DAY FIVE - I HAVE A COLD

I slept in a little this morning because I have a cold.  When I got up Victor had already been up for a couple hours.  He had a business meeting and had cleaned up the kitchen a little.

I eventually dragged myself out of bed and weighed in at 170 lbs.  My scale also measures percentage of body fat.  I am at 39% body fat.  Not so good.

I started feeling under the weather yesterday morning.  When I went to physical therapy I also noticed that my knee was a little tender and swollen.  The therapist explained to me that when our bodies are infected with a virus it attacks the weakest parts of our body.  Most people think that colds are just in the head.  They're not.  Colds can be in your knees. 

Today my knee is still tender; I have a runny nose and a sore throat.

The best way to take care of yourself when under the weather is to get plenty of rest and drink lots of water.  A little bit of apple juice works too.

Today I will be taking it easy.

DAY FOUR - PHYSICAL THERAPY

This morning I arose about two hours earlier than normal.  I weighed in at 169.8 lbs.  Yes, I gained about a pound.  It could be from the late night french fries that Victor insisted that we get from Wendy's after 9:30 p.m. last night.

Part of my recovery from the knee surgery is going to physical therapy two days a week.  I go Tuesdays and Thursday.  The routine is the same very day.

1.  Heat pack for about 10-15 minutes with electrical leads
2.  Ride the stationary bike for 5 - 7 minutes
3.  Total Gym (leg press) a minimum of 10 reps one to two times.
4.  Toe Raises - a minimum of 10 reps one to two times.
5.  Leg Lift - a minimum of 10 reps one to two times.
6.  Hip Machine - 2-4 lbs - 10 reps one to two times.  Three different positions.
7.  Chair races
8.  Leg hang
9.  Ice pack for about 10-15 minutes

The physical therapist will spend about 10-15 minutes working the knee and measuring how straight my leg is and how far I can bend my knee.

Physical therapy will continue after I have returned to work.

These simple exercises to help me become mobile are a good place to start getting back into shape.  You don't have to go to an extreme exercise routine to get fit.  Sometimes less is more.

DAY THREE - FIBER

I woke up this morning and weighed in at 168.8 lbs.  Once again I lost nearly 2 lbs in one day.  There could be many reasons for this.  I am drinking more water and I have added fiber to my diet.  Simple changes like this can result in rapid weight loss in the beginning.  The weight loss will slow down and exercise will become more important to maintain continuous weight loss.

Last October I had reconstructive surgery on my left knee.  As a result I was prescribed various pain management drugs with the instructions to make sure that I drank a lot of water and that I should take a laxative to prevent dehydration and constipation. 

Without going into great detail about my discomfort; I experienced both the dehydration and constipation despite my efforts.  After one very sleepless night I decided that I needed to go back to what I knew about my own body and how it responded to various foods and supplements.  I sent Victor to the store to buy orange juice and I started taking ginseng again.  These two very simple changes to my diet helped relieve my discomfort.  Both ginseng and orange juice reminded me about the necessity to maintain fiber in my diet. 

However, when you are recovering from major surgery it is very difficult to maintain normal eating habits and sleep.  It was not easy for me to get back into the swing of things.  Now that I am committed to get back to a more healthier me I have taken steps to make sure that I am eating right.  Adding fiber back into my diet is part of eating right.

What are the best sources of fiber?  Well, let's get back to the basics with a simple list of fiber sources:

• Whole grains (bran has the highest fiber content); this includes breads and cereals, whole-grain pastas, and brown rice
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes (such as dried peas, beans, lentils)
• Fruits
• Vegetables

When foods are processed, fiber is often removed. Foods made from white flour (bleached or unbleached) are poor sources of fiber, including white breads, pizza crusts, and regular pasta. In general, foods that are less processed are higher in fiber.

Some high-fiber foods - such as some breakfast cereals and convenience foods - are also high in sugar and salt, so take care to read the label before purchase.

There are fiber supplements that can be taken, however they are not the best source and do not provide all the benefits of natural sources of fiber. 

What you need to know about fiber:

Supplements provide only a very restricted type of fiber.  Eating a diet of high-fiber foods usually incorporates various kinds of fiber, and that's healthier.  Fruits, vegetables, and oats have plenty of soluble fiber.  Whoole grains, bran, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables are full of insoluble fiber.  Both soluble and insoluble fiber add bulk and softness to the stool. Insoluble fiber remains pretty much unchanged by the time it reaches the intestines, whereas soluble fiber acquires a soft, jelly-like texture. Both make stools easier to pass.

In my personal diet I have included both natural fibers like fruits andd vegetables and have added a fiber supplement.  I picked up a bag of Total Lean energizing chews from GNC last week.  I chose the wild berry flavor.  Each chew has 2 grams of fiber and I take one about 30 minutes before I eat.  I still drink lots of water and include ginseng in my diet.

Every person is different and only you know how your body responds to different foods.  I know what works for me and I will continue with that.

DAY TWO - WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

So, I step on the scale and weigh myself.  I weighed 170.2 lbs.  Is it possible that someone can lose almost 2 lbs in one day?

It must be possible, because I did. 

This afternoon I was sitting on the couch playing with my rings and noticed that I could remove them from my fingers.  I was able to put my rings on other fingers.  I actually had fun for about 20 minutes.

I came to the conclusion that I must have had some water weight yesterday.

Today I went to church and then relaxed on the couch.  I studied a little and wrote a little.

Tomorrow I plan to be a little more active than I have been.  One step at a time to reaching my goal of being more fit this year.

STRUGGLING TO BE FIT

Today I woke up and decided that I needed to take a good look at myself.

I will be 44-years-old this week and by most standards I would be considered obese.  When I look in the mirror I see a woman that has struggled with weight management since her twenties.  At the age of 25 I was admitted into a program for eating disorders.  When I was my most fit I was 125 lbs and wore a size five. 

When I began working on my self-esteem issues and how I viewed my body I weighed 109 lbs and was a size 2.

At my heaviest I was over 200 lbs and wore size 16.

Today, I am 172 lbs.  Depending on the style I wear a size 10 dress; somestimes a 12.

It has been over two (2) months since I had reconstructive surgery on my left knee.  I am currently participating in physical therapy to regain complete mobility and range of motion.  The surgeon indicated that it would take about a year to completely recover.  I have been instructed not to jog or run or to push myself.

So, what do I do to become fit until I am able to participate in healthy lifetstyle activities?

I am educated enough to know the simple things:

1)  drink lots of water

2)  get enough sleep

3)  eat more fruits and vegetables

4)  cut back on the sweets and the sodas

5)  keep on going to physical therapy

I am hoping that as I record my attempts and progress, I will continue to be driven to become healthier and more fit.

ADOPTING A LIFE STYLE FOR RADIANT SKIN

A Healthy diet is essential to radiant skin.  There is so much information available on diets to keep you healthy that I cannot even begin to scratch the surface.  Howevver, I will stress that you need to consume plenty fo fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

No, potato chips dos not qualify as a vegetable!

If you don't like fruits and vegetables, experiment with preparing them in various ways until you find some that you enjoy.  Eating a balanced and varied diet is important.

While I am at work I enjoy snacking.  If I don't bring healthful foods I tend to snack from the snack machine.  This is not good.  When I am prepared my snack foods consist of carrots, celery, raisins, apples, cheese cubes, nut bars, pretzels, radishes, olives, etc.  You get the picture.  :)

In addition, water is crucial for healthy skin, helpinng to keep it soft and supple.  Water cleanses you internally.  Doctors recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, and more if you are sick or out in the sun or heat.  You will get much better results from your skin-care products and treatments if you consume the recommended amounts of water.  One of the side benefits of drinking plenty of water is that it is also helpful inf you are trying to lose weight.

I have set reminders on my computer at work to take a break every hour.  This a reminder to stop what I am doing; stand up; stretch and drink some water.

I also have water bottles in every room in my house.  If I am in my room cleaning it or watching TV I have my water.  If I am in the dining room blogging I have my water.  I even have bottled water in the bathroom so that I can take my vitamins while I am getting ready for work or church.

I turned 43 this year; I have more white hair than I did the year before; and hopefully I have gained some wisdom.  What I haven't gained is aged skin.  This is because I drink plenty of water and I stay out of the sun or protect my skin while out in the sun.

I have several friends and acquaintances my age who look old because they don't take care of their skin. 

My challenge to you is to change something in your eating and drinking habits.  You will see improvements.  I promise.

WATER, WATER AND MORE WATER

While maintaining a healthy diet and keeping your body properly hydrated you must drink water.  Lot's of water!  Since I am really bad about keeping my body hydrated during the day at work I have set little reminders on my computer calendar to pop up and tell me to take a Break!  The Que to drink water and to get up and stretch.  These little reminders pop up every hour.

There are all kinds of water to choose from.  So here is a list of water types and what's in them.  The choice is yours:

Artesian Water - From a well that's fed by an underground aquifer.  Example:  Fiji Natural Artesian Water.

Enhanced Water - Fortified with vitamins, minerals, and herbal ingredients, as well as added flavor.  Example:  Glaceau Vitamin water.

Fitness Water - With added electrolytes and flavoring or sugar.  Somme containe caffeine or herbal stimulants, such as taurine and guarana.  Example:  Hansens E20 Energy Water.

Mineral Water -  From an underground source that contains naturally accurring dissolved solids, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.  Example:  Callistoga Sparkling Mineral Water.

Purified Water -  Usually tap water that has been treated to remove contaminants.  Example:  Sam's Choice Purified Drinking Water.

Sparkling Water:  With natural or artificial effervescence.  Examples:  Schweppes Club Soda.

Spring Water:  From an underground source that flows to the earth's surface naturally.  Example:  Evian Natural Spring Water.

I personally drink Smart Water while I am at work.  Smart Water contains electrolytes.  It does not have added flavoring or sugar.  While I am at home we drink distilled water that we purchase at The Water Store in Ventura.

To add some flavor to your water try adding some squeezed Citrus Juice.

Time Saver!  Squeeze Citrus Juice Now, Use Later.  If you have leftover lemons and limes from a cocktail party, aqueeze them and freeze the juice in an ice-cube tray.  Once they're frozen, store the cubes in zippered plastic bags and use them for recipes that call for fresh lemon or lime juice.  (One cube equals about one tablespoon of juice.)