Sunday, November 25, 2007

KICK ME

I talked to my brother today, he was telling me that his wife, who is only three years older than me, is having so much pain in her body,especially her back right now, that she can hardly get up and do anything. She had knee surgery last year, she has trouble with her feet... blah, blah, blah.
My sister-in-law is probably one of the laziest humans I've ever known. She wasn't always like that but since her kids left home ten years ago she does nothing and I mean nothing. She sits in her chair and watches TV. She has gained 100 pounds in the last ten years, she smokes, she eats nothing but junk, takes tons of prescription drugs... and if she doesn't do something radically different, pretty soon she won't be able to get up and do anything about it.
This isn't a rant about what a bad person my sister-in-law is, it is a rant against getting older and lazy and allowing this happen to yourself.

A couple of months ago I made myself stop using the golf cart. It was just so easy to hop in Em's cart to go to the mail box or to the dog pen or up to Mother's, way too easy. So, I stopped. I make myself walk everywhere I go out here and it's a lot of walking.

I still haven't managed to get myself back into a regular walking routine - and shame on me for it.

I know there are things I need to be doing like weight bearing exercise and walking every day.

I guess I need a good kick in the butt to get me going again. I'm hoping that talking with my brother today will be some incentive.

I've been doing lots of brain exercise, I love the new DS and the game I bought, Brain Age, Brain Age 2, and Big Brain Academy.

So, if you feel like giving me a swift kick in the ass to get me going, please go right ahead!!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The elliptical is my new best friend. We meet once a day and it's been good. I did take a break during my period because I was too moody and apathetic to care. I know it would have made me feel better, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
It's amazing to me how my attitude about working out can change so drastically from day to day. I recently went to dinner with a friend who has lost a significant amount of weight and was excited to talk to her about her journey because I assumed she was not in it for the weight loss, but for the health benefits. I was wrong. I left the dinner feeling so disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I think what she has done is amazing and I am happy for her, I just wanted someone who understood where I am coming from when I tell them that I'm jumping off the diet train and doing my darnedest not to get back on it. I'm taking the less followed bath of body love and acceptance and hoping that somewhere along the way I learn to love my body the best that I can and give it everything that it needs to be healthy even if I never drop a pound or change a size. I said all that to say that the weeks since that dinner haven't been so good. I have been eating whatever whenever just because I'm pissed that my size 16 body seems so deplorable to others that I need to starve it and beat it into submission.
I've since gotten over the bad attitude. I woke myself up and realized that eating myself into a size 24 isn't going to make matters any better for anyone. Besides, it was making me feel like crap and the whole point I'm trying to make is that I can feel good without being a size 0.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

I haven't picked a favorite yet on the new Project Runway but it looks like they have some real talent.

I just love Tim Gunn's show, I think it is way better than What Not to Wear but I still love watching Stacy and Clinton.

I saw an interesting segment on CNN this morning about a photographer in Israel who works for the top fashion magazine "elite", he is trying to change and is making huge changes in the fashion industry (at least in Isreal and let's hope it catches on here)by insisting that his models weigh in at a "healthy" weight. It all started when he found one of his models passed out at her home unable to move she was so weak - she weighed 66 pounds and died just a few days later in the hospital.

They actually showed pictures of her before she died. It was really sad.

We have got to put an end to that kind of madness with this generation of daughters.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

I have a question...

Levi is working out 3 to 4 times a week lifting weights. They do different exercises to specifically target different muscle groups each time. Levi is 5'10" and weighs about 140 - 145 pounds. His metabolism is off the chart. He just cannot gain weight.

He is wondering just how many calories he needs to be eating and how much protein to be able to gain muscle??

The guy he works out with told him some insane amount of protein which Levi could never do. He has always had a small appetite.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Rethinking Thin

Every time I say something like this, people look at me like I'm insane. It's sort of getting old. But here it is in the NY Times:

About two years ago, a group of federal researchers reported that overweight people have a lower death rate than people who are normal weight, underweight or obese. Now, investigating further, they found out which diseases are more likely to lead to death in each weight group.

I love this quote:

Dr. Gail, though, had some advice, which, he said, is his personal opinion as a physician and researcher: “If you are in the pink and feeling well and getting a good amount of exercise and if your doctor is very happy with your lab values and other test results, then I am not sure there is any urgency to change your weight.”

Gee, imagine that.