HOT BY SUMMER 2011!

This year I am determined to rock a two piece (tasteful, of course :)).  So following my recovery, I've looked around and discovered I need to get my bod in shape!  Are you in the same boat?

Nearly every day I hear people saying weight loss isn't as easy as when they were younger.  I got to really thinking about this and think I might have some insight.  It's easy for us to blame hormones, medications and age, and granted, these do all play a role.  However, might it all be in our approach?  I remember simply cutting out soda for a week and dropping some pounds.  And when you're in your 20's it doesn't really matter so much.  But did I learn how to change my behavior?  Not in the least.  Once it was off, I could get away with going back to my old habits until they snuck up on me once again.  This mentality carries over into dieting.  Once we're successful, we lose our way once again.  Maybe our bodies are simply saying once and for all, "I'm sick of this!".  So how can we modify our behaviors for life in simple, permanent ways?

I'm going to give simple lifestyle tips from now until the beginning of summer to make easy edits in our lifestyles and way of thinking and hopefully these will become our healthy habits, fixtures of our lives.  So here are a few things to keep in mind along the way:

• Take your measurements now.  Bust, waist, hip, thigh, all at the biggest parts.  It may be brutal, but think of how awesome it will be to track over time. 
• Keep a food journal.  This is an absolute must for mindful eating.  Record everything.  Get a baseline for how many calories you are currently consuming per day by using free websites.  Just find your favorite one and get comfy.
• Be patient with yourself!  Permanent habits take time to develop.
• Give yourself a break.  Take one day per week to do something great for yourself.  Relax with a good book, take a nap, get a pedicure, etc.
• Remember that weight loss is a big giant math equation.  The more you consume, the more you have to burn in order to maintain your weight.  Be reasonable, of course, but thinking about it as a math problem takes some of the mystery away, doesn't it?  Refer to our "Discussion" tab on our Facebook Fan page to see how much you should be consuming per day.
• Don't obsess over the scale.  I always tell people to check in once a week.  Remember, muscle weighs more than fat, so the first 2-4 weeks of any program, your scale may go up before it goes down.  It's not just about the number.  It's about the journey.
• ALWAYS check with your health care provider to make sure you are healthy enough for any fitness and/or meal plan.  Consider any special needs in your daily intake of food, beverage, and activity modification.
• Find your support system.  Maybe it's here with this blog, maybe it's your significant other, child, workmates, etc.  Establish that NOW, and make sure you will be held accountable.
• Plan rewards that are not food related.  So many times when we have a great workout, we want to celebrate with that slab of cheesecake and 2 liter bottle of soda.  Think outside the box, plan your rewards ahead of time and make sure they are fitting in to your wholesome lifestyle and outlook.
• Set your long-term goal for 6/21/11 (first day of summer).  What does "HOT BY SUMMER" mean for you?  Now work to establish reasonable goals to get there.  Remember, healthy weight loss is generally 1-2 pounds per week, so don't create a plan that is not realistic.

Got it?  Sketch out the rough ideas of your goals, plans, and rewards, then talk about it on our Facebook page!  Ready, GO!!!

How a simple surgery almost killed me

Hello, everyone!  It's been a while since I've been able to blog on here.  This blog post is going to be deeply personal, but I feel very strongly that it is vital information that I need to disseminate to the best of my ability.  I am depending on each of you to pass along this information to anyone who is going to have orthopedic surgery, and female that is on oral contraceptives, or anyone that is otherwise at risk for blood clots.  I will talk about what these are and then give you my personal story. 

I used to think when I saw commercials listing blood clots as a risk that it was no big deal.  However, it is a huge deal.  I had orthopedic ankle surgery on July 22nd of this year.  Everything was going well, I was recovering well.  After a couple of cast changes, I got one that felt pretty tight.  I had calf cramping and decided to just rest up as much as I could.  After all, I had asked about the pain and was told it was normal.  So, day after day I just bummed around the house, spending most of my time alternating between the couch and the bed.  Finally, one Sunday I didn't get out of bed except to use the bathroom all day.  My husband was awesome, he brought me all my meals and doted on me hand and foot.  By Tuesday night I had finally had enough.  My foot was getting so discolored, it was gross and the pain was unbearable.  Wednesday I demanded a cast change and they begrudgingly did it, still telling me all my symptoms were normal.  Once the cast was cut, my leg felt like it was on fire, then my foot tingled for a good 5 minutes.  All the while, I'm reporting these symptoms to the cast tech, and he is not responding at all, just rewraps it.  I'm feeling better, my discoloration is down, cramping is fading away, I'm thinking problem solved.

That weekend, my husband I drove to see my aunt and uncle out of town.  Friday night when I went to bed, I felt super anxious.  I tossed and turned all night stressing over completely insignificant matters.  Looking back, I firmly believe I had what the American Red Cross calls a "sense of doom".  Many people experience such emotions prior to a major health complication.  Saturday morning, I wake up, hobble to the kitchen on my crutches to get some coffee and have extremely intense chest pain.  I sat down, used my inhaler and waited to see if the pain lessened.  It did.  Most of the day, I was symptom free.  Until about 3pm.  More intense pain, feeling as if I'm going to pass out.  Used the inhaler again.  Symptoms lessened, but I still had some chest pain.  After dinner, I was walking from the car back to my aunt and uncle's couch and I almost didn't make it.  I flopped down and put my head down, generally what would relieve symptoms of passing out as blood flow gets restored to the head, but that made it worse.  So I sat back up and asked my husband take me to urgent care, which he readily did.

Fortunately, at urgent care our doctor was awesome.  He said because I am young (it's relative :D) and healthy, the chances of it being anything serious are small but need to be further investigated.  He did not have the ability to do a CT Scan, so he wrote up a report and sent us to the closest Emergency Room.  I was seen right away there.  Once I was in a room in the ER, I got up to use the bathroom and my pulse shot up to 148 bpm and my blood pressure, which normally runs about 110/68 or so, was above the hypertensive threshold which is 140/90.  I don't recall exactly what it was, but that was when they told me I was no longer able to get out of bed.  A CT scan confirmed that I had one giant saddleback pulmonary embolism.  If it dislodged, I would die.  Two days later I learned that five out of six lobes of my lungs were either completely or partially blocked with clots.  At this point, I'm unsure if I have six separate clots, or just the way the one is sitting, caused all the blockage, but nonetheless, I had to rely on my body to do the right thing and get me through this. 

Three days on bedrest in the ICU followed.  Then an additional 5 days on the floor.  I was started right away on blood thinners, shots and tablets to try to dislodge the clots.  What felt like 100 tests were done to test my blood levels of the thinners daily, along with hematology panels to see if I had any clotting disorders that had previously gone undiagnosed.  The long and the short of it is there was nothing wrong with me.  Just a cast that was too tight and a voice that went unheard until it was almost too late.

I suppose the lesson I would love everyone to take home with them is this: when you see commercials for drugs that say "increased risk of blood clots", carefully think about all that entails.  Exercise regularly so that your veins can properly pump blood through rather than letting it pool.  When you have surgery, talk to your doctor about some of the signs and symptoms of blood clots, which is a very real risk post-operation when your body is already in a hyper healing state.  I found out later that orthopaedic surgeries commonly have clotting complications. 

And by all means, make your voice be heard.  You know your body better than anyone else.  If you have a legitimate concern: pain, discomfort, unusual fatigue, inability to go about your daily activities, make sure someone takes it seriously.  It could save your life.

New research study on fructose can be misleading

Hello, everyone:  I just read a summary of a research study and I wanted to share some thoughts with you all.  There is a post today on msn.com regarding the link of fructose to high blood pressure.  Here is where being a prudent and educated consumer needs to come into play.  Fructose is the main sugar found in fruits and some vegetables.  This is NOT the fructose this article is talking about.  Fructose, such as that found in high fructose corn syrup or processed foods, is where caution should be exercised.  Sucrose, generally used as table sugar (white, refined) is the formula most commonly used in these foods.  Now, is it actually the fructose that causes the trouble, or is the food that one would consume with this ingredient in it be the cause for concern?  Use your common sense and best judgment when reading research such as this.  I know I should have that Twinkie.  I'm not sure that the fructose is the main thing I should be worried about therein.

My thoughts for the day, have a great one!

Summer Sicknesses

So, whooping cough or "pertussis" is now being labeled as an "epidemic" in the state of California.  WOW!  According to the CDC, this year the cases reported as of 6/15 was 910 as opposed to 219 last year at this same time.  Most commonly affected are infants and children.  Currently, 5 infants have died from it this year.  I'm not pushing vaccines, that's a personal and family decision, but do your homework.  There are vaccines available for children, parents as well as health care providers which are currently being recommended by the California Department of Public Health.  It is a highly contagious condition, so take precautions if you think you may be infected.  How will you know?  Coughing and runny nose at onset (1-2 weeks).  The cough may linger, even after a few months and is characterized by a "whooping" sound.  Not sure what that sounds like?  There are links online that have audio clips, it sounds like the person is gasping for air, which they technically are, I suppose.  TAKE CARE!  Back in a few with more of the latest.

Thanks to EGPNews.com for some stats and info for this post.

Summer Health Tips

Hi all:

I hope you're all still out there, you're quite a quiet bunch!  I just wanted to share a few tips I've found helpful in eating well during the summer months.  Lots of friends are having BBQs, the alcohol seems to flow a bit more freely, outdoor activities are abundant.

• First of all, when you're at a get together, do not eat while you are talking.  Focus on mindful eating and drinking.  If you can, when you are talking, set your plate down, chat, then resume eating when you can think about how much you are putting in to your body. 
• Use sunscreen liberally.  Even if you do not burn, UV rays can be harmful to your skin. 
• Make sure you and your kids use sunglasses.  What UV rays do to your skin can also happen to your eyes.  Damage now can increase the risk of cataracts in the future.
• Set a limit on alcohol consumption before you even get to the party.  Know your limits and stick to them.  If you will be partaking in alcohol, be sure you have a dependable designated driver.
• Take advantage of BBQ season to grill!  Kebobs are a great way to incorporate lots of veggies, limit meat consumption, and avoid fried foods.
• Use seasonal fresh produce to make tossed salads and fruits in lieu of mayonnaise dressed pasta, macaroni and potato salads.

Be sure to plan great outdoor activities!  If you live in a hot area like I do, water sports are an awesome thing to get into.  My husband and I took up jet skiing last year, and intend to make that a regular part of our summer plans.  Try something new and fun that doesn't mean sitting on your bottom in an air conditioned house.  :) 

Do you have some tips that have worked for you during the summer?  Please share! 

Until next time, enjoy the start of your summer season! :)

The next post is all about you!

Ok, all:  To get the conversation started, the topic of the next post will be determined by you, my very small, (but of course loyal ;)) base of readers!  So don't be shy!  I'll be waiting...

Gym cleanliness and safety

FINALLY, as promised :)  So, did you know that the number one reason people do not join or quit a gym is because they think it's dirty?  I learned that in one of my sales classes many years ago when I was a manager in the commercial fitness world.  Be a picky consumer.  Check floors, machines, showers!  Is there a log of regular cleaning times?  Does the desk staff stay busy during down time by cleaning stuff?  Do the Personal Trainers replace items they've used back in to their correct spot?  Ask about towel service: do they send them out via a service, or wash their own?  What kind of antibacterial is being used if it's done in house?  You may feel like a nut, but you'll prevent yourself from getting a staph infection!

It is now the law in the State of California that all fitness facilities have an AED (automated external defibrillator) on site.  So ask your gym rep if they have one.  Where is it?  Who is certified to use it?  If a gym is on top of it, they will be sure to have at least one person on each shift who is able to use the AED. 

Any questions?  I need more conversation on this blog of mine!!! :)

Until next time, yours in health!