Fitness For Life

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Ranked #7,065 in Health, #84,629 overall

My Big Decision

Though she didn't know it, my niece was my inspiration to take charge of my life and health.  She was married in October, 2005.  Later, my uncle kindly sent all of us photographs he took at the wedding.  Now I realized at the time that I was having a tough time finding something to wear at her wedding.  Everything in my closet was just a little too small.  When I looked at the pictures afterwards, I was shocked.  That fatty was me?  I knew that I had to do something.  So began my journey to the path of wellness. 

I regret that I didn't keep a journal or blog about my progress at the time.  My idea of health and fitness evolved with the stages of my path.  I learned a lot, experimented a lot, until I finally arrived at the place I'm at now.  Here are just a few of the things I learned.

Trying to lose weight?  Envision it.  Tell others about it.  Make your own lens

The Road To Wellness 

What I've learned, where I'm going on my journey to good health.

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Yoga, a Great Way To Relax 

Yoga is a great way to gain flexibility and improve your overall health
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Other Things I'm Working On 

Writing My First Mystery
The process of creating my first mystery novel
Weborg Lodge Studio
Art. My passion. I am a watercolor artist.
My Cat, Sophie
My computer buddy and muse for painting and writing
Fat Gut Challenge
My husband, Norm's,take on fitness

Getting Active 

I'm not sure why I gravitated to walking. Perhaps it's because taking jaunts on the trails was always something my husband and me enjoyed--but only on weekends. I decided that I would walk. I found several websites about walking. The goal on most was to shoot for 10,000 steps a day. My first source for info was Fitness Walking for Dummies. I filled in the charts of before info about weight, fitness, and measurements. Yikes. I had a lot of work ahead of me. I followed the plan of strength training, stretching, and walking, of course.

I discovered Walking.About.com. What a great website! I found walking logs and programs. I started following a few where I was doing a virtual walk of the Applachian Trail among others. This was really motivating. It wasn't long before my five times a week walks were up to 3.5 miles.

Keeping track of my steps each day, I knew that I had to up my steps to get to the new goal of 12,000 to 14,000 steps. From what I read, 10,000 steps was just to stay healthy; 12,000 steps would maintain your weight; but to really lose, you had to shoot for 14,000 steps a day.

The walks were going well. I looked forward to my time outside. I walked all through winter, even on the coldest days. I learned the importance of performance clothing. No matter what the weather, I was out walking. It paid off. I was seeing results.

My big day came when I would see my family that June, 2006. We gathered for a family reunion. I unveiled the new me--35 pounds lighter, a new haircut, down three pants sizes, and with muscles to boot. I never forget the words of a friend who told me before the trip was over. As she hugged me good-bye she said, "You won." That's exactly what I felt like.

Help With Your Walks 

Things I've found useful on my walks

ACCUSPLIT AE170 Pedometer with Steps, Distance, and Calories Burned

The small size and the security strap make this my new favorite. Having broken two pedometers before, the security strap was a must.

Amazon Price: $24.88 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

ASICS® Women's GEL-1110™

Comfortable shoe. Mesh on top is nice for a spring/summer run. Find another pair of shoes though if it's wet out or cold.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

The Step Diet: Count Steps, Not Calories to Lose Weight and Keep It off Forever

The clearest explanation I've come across about how to lose weight.

Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days!

A tasty, easy approach to dieting. Recipes are time-consuming though, but great if you like to cook.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

The Sonoma Diet Cookbook

More of the yummy recipes from the diet book. Skip the online program and get this cookbook.

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

Help and Advice Along the Way 

I started a new workout/diet plan. I felt that I had hit a plateau. I was getting bored with my workouts and to say nothing of the dreaded "last 10 pounds". I decided to follow the The Abs Diet. The diet itself is simple to follow; no stages, no calorie counting. The focus is on 12 power foods which include no-brainer healthy choices like spinach, whole grains, and olive oil. Meals are built with these 12 power foods, trying to include as many as possible for the optimal benefit. The book does include recipes which are quick and tasty. The diet plan includes 3 meals and 3 snacks, to keep your metabolism running.

The rest of the book concerns workouts. The author encourages a regime of 3 total body workouts a week, 2 emphasizing the abs and 1 for the legs. An extra ab workout is throw in for good measure. There is a cardio component too and this is where I found the advice almost contrary to what I've read in the past.

The author's theory is that if one does low-intensity workouts muscle is not being built. Calories are being burned, but to maximize the benefit of muscle building you have to build it through weightlifting. He goes on to say that weightlifing increases muscle mass which increases metabolism. A session of weightlifing revs up the metabolism for hours afterwards, much longer than a cardio workout.

He also suggests a shorter workout. After 20-30 minutes of cardio, your body may be forced to break down protein for energy. He emphasizes shorter, more intense workouts. The author, for example, suggests different exercises with every ab workout to keep your muscles guessing, as it were. Works for me.

For my part, I've noticed that I'm stronger. I feel more energized. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about making a change.

My rating:

"The only lifelong, reliable motivations are those that come from within, and one of the strongest of those is the joy and pride that grow from knowing that you've just done something as well as you can do it."

-Lloyd Dobyns and Clare Crawford-Mason

On the Road to Wellness 

A major part of my journey was a change in my diet. While I was good about using only olive oil and canola oil in cooking, there was lots of room for improvement. I began with the Sonoma Diet. I was attracted to its easy portion type of approach. I liked the fact too that you were encouraged to savor your meal, sometimes with a glass of wine. While following the familiar three stage process that marked other diets like Atkins, this was not a total low carb approach. Rather the emphasis was on healthy choices for carbs. I was eating things I never had before--barley, quinoa, for example.

While I did achieve some success, the recipes in the The Sonoma Diet: Trimmer Waist, Better Health in Just 10 Days! book are quite delicious, they are time-consuming. Though I've since moved on, I do go back to Sonoma every now and again. I have to admit to be intriqued by the The Sonoma Diet Cookbook book now out.

Good Nutrition 

During my journey, I began to scrutinize my nutrition. Was I getting enough of the right things? One of the first websites that I consulted was the USDA Food Pyramid site. This was a revelation to me. The diet that I thought was adequate was missing a few things, mainly enough fruits and veggies. I made it a point to include more in my diet. I used the online food and activity journal to track my progress. While other sources may have different takes on dieting, I felt I could trust this information. Afterall, anything food or diet-related did have to go through their scrutiny. If you do nothing else, then use this site for a few days to see where you really are with your diet.

After awhile, I felt like I wanted more of an online journal. I was using it most days, trying to be as honest as possible. I found a few other websites that were more powerful and dare I say, more attractive. The Free Online Diet Plan at SparkPeople.com is my current program. After trying out sites that cost and some of those with very little information, I was amazed to locate this free site. The amount of information is overwhelming. The site's forum is one of the most active I've ever encountered. A point system is a nice motivator. Other great features are online demos, online exercise videos, a powerful food journal, and a goal setting section. The food journal is one of the easiest I've used.

The site approaches dieting from a perspective of making lifestyle changes. The resource section contains numerous articles on motivation. What I especially liked was how it encouraged you to take your fitness success to other goals in your life. Very powerful and worth a visit.

Supplementing Your Healthy Choices 

More Than a Multiple for Women 90 Tablets

The best vitamin I've found. The pills are big though and do need to be taken three times a day.

Amazon Price: $22.58 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

Twinings Jasmine Green Tea, 1.41-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Pleasant tea with the benefits of green tea

Amazon Price: $16.98 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

TwinLab - Magnesium Caps, 400 mg, 200 capsules

Since taking magnesium, my migraines have disappeared.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

Natural Resveratrol (Mega Potency) 200 mg - 60 Vcaps- NOW FOODS

Amazing research on this heart supplement

Amazon Price: $13.50 (as of 11/25/2009) Buy Now

Where I'm At Now 

I've been living my healthy lifestyle for a year and a half now. Though I will indulge in favorite foods like pizza or pasta every now and again, I've given up fried foods and sugary snacks. I don't drink pop. Haven't for years actually. My diet is good. I'm very conscious of knowing when I feel full. I try to make good choices.

My husband and I made decided to join a health club. We joined SnapFitness. It's one of those 24/7 places. Bare bones, but just what you need. We've been working out four times a week. It's a bit hard on work days. I'm not a fan of evening workouts, but we're doing okay.

After being at it nearly two months now, I can say that I'm stronger than ever. I've hit the machines hard. I'm using the treadmill and the stationary bike for my cardio workouts. We had a long stretch of below zero weather recently, making walks outside not the best of choices.

I like it. It's great exercising with my husband. We motivate each other. He's so enthusiatic about it. I'm glad. I want us both to be healthy. My goals now are to lose just a few more pounds and to get sculpted.

I've explored other areas of wellness, including yoga and Pilates. There is much to be said for mind-body fitness. It's hard to describe, but doing these exercises gives you a feeling of peace that you don't get from other activities. It's different that the euphoria you feel after you've worked out.

Now speaking of peace, another aspect to my fitness is hiking. Hiking becomes more of a walking meditation for me. A walk alone in the woods is just about the best cure for whatever ails me. I get the most out of a walk in the woods if I feel free. I can concentrate fully on my surroundings and enjoy

My Keys to Success 

Though my methods and approaches have changed, there are a few things that I embraced and keep with to this day. Here are a few of them.
  • Always wear a pedometer and record my steps every day
  • There's always a way to trim calories with a meal
  • Let's face it; to stay healthy, I'll be exercising for the rest of my life
  • It's not a diet; it's a lifestyle change
  • There's no harm in an occasional rest day.

" A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

-Sir Winston Churchill

The Best I've Found For Health and Wellness Information 

After all my reading and research, I consider myself something of an expert on my take on fitness. Here are a few of my favorite sites.
WholeHealthMD
Where I go when I have questions about vitamins and supplements
FitDay
Whether you're looking for an online journal or software for your computer, this is the site. I use the software for tracking my overall progress. A very unique and helpful feature is found within the food log. You can track who you eat with and where to as well as your mood to track what may be trouble areas for you. The reports menu has just about any variation of nutrition or activity report you could want. Highly recommended!
BodyFat Calculator
When I compared the results I received at the gym with what I found out by using this calculator, I found the website to be as accurate. I use this site to keep track of my percent body fat.
Fitness Magazine
I really enjoy this magazine. So much info, so many workout ideas.
FitnessJournal
I use the online journal to plan workouts, record my exercise time. Subscription site. The real time walk across the US map and the standings with other people on the site are great motivators. Tell them Chris sent you!
ToodleDo
Get organized. Plan your workout schedule.
GTDAgenda
Other great web application for getting organized. Nice mobile interface for staying on top of things on the road

The Road To Wellness Blog 

My hobby and my love, painting. Sharing tips for self-representing artists to market themselves.

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My Art On ArtByUs 

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Have Ideas And Suggestions For a Healthy Lifestyle? 

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  • Reply
    ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Jul 5, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
    Losing weight and getting in shape is not easy. I've been working on it for years. I finally found something that works for me--walking
    Great lens
    5* and lensroll to Walking for Fitness
    Lizzy
  • Reply
    inese_millere inese_millere Jan 12, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
    Thanks for visiting my 'Running' lens. As a healthy lifestyle enthusiast I enjoyed reading your lens. The rode to healthy life and lifestyle could be less traveled, but rewards are long living, aren't they ? Please visit my www.action4balance.com , I would be glad if you find it useful.
    Great lens, 5 stars!
  • Reply
    inese_millere inese_millere Jan 12, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
    Thanks for visiting my 'Running' lens. As a healthy lifestyle enthusiast I enjoyed reading your lens. The rode to healthy life and lifestyle could be less traveled, but rewards are long living, aren't they ? Please visit my www.action4balance.com , I would be glad if you find it useful.
    Great lens, 5 stars!

"Never, never, never give up."

-Winston Churchill

by wayfarer

My name is Chris. I am a Minnesota artist, specializing in watercolor landscapes of the North Country. Weborg Lodge combines two of my passions - pain...

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