us humans handle our own humanity. I actively work on my mental health in addition to my physical health.
  • HAVE FUN. This goes along with taking care of my mind and spirit, but seriously, we plan in our fun. These days that looks like a 3-hour birthday hike, a nice long bike ride to look at the fall colors, training for a race together or with friends, exploring a new trail… but it also includes going to parties and weddings, going out to dinner with friends, taking a drive to a new town, watching a good movie, or saddling up at the bar of our favorite restaurant for a casual meal together. Life is a gift and it’s up to us to enjoy it, so we make sure to include fun in our lives.

All this to say, the reason I feel like I no longer “struggle” with maintaining a healthy weight is because I changed how I live my life. And I really love how we’re living, so I want to keep it going. Our lifestyle does take effort, there is work to do, always, but being able to enjoy life with good health is so worth it. Make your life and your own healthy habits a journey you never want to end, and stay adaptable! You may need to change the approach, but not the goal of living a long, healthy life.

Routine Diagnostic Screenings

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You only get one body, and it is up to you to take care of it. It can be inconvenient to schedule a physical, dentist appointment or recommended diagnostic screening, but it is much more inconvenient to treat an advanced disease or condition that could have been caught with regular check-ups.

Think about going on a 500-mile road trip. You wouldn’t set out before checking the car to make sure the tires were in good condition, that there was washer fluid and wipers that worked, and that there was gas in the tank and that the oil was topped off and wasn’t overdue to be changed. Presumably, you maintain that car with regular oil changes, where mechanics check things and let you know what is needed to keep the car running smoothly. I’ve had two instances where routine oil change checks have alerted me to issues which could at best leave me stranded in a broken-down car, or at worst, total my car. But because we found them and fixed them, the car continued to run just fine.

Similarly, your body is the vessel for the life trip you are currently on. That body needs regular checks and maintenance to keep it running well, too. At a minimum, an annual physical and dental cleanings every six month should be on your maintenance schedule. Check in with yourself right now about those – when was your last physical? When was your last dental cleaning? Do you have the next one scheduled? If so, great! If not, get honest about what is stopping you from making the appointment, and make a plan for when you will schedule them. Find a provider. Call and set the date and time. Add it to your calendar.

Beyond those basic maintenance checks, you may need other health screening tests. For example, the CDC recommends adults 45 years and older get screened for colon cancer, and women age 40 and above get regular mammograms. It may seem difficult to schedule these screenings into your busy life, but if we don’t make time for our wellness, we will be forced to make time for our illness. It’s been proven over and over that for all types of cancer, early detection saves lives. The screening recommendations are in place for a reason – cancer and many other diseases are much easier to treat if caught early. Because there are genetic and environmental impacts on our health, you may even need to start screening sooner than the general population, so it is important to talk with your doctor about which health screening tests are right for you, and when you should have them.

Last week I had my first colonoscopy. I won’t lie, I put it off because it seemed like such a process, I didn’t want to interrupt my training, I had heard the prep was horrible and frankly I was afraid of what they might find during the procedure. But then my friend, who is a doctor, shared his experience having his first one done, and we had a good laugh about it. He made me promise to schedule mine, and because I want more laughs and more time feeling great with people I love, I made my appointment. And yes, the prep wasn’t something I’d ordinarily choose to do, but it was not much of an inconvenience at all. Drinking the prep solution was the worst part for me – on a discomfort scale of 1-10, 10 being highly uncomfortable, I’d give it a 3. Everything else about the process was easier than that! The day after the procedure, I went for a 10-mile hike/run, so it didn’t interrupt my life very much.

My screening turned up absolutely nothing unusual. But if it had? Even if the result was that I had to start treating a Thing now, I’d have a much better shot at beating it, than trying to do so down the road when it was a Bigger Thing. It would be better to catch it early so I can start to fix it, rather than wait until later and risk it damaging or totaling my body.

Part of taking care of you is making sure YOU are as healthy as can be. Get those check-ups, get those screenings, and take care of your body so you can keep living your best healthy life.

Action items:

  • Confirm or schedule my annual physical
  • Confirm or schedule my dental cleaning
  • Ask my doctor for guidance on which health screenings I need and when
    • Note, you may not need a doctor appointment for this information, sometimes doctors respond to emails or the office staff can help, start there!
  • Schedule my recommended screenings

A Happy and Healthy Cinco de Mayo to You!

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This is one of my favorite days of the year. I love how this date has evolved into a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture here in the US. It’s not Mexican Independence Day, it’s not really a widely celebrated holiday in Mexico, but here in the US, we use the victory of the Battle of Peubla against the Second French Empire to commemorate our relationship with our southern neighbors.

Several Mexican restaurants here in the US definitely take advantage and offer fantastic food and drink specials – because it’s a party, let’s all enjoy, right? Si! But what if we want to celebrate AND keep our healthy lifestyle going? Well, you can indeed do both. Here are some tips to enjoy the day and keep it a little on the healthier side. Try practicing what feels doable for you, even if it’s just one of these. These are not written so that you would do every single one all at once – they just give you some options if you’re looking to stick to a healthy plan while out enjoying Cinco de Mayo. Pick one (or more) and see how it goes.

  • Drink a glass of water at the start of your celebration, or even just before you walk in to wherever you’re celebrating.
  • Sparkling water with a lime wedge is a great fun beverage. It makes you feel like you’re having a cocktail without any of the calories or impaired judgement that comes with alcohol consumption.
  • If you choose to enjoy alcoholic beverages, alternate with a full glass of water. Water, then alcohol, then water, then alcohol. Ask for a large water glass and finish it completely before you order the next drink.
  • Opt for consuming a single alcoholic beverage. Stick to your plan – if they are doing BOGO (buy one get one free) then pass the free drink along to a friend or stranger.
  • Enjoy a Corona Light or a “Ranch Water Margarita” (tequila + Topo Chico [or any sparkling mineral water] + lime juice) rather than a traditional margarita to save a lot of calories and excess sugar consumption.
  • Skip the chips – you can ask the server not to bring them, if that helps you do so (and if your dining companions are OK with it!)
  • Chips on the table and you don’t want to consume too many? Put a reasonable amount that you will be satisfied with – whatever that looks like, to you – on a plate and eat only from the plate, not the big basket.
  • Dip chips in salsa or guac rather than queso. If there’s guac and you’re concerned you may eat more than you intend, put a reasonable amount that you will be satisfied with on a plate, and eat only from the plate. [That works for the queso too, if you choose to consume it!]
  • Want a crunch to munch, but don’t want it to be all chips? You may be able to order raw veggies – ask the server, even if it’s not on the menu. Carrot “chips” and sliced bell peppers are becoming more widely served, and both are great for dipping.
  • Dinner – order a la carte! Pick two or three favorites (single taco, single enchilada, refried beans, etc.) You may be surprised how satisfied you feel with a soft chicken taco and a side of black beans.
  • Split an entree with someone, including your future self. If your dining companion(s) prefer to order their own entrees, ask the server to bring a box out with your meal. Put tomorrow’s food into that to-go box before you start eating. (You can even add to the box again if you realize you’re full before you finish what’s on your plate!)
  • Order the healthiest option on the menu. Many very healthy Mexican dishes exist – seafoods, lean steak, seasoned chicken and vegetables. You may find a new favorite menu item you had never considered, just by aiming to order the healthiest thing available.
  • Get up and dance, or take a short walk after your meal. It is unlikely you will burn off what you just consumed, but getting even 10 minutes of movement right after eating/drinking can reduce the impact on your blood sugars and keep you energized, rather than feeling lethargic.

Obviously at 5:15 p.m. I may be a bit late for you to take these to heart today, but let’s assume you may go out for Mexican food in the not-too-distant future – hopefully these tips can help you make choices you are happy about! Don’t overthink it, and don’t deprive yourself of enjoying the things you really want, as that can lead you to overconsume other things, or The Wanted Thing the next time you see it. (i.e. don’t skip the margarita you are dying to have, then consume 4 beers and some sopapillas you didn’t intend to eat, and likely will not be satisfied with – just enjoy the margarita and move on.) Drink and eat what you’ll enjoy. And if you do end up overindulging, just resume normal operations and do the best you can to make your next decision a good one.

Vaya con Dios!

Healthy Coping Mechanisms

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Life doesn’t always go the way we want it to go. Maybe someone cuts us off in traffic or is rude to us at the grocery store. Maybe we don’t make the sale, maybe we or our loved ones get sick, maybe we get injured. Maybe a coworker takes credit for our work, or maybe we even lose our job. Bad things happen, and a lot of times, we can’t control that or keep them from happening, no matter how much mitigation we do.

When life throws us a curve ball, it’s normal to feel upset. We’re human and we were blessed with emotions that WILL come out. It can be incredibly tempting to reach for comfort in the form of food or alcohol, or to throw things at the wall, punch something or curse out the person who did you wrong. All of these choices might relieve the pressure we feel for a moment, but that relief vanishes quicky as we realize we just brought more problems into our life. These types of knee-jerk reactions may be habits that are ingrained, and while these habits may be hard to change, with practice, change is possible.

Personally, my knee-jerk reaction to That Bad Thing is to reach for food or alcohol, but those coping mechanisms don’t get me toward my goal of being the healthiest me I can be. I use this phrase – I will not eat nor drink my feelings – to remind myself that I don’t want to do this. And then I pick a better response from my list of healthy coping mechanisms, which I keep in a Notes app on my phone. You can create your own list that you can use when your emotions start to run high. It should be varied with things that you can do quickly, or for longer periods, indoors, outdoors, alone and with others. Some examples:

  • Walk outside – down the driveway, around the block, or for a mile.
  • Stand up and stretch.
  • Drink a glass of water.
  • Make a cup of tea.
  • Cry it out – crying is a great release. As is screaming into a pillow.
  • Throw rocks into the ground in your backyard or somewhere it is safe to do so.
  • Call a friend.
  • Paint your nails. (Not just for the ladies, gents too!)
  • Take a long hot shower or bath.
  • Listen to your favorite song.
  • Make a playlist of songs that lift you up and keep it where you can access it (Spotify, Pandora, Apple, etc.)
  • Clean a shelf or a drawer, or an entire room – cleaning is very cathartic and the end result is generally satisfying!
  • Write a thank you note or a “just to say hello” note to mail to a friend or loved one.
  • Journal (write your feelings down).
  • Pet or play with the dog/cat.
  • Watch an uplifting movie, or silly animal videos like this Animal Beatbox one.
  • Go to the gym to blow off some steam, or do a home workout video. Movement helps.
  • Walk around the park or neighborhood. Again, movement helps.
  • Take five long deep breaths with your eyes closed.
  • Save the photos on your phone to another location, even print or order prints of some of your favorites. (Yes, you can still do that!)

None of these things are intended to make the bad thing go away, diminish the problem, or solve it. BUT they are responses that can help us process difficult emotions and shift toward reacting to That Bad Thing in a healthy way. Once you have your list, keep it handy so you can refer to it easily and choose a response that keeps you moving toward your health goals. The more you choose a healthy response, the more automatic it becomes. And, full disclosure, I’m not 100% successful at automatically choosing well – I’m human, not perfect! But I’ve gotten a whole lot better with practice. You will, too.

Got a favorite healthy way to cope when the going gets tough? Share in the comments below!

Activity for Life

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So, how much movement or exercise do we really need every week? Well, for most healthy adults, the Dept. of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity. In addition, you should include two strength training sessions for each major muscle group every week. Maybe this sounds like a lot to you, maybe it sounds like a little. An easier way to look at it is that we should aim for a half hour of movement every day, or an hour of movement at least three days per week.

Moderate activity includes things like a brisk walk, swimming or biking, mowing the lawn (with the push mower, not the riding mower), or hiking. Vigorous activity would be things like running, heavy yard work or shoveling snow, and zumba or other intense aerobics classes. Strength training is not just lifting weights or using machines, it includes all activities that repeatedly add resistance to your muscles, i.e. yoga, bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, pilates, circuit training and other fitness classes that incorporate bodyweight resistance, dumbells, barbells, or weight machines.

Being active with others can make moving fun!

Pick activities you like. The key to making activity a part of your life is to pick things you like to do, and think about HOW you like to do things. Would you rather be inside or outside? Do you like swimming, or getting into pools, or lakes, or the ocean? Do you prefer group activities, doing things with a friend, or being solo? What activities have you done in the past that you really enjoyed? What is something you’ve always wanted to do? The answers to these questions can help guide you toward the kinds of activities you will enjoy, which is key to making movement a regular part of your life.

Commit to a number of active minutes per day. Whether you plan to get daily activity, or do it a few days per week, decide how many minutes you want to be active on the days you are active. If thirty minutes of activity in a day seems daunting, start with five minutes. Research shows that you don’t have to dedicate a single block of time in a day to get the benefits – if you can do five minutes three times in a day, that is 15 minutes a day. Whether you move for 15 minutes straight or move for five minutes three times during the day, you’ll get the benefits of 15 minutes of movement. But decide on the number of active minutes you want to aim for in a day, and how many days you want to do that per week.

    Pick the time of day you can consistently be active. Choose a time to move that you will be able to stick to regularly. If you are a morning person, maybe before breakfast will work. If you typically work late, evenings might not be a good choice but perhaps lunch hour could be a consistent time for you to be active. Some people find they are more consistent if they sign up for a regular class or if they plan to meet a friend (or group) to provide more structure and accountability. You may have to clear time in your day to make room for activity – knowing you want Future You to be able to move around easily can help Current You prioritize time for movement.

    Go be active! All movement counts, and some activity is better than no activity. You can work towards consistently getting 150 minutes per week. Don’t overthink it – just choose something you like doing, even walking is a great choice. Then commit to do it a certain number of minutes per day, and pick the days and the TIME you can do it. And just start! Don’t worry about being perfect, you can tweak the schedule and the activity if needed.

    Start where you are, aim for progress, and know that you can absolutely cultivate a habit of activity for life.