Peanut's Exercise/Diet Journal

[peanut]

Decided to take the Real Age Test over at Real Age.com. I watch Dr. Oz in the afternoon while knitting or rug hooking or whatever. A friend mentioned this morning that she took it and finally decided to do something about her weight. She's lost a ton of inches! Her pants are real baggy now.

So I took the test and came up my Real Age is my actual current age. My big downfall is my weight...which pulls my age up quite a bit. I also need to get updated readings for blood pressure and cholesterol. The only records I could find were 3 years old. And I've never asked for my asthma readouts...sigh...things to remember!

Exercise has been pathetic since this cold weather has set in. I am home and have no excuse not to go in the basement and workout...except I don't. It's boring to do it alone. but I have to...period.

I am trying to go for walks whenever I can...preferably at least one a day...or a couple 10 minute ones at the very least! That takes me to a few of my favourite haunts.

Mental health is starting to slip. I am very aware of a Jekyl and Hyde aspect to my personality. I am really happy around people and very social, but there is an underlying feeling of hopelessness all the time. Like 'why bother?' and just plain feeling worn out having to deal with the same old issues over and over. Unfortunately most of my complaints in that department can be leveled at the entire human race, and therefore aren't very solvable! I just need to change my attitude...or lower my expectations of people.

Diet lately has been okay...except for today. I declared today a cheat day. I had a Christmas potluck with friends this morning, and a buffet meal at a restaurant tonight. I think I'll go light on food tomorrow...well...maybe a snack at a knitting drop-in in the morning...

[peanut]

It's been awhile since I posted here. This year I'm following along on the 2010 Lose a Pound a Week Challenge here at FV. However I will visit here occasionally to cover the broader spectrum of my health.

I'm back to exercising every day...whether I want to or not. I am working out to Leslie Sansone's "Walk-Away-the-Pounds" DVD series. So far I've been doing the 1 mile walk and the Walk and Kick DVD. Today I tried the 2 mile walk for the first time...without weights.

I am also doing the home workout program I had drawn up for me last summer, every other day. It's coming along fine.

Diet is slowly getting better. Christmas was hard on my system. I baked a lot of stuff and, in the end, even DH was glad to see the end of it all! My body simply was telling me the stuff isn't good for me anymore. I think there will be a scale back this Christmas.

Mental health is doing fine with the advent of the Litebook for 15 minutes every day. Truthfully, I think exercise is the biggest help I've had for my mental health.

DH and I have been enjoying free evenings etc., since I backed out of a few groups this fall after vacation. I didn't realize what a burden they were to me. Funny how the transition between vacation and your real life can show you things you normally wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

Instead I am focusing on DH, family, friends, and some projects I'd like to finish around the house. And trying to get outside into the real sunlight at least every couple of days. There's something about it that just doesn't come out of a light bulb.

[peanut]

Life has been good to me this winter. I love mild sunny winters! My Litebook is kind of on the fritz again. I had a house guest fix it, but it is being cantankerous again. I'm leaving it for now as I am getting plenty of sunlight this winter...either outside or sitting in my sunroom.

My mental health has improved markedly since the Dr. Grant Mullen conference. I have stopped my vitamin C megadoses and my B50. Of course, after doing that and telling my doctors, they inform me vitamin C megadoses have been associated with an increased risk of cataracts, and large doses of B12 are associated with blood clotting irregularities. These people knew I was on megadoses for over two years now! Why didn't they tell me that to start with? It explains some of the problems I've been having...

I also found my alternative asthma medication was making me foggy headed in the morning. My doctor heard wheezing in my chest and ordered x-rays. I'm now on a traditional Western medicine for asthma...go figure. I'm just happy I'm not foggy headed anymore!

The nice thing about all these changes is that I'm saving a bundle of money not having to buy the alternative stuff and those extra vitamins. My total medical bill each month is about $70CAD...not bad.

As far as exercise and diet go...sigh... I've been managing walks of some sort most every day. Just not long enough. I've even managed my home workout program occasionally. Unfortunately we had a house guest in February who kind of spilled over into my exercise room...so not much was done. But he is gone today, so it's bac to it for me!

Diet was okay, but again, with a house guest our diet changed in an attempt to keep our budget under control. That meant less healthy food unfortunately. Or rather...more carbs. I was gifted some venison the other day, so am gearing back to less carbs and more healthy eating.

I'm at 174.5 lbs. Up considerably since I last posted. I've been baking for the guys and enjoying too much myself. That and the lack of decent exercise are doing me in.

I have a menu plan for the week and am working my plan!

Will post later!

[peanut]

It's been almost a month now. I think I'm back on plan diet wise. I just have to get the exercise in.

It's warming up outside. The snow is melting. And I'm sick with a cold. As soon as it's over I'll be out and about. DH tried riding his bike to and from work, but it's still too cold. However it's great walking weather!

Unfortunately I managed to put on another pound or so this month. I'm up to 176.6 lbs. this morning! Argh! Gotta exercise!

Because of the cold I've temporarily restarted the vitamin C and B50, but they'll be dropped once the cold is over.

I'm finding sitting in the sunroom to get sunshine just as effective as using the Litebook. Thankfully we've had a sunny winter this year.

[peanut]

Well I'm mostly over my cold. I've been trying to get out walking every day, but I missed yesterday. I stopped the vitamin C and B50. I still have a cough...but that's what "Fisherman's Friend" is for.

I started up my diet journal again yesterday. I think if I go back to recording everything someplace where I can see it all the time, I will do better. It's nice to report everything on-line to people who will hold me accountable, but I can't see it what I've eaten and tend to forget and just pig out. So it's back to writing it down.

I phoned my Doctor's office to ask for copies of my latest test results for a benchmark to work from. I'm glad I did. I found out what I was told in the office was not the same as what the nurse told me over the phone...hmmm... Turns out one of my test results was much better than I was originally told. I suspect the doctor simply wanted me on Western medicine instead of the homeopathic I was taking. It's okay by me because without the complementary Chinese medicine and acupuncture the homeopathic wasn't working that well anyway. And besides, the Western medicine that replaced it is a fraction of the cost. But it does mean I will be looking for another doctor if I ever decide to try alternative medicine for mental health issues.

However glancing over the lab results I also noticed a lot more tests done than the doc originally had ordered...or at least it looks that way. I am glad. Means they're keeping a good check on things. There were some tests I was glad to see.

So...today I had a big breakfast with the idea it will curb my appetite for the rest of the day. Hoping to get some shopping/walking in today. DH is off work and I'm spending the day with him. No quilting or knitting.