This is harder than I thought it would be...

As I stood on my scale this morning, looking at a number that has not budged in the last five days or so, I found myself wondering why my weight wasn't dropping as quickly as I expected it would. "This shouldn't be so hard," I said to myself. Well then, let's review the evidence.

First of all, I had in the last couple of years completely let my diet go. Please note that when I say diet, I mean it in the true meaning of the word, i.e. the food I eat on a regular basis. Anyway, I had let junk food gradually creep back into my diet until I was consuming it on a regular--even frequent--basis. I was also eating out A LOT more than I used to. Now, although I still allow myself to eat sweets now and then, the amount and the frequency with which I eat them has dropped significantly. And eating out doesn't really happen but once in a month. My meals are almost always home cooked and loaded with healthy whole foods, including many veggies. That is a big difference, right? So shouldn't it be making a big difference to my waistline as well?

Second, in the past year or two I have been what we used to call in the mission field a fubeca, or in other words, a major slacker, at least where exercise and movement are concerned. (Incidentally, if you speak Portuguese then go and check out this link. It is awesome! http://www.dicionarioinformal.com.br/fubeca/) My working out was sporadic at best, and completely nonexistent at worst. To add insult to injury, I was in school full-time for most of last year, so I found myself sitting in a desk for many hours each day. My life was the definition of sedentary. Since the beginning of this year, however, I have been extremely active, exercising on an almost daily basis, and I have been up and about much more due to the nature of my work as a massage therapist and a yoga instructor.

Alright, I have laid the evidence before you. It seems like the weight should just be melting off with these changes I have made, don't you think. Me too! And yet, here we are.

I have decided, however, that this is really a matter of perspective. When I am watching the scale anxiously for every pound and every tenth of a pound drop, thinking that the weight should be melting off so easily, then I get impatient and frustrated when it doesn't drop as fast as I think it should be.

At the same time, if my focus is on these lofty expectations I tend to miss the reality of the situation. I am dropping weight, slowly but surely. The drop may not be happening as fast as I would like, but it is happening. Even were I to only lose 2 pounds a month, if I did this on a steady and consistent basis, I would still eventually reach my ideal weight. And all the while, as I am eating right and exercising regularly, I will be building muscle, improving my cardiovascular health, and generally improving my level of fitness all the while. Think of that--by the time I actually reached my goal weight under this scenario, I would be this super fit individual, filled with energy, life, and vitality. Isn't that my ultimate goal here? Why yes, now that you mention it, it is.

As I said before, it is all about perspective. So for today, anyway, I am going to check my impatience at the door, and I am going to allow myself to feel grateful for that slow and steady decline in the number on the scale while I continue to exercise, eat right, and get fit!

January results . . . finally . . .

Okay, I apologize for the delay. This bug I had was a nasty one, and I ended up going an entire week with no exercise at all (bleh!). It seriously knocked me flat! Definitely no fun. I am sure, however, that this came about as a result of stress and over training, so I am approaching my workouts a bit differently now that I am back on my feet. More on that later (i.e. in another post).

Anyway, I promised to post my January results so here you go:

Measurements (as of 1/1/2014):	Measurements (as of 2/4/2014):
Weight: 179.2 lbs	Weight: 172.8 lbs
Body Fat: 43.3%	Body Fat: 41.1%
Waist: 41.5”	Waist: 40”
Hips: 44”	Hips: 42.2”
Chest: 42.2”	Chest: 40.5”
Right Arm: 13.8”	Right Arm: 13.2”
Left Arm: 14.5”	Left Arm: 13.8”
Right Thigh: 22.5”	Right Thigh: 23.5”
Left Thigh:  22.8”	Left Thigh:  23.5”

These results are a combination of eating well (I will post my eating guidelines in the very near future), exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and hoping for the best.

So here are a few tips that are working for me. Perhaps they will be helpful to you as well:

1. I have not starved myself or deprived myself in any way. I will talk about this more in my "eating guidelines" post, but suffice it to say that any kind of deprivation diet is not sustainable. If this is what you are using to lose weight, I wish you the best, but I do not believe you will be successful. In any case, I have never been successful (in the long term) losing weight with a severely restrictive diet.

2. I eat healthy, whole foods and keep processed foods to a minimum. This one is pretty self-explanatory. In general, if the food is packaged, and especially if it has a long list of ingredients, it is not good for you, no matter what it claims. Keep these types of food to a minimum.

3. I go to bed as close to 10PM as possible and I aim to get up around 6AM. A good night's rest is crucial to weight loss as well as to your overall health and vitality and mood. Don't skimp on sleep, even if it means missing your workout that day. Your body needs that time to repair and regenerate. So if something from your to-do list has to go, don't let it be your sleep.

I am happy with these results, and I am on track to reach that goal of weighing less than 120 lbs. by the end of the year. Yee-haw!

When Things Don't Go Your Way

My voice has been gone for these last couple of days. It is amazing how powerless you feel when you can't talk.

Speaking of feeling powerless, you may remember that I mentioned in a recent blog post how I used to get sick all the time. We're talking seriously ill: off my feet, missing work, miserably ill, at least once a month. At that time I was very unhappy, working in a job I didn't feel fulfilled in, living far away from my family, eating a very poor diet (way too many sweets), and all my closest friends were getting married and moving on while I stayed right where I was--alone and depressed. So now that I have painted this lovely picture for you, is there any question as to why I was getting sick all the time? Didn't think so.

Fast forward five years to today. I am living near my family (most importantly my twin sister, who is only 10 minutes away, and my mom), I am eating a very healthy diet, and I am running my own business (with my sis) doing exactly what I want to be doing. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, I am also, once again, getting sick constantly--we're talking every other week. What??!!! This doesn't make any sense! That time before, now that made sense. But this??? What in the world is going on?

Unfortunately, I don't have the answers yet, but I do believe it is somehow linked to my deep-seated fears. Fears of what, you ask? I don't really know for sure--fear of failure, fear of success, fear of getting hurt, fear of loneliness, fear of letting my clients down, all of the above? Maybe it has to do with all of these things plus some that I haven't even listed. What I do know is that I am letting myself get way too stressed out about things again, and I am not trusting in my God enough. I have not been living mindfully these past few weeks. Instead I have been worrying and losing sleep over deadlines and sundry administrative obligations, and the stress has grown exponentially in that time. And now, at this very moment, I am sicker than I have been in years--probably since the last time my body and I were playing the "always sick" game.

So what now? Even though I don't understand all that is going on with my body right now, there are still some things I can do to make the situation better right now. First of all, I have done some energy clearing with my sister, Denise Mason, who is an energy coach, and I can feel my energy and my mood--and my body--changing already. I am also getting back to trust, hope, and mindfulness. I am trusting in the Lord again, and remembering that He has always taken care of me, and that He will continue to do so as long as I am doing my best to stay close to Him. This gives me great hope! I am striving to be present and live mindfully, not letting the deadlines and worries of tomorrow rob me of today. It is time for me to set my fears and my stress and my worries aside and just take things one day at a time--again. Add to all this a healthy dose of gratitude, since I know that recognizing my blessings will always raise my energy and my joy.

Now, it may seem to you that I had this all figured out a month ago; it seems that way to me too, and to tell you the truth, I am not sure why I have to figure it out again. But, looking on the bright side, at least I am figuring it out again just a month later, rather than a year later, or five years later. Before long these things will just be a part of me, and I won't have to keep forgetting and re-figuring things out.

So what is my answer to what you should do when things don't seem to be going your way? Trust God, be full of hope and gratitude, and choose to really live each moment of your life--that is my solution. Feel free to find a better one, if you can.

P.S. I have my January "get fit" results. I will post them in another day or two.

So you got sick ... now what?

I have done it! I have achieved something that has hitherto been completely unknown to me (at least in the last decade)! I have gone 4 full weeks, exercising every day (except for Sundays, which are always my day of rest), without missing! You read that right. 4 weeks straight! Woo hoo!

So this morning, going into week 5, I woke up with an annoying little stomach bug. After the worst had passed by mid-morning (ha ha, no pun intended), I quickly fell back to sleep and did not wake up until around 1:30 in the afternoon. As you might have guessed, I haven't done any working out today ... yet! So here are my thoughts on exercising when you are under the weather.

First, no matter the ailment, if you are going to work out when you are ill you should plan to scale down the intensity appropriately. When I exercise today I will do more of a walk-through of my exercise program (currently Les Mills Combat), possibly breaking a little sweat; however, no serious huffing and puffing, muscle-fatiguing, floor-stomping, barf-worthy workout will be happening today (just for the record, I have never actually barfed during or after a workout, but I know people who have and I think they might possibly have been overdoing it a bit--but who am I to judge?). The important thing here is to teach your body that you are serious about your commitment to exercise and that, if at all possible, you will be moving your body in some way on any day that you have scheduled a workout.

Also, remember that exercising, if you can find just the right balance of movement without excess (hint: this means learning how to listen to your body) can actually speed up your recovery time from many illnesses. It gets your blood and lymph pumping through your body, thus getting the gunk out more quickly. Working out will also encourage you to drink more water, which is essential for cleaning out your whole system. So go ahead and exercise when you are sick, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Second, there is no need to be perfect. I generally do yoga 6 days a week (I am a yoga instructor, after all) and I like to go for a run most days (I am almost a Chi Running instructor, after all), in addition to the quality time I spend with the Les Mills gang. Today I thought about going out for at least a walk after I woke up from my long, mid-day nap, but I was still feeling pretty lousy, and being that it is winter outside it is a bit chilly for an evening walk (assuming I was feeling better by this evening), so I decided to forego that part of my workout today. I am not stressed out about this. Missing one day will not kill me or cause me to lose any significant amount of fitness, and it is important that I allow my body to heal. So no running (or walking) today.

What about yoga? Besides the yoga I did while lying in bed trying to find a comfortable position without aggravating the nausea, I may do a few light, low intensity, easy poses after my Les Mills walk-through, but nothing too intense. Like I said, perfection is not the goal; teaching your body that you are serious about exercise is.

Third, if you had to be driven to the urgent care to get an IV full of healthful fluids to help you mend, chances are you are too sick to exercise today. Even if you have to break a 4-week long--or 40-year long--exercise streak, listen to your body. Be wise. Don't exercise at any intensity if your body is telling you no. And sometimes, it will tell you no.

So here is the take home message: Listen to your body. If you are under the weather but are still feeling up for a little exercise, be sure to lower the intensity appropriately and stop when your body is ready to stop. And when you are feeling like yourself again, get back to it, and be grateful for every day that you are alive and able to move your body. What a blessing that is!

Going on vacation? How to stay on track.

This past holiday weekend I vacationed in a warmer climate and it was so wonderful!!! Well, let me qualify that--the sun was wonderful, the relaxation was wonderful, the family time was wonderful, the 3-pound weight gain was NOT wonderful! I wanted to get that out there right off the bat, lest you think I have this one completely figured out.

So, how do you stay on track when you are on vacation? Here are a few tips that helped me navigate the weekend successfully, and a few that would have helped (had I followed them).

Tip #1: Know what you are going to do for exercise and when you are going to do it (i.e. what time of the day, which days, etc.). If you have the option/willpower, go to bed at a reasonable hour each night and get up early each morning to exercise. Getting it in before the activities (or relaxation) of the day get started will ensure it doesn't get lost in all of the fun and chaos that accompany most vacations.

Tip #2: If possible, stay in a place where you are able to prepare your own food so that you can AVOID EATING OUT FOR EVERY MEAL!!! Eating out for every meal, several days in a row, will add pounds and water retention faster than you can say "I can't see my ankles!"

Tip #3: Watch out for the "I'm on vacation, I should be able to eat whatever I want" mentality. In essence, what you are really saying is "I'm on vacation so I have the right to feel awful and gain all the weight I want." Don't fall for that rubbish! Please, love yourself enough to rise above this mindset and continue to nourish your body appropriately, even on vacation. I am not saying that you shouldn't allow yourself any treats. Just don't let the potato chips and sweets take over your entire diet while you are away. Choose to eat a dessert with lunch or dinner one or two days, or allow yourself to indulge in some way that appeals to you, but that will not be ongoing through the entire vacation.

Tip #4: If you are going to snack (in the car or in the hotel), prepare by bringing healthy snacks that will not leave you craving more and more. Sliced up veggies with hummus, apples or celery with peanut butter, raw nuts, or another healthy, whole foods snack will help to curb hunger cravings while helping you to avoid sugar or salt binges that leave you wanting to snack constantly. And when you do snack, be sure to SNACK MINDFULLY! (I know, I know--this is really two tips hidden in one!) Pay attention to what and how much you are eating, and be sure you are listening to your body so that you know when to stop.

If you follow these four tips the next time you go on vacation, I guarantee you will feel great throughout your trip, and you will come back from your vacation looking as svelte as ever, without having to fear that next encounter with your scale. Oh yeah--in case you were wondering: I followed tips #1 and #2 very successfully, but failed miserably on tips #3 and #4. Three pounds!!! Oh dear!

Does "now" exist in your world?

Have you ever noticed that when you are super stressed or worried about something, that 'something' generally exists in either the past or the future? Have you ever wondered why you are told to focus on your breath during meditation? Did you ever wish you could slow time down a little and just enjoy being alive?

I personally have spent a considerable amount of time pondering these things, and I have learned something that sounds very simple, but which is having a profound impact on my life. It used to be that I would wake up each morning in a stressed out state, with everything I had to do already running through my brain before I even rolled out of bed. I would then proceed to rush through my day, trying to fit everything in, worrying about how much time I took doing A, B, and C because I still somehow had to work in X, Y, and Z. At the end of my day I would collapse into bed, exhausted and still stressed over the things I hadn't been able to get done, and I would fall asleep thinking about how I could fit those things in the next day. This would inevitably continue until the stress, exhaustion, and overwhelm finally won out, and I would have a mini nervous breakdown which generally consisted of staying up all night (sometimes several nights in a row, depending on the level of breakdown) playing computer games or watching movies, getting really depressed because I was such a big, fat failure, and wishing I could do things better. Eventually someone (usually my super awesome and amazing twin sister) would come to my aid, give me a pep talk that would motivate me to start digging myself out of the pit, and I would set some new goals for myself and then repeat the whole process. I cannot tell you how many times I have done this, but it's been the story of my life for longer than I care to remember, only the all-night movie marathons have been replaced by different things at different stages of my life (for example, I used to get really sick instead, which really sucked). This may come as a shock, but these were not the happiest, most successful years of my life, to say the least.

Now I am here to tell you, after riding that train for too many years, that there is a better way to do life. I have a quote hanging on one of my vision boards that goes as follows: "You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice" (Steven D. Woodhull). This year, I am trying another choice. I am choosing to live each day fully present, enjoying the moments as they pass. It hasn't been an overnight transition, and I am still figuring it out, but for now I begin each day with gratitude for my day and for my health, which helps me transition right into my daily exercise. I pray each morning that I will be able to move gracefully through the day, giving my time to those things that are most important, and then I do my best to do just that, without worrying about what isn't getting done or what I have to do.

Now, when I forget to be present, and I find myself spiraling down into that stress pit that I used to spend so much time in, I pull myself out by remembering that the past is in the past, the future is out of my reach (I leave it in God's hands), but the present is what I can influence right now. And by the way, that is what focusing on your breathing in meditation is all about. If you want to get better at living your life more fully present, start by spending a few minutes each day meditating--just focus on your breathing--and by catching yourself in your stressful thoughts, then come back to the present, and just enjoy the moment. Because life is all about the moments.

Some days are harder than others...

Why is it that one day you can feel completely wonderful, on top of the world, and the next you feel like you just want to go back to bed and sort of skip the day? Today is one of those 'skip' days for me, but I can't just go back to bed or I'll have to deal with the consequences tomorrow, and we all know that's not pretty. So I just keep trying to plow through the day, doing my best to get something productive done, but not feeling great about anything I spend my time on. "Should I work on that? Nah. Maybe I should try doing a little work here? No, I don't really feel like it today." Why am I feeling this way? Let's examine the evidence.

Exhibit #1: I stayed up a little too late last night and got up a bit earlier than usual this morning. Okay, so I am a little tired. That definitely contributes to the low energy. Sleep is so important, and I suffer every time I don't get enough sleep on a consistent basis. So tonight I will get to bed a little earlier, and I will sleep in a little later tomorrow if I feel the need. Done.

Exhibit #2: I have been fighting off a cold. I do feel like I am winning the battle, with the help of Dr. Christopher's herbs plus lots of herbal tea and OnGuard softgels (of course, I ran out of the OnGuard capsules yesterday so I don't have that extra boost anymore). However, perhaps the combination of not enough sleep and trying to fight off this bug is causing my energy to flag somewhat. Okay, so I will continue to pound the herbs and the herbal tea, and I will pick up more OnGuard softgels tomorrow. And I will get more sleep. Check.

Exhibit #3: It is snowing outside. NOT IT!!!! I love snow and it makes me feel happy and peaceful watching it fall. Maybe I just need to spend a little more time enjoying the falling snow to boost my energy. (:

Exhibit #4: I have exercised every day (except for Sundays) since December 30th without missing a day. So here's something interesting. When you move your body less (on a regular basis) your cells produce less mitochondria, which are your energy super factories, because you don't really seem to need them. I mean, why maintain a super factory if you aren't using up all the output, right? Up until December 30th, my exercising was very sporadic, to say the least ("I hope not sporadically." --name that movie). Plus, I was in school full-time, Monday through Thursday, from January through October. It's probably safe to say that I was living a rather sedentary lifestyle for most of the year, so my energy factories were shut down and the workers were all laid off. Now that I am moving my body again on a regular basis, they are busting their buns trying to get those factories rebuilt and all the workers re-hired, but they are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. I am doing pretty well fueling my body with sufficient amounts of nutritious food, but my cells can only build so fast. However, because I knew this was going to happen, having experienced it many times before, I called in reinforcements this time. I have been taking DoTerra's Mito2Max capsules to help my body build those factories more quickly and efficiently, and let me tell you, they work!!! I have suffered none of that typical fatigue and lethargy that I am used to feeling when I start trying a new workout regimen (yes, it's that same fatigue that has undermined my workout goals--and yours???--many, many times in the past). The thing is, though, I ran out of my Mito2Max capsules about 2 days ago. Hmmm.

Well my friends, based on the evidence I think we might have found our guilty party (lack of Mito2Max supplementation) and his accomplices (lack of sleep and cold bugs). Yea! I feel better already. I will get that Mito2Max tomorrow and I will continue to fight the good fight. (: For today, just know that I did get my workout in, despite the sluggishness, and I am happy for that. Now, back to trying to be productive. Well, maybe I'll go enjoy the snowfall for a few minutes first. (:

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the uber-long post, but it was really therapeutic for me today.