Often I think that being heavy is like packing weights. I'm carrying around my own set of weights with each of my movements. No wonder it's hard to want to get up and down for most anything. Would a skinny person heft two 50# weights before standing up? And they call me lazy....
You could have an argument for stupid, but not lazy. It isn't the smartest thing to lift such weights with each movement. Which leads me to weight training for heavies. Just look at these pluses of using weights:
1- It builds lean muscles to boost metabolism - 10 pounds of lean muscles will burn an extra 500 calories a day. I'll take all the help I can get - including from my own muscles.
2- It creates a greater afterburn than cardio - which means that you keep burning calories for 24 or more hours after the workout. So, my body will keep on getting leaner as I rest after the workout. Love this idea.
3- Time efficient - It can be as simple as a few major exercises done at home in a few minutes scattered throughout the week. More results in less time - what's not to love?
4- Tones and defines better. It is possible to lose weight with cardio and still end up with flabbiness. Not possible with weight training. You get the results of being thinner and looking better.
5- Preserves muscle tissue - and perhaps the key to avoiding dieting plateaus. After losing quickly with diets, often there is a point where you just get stuck and don't keep losing the pounds. That could be because you have lost mostly muscle tissue and without those lean muscles, metabolism slows way down. So, this is a long term solution to losing the pounds and the flab.
6- You can eat more. I love the idea that I can have a bit of "fudge" room (literally?) or a guilt-free treat at times. That seems more like a normal life than a fanatic's life.
7- Adjustable for weak and obese people. There are simple exercises that work each area of the body that can be done around my rolls of fats and inability to bend. I don't need to use expensive equipment or go out where others see me struggle. And I can work around my body's limitations, for instance a half hour walk or intensive run is not possible with my weak and aching legs, but I can do movements that target my needs. And again, before you thin people preach the aerobic walks/runs, you do it first with two 50# weights on your back.
8- Balanced body sculpting. I am in control of how my body looks. Fat belly? then I work those muscles. And it helps me to remember that each movement builds momentum and brings health.
9- Easier on joints. No jolting runs or wearing walks. The joints get exercised in ways that match abilities and I can increase the challenge as they are stronger.
10- Overall feel good - specifically, women get help with osteoporosis and men with their testosterone levels, according to Sarkartraining, the site I'm taking these main points from. (See 20 Sep 2011 "10 reasons why you must life weights to lose fat" at http://www.sarkartraining.net/2011/09/10-reasons-why-you-must-lift-weights-to.html) Plus, there is an uplift that comes with movement - probably through hormones that I don't know the names of - just glad they are there and I feel fine.
How to lift weights for health and on the journey to thinness? That will come later this week as I continue to explore and investigate. For now, I need to wrap my mind around these concepts and prep myself mentally for the next step.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Movement & exponential curves
Though movement has been at the upper reaches of my thoughts, it hasn't happened as much as I had hoped. Somehow daily pressures got in the way.
So, for more encouragement, here are some of the benefits as noted in Body by God, by Dr. Ben Lerner:
- improves heart function
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces body fat
- elevates bone mass
- decreases total and LDL cholesterol - the "bad" kind
- raises HDL cholesterol - the "good" kind
- raises energy level
- enhances and balances hormone production
- aids in the sleeping process
- increases stress tolerance
- eliminates toxins
- reduces depression
- controls or prevents diabetes - blood sugar issues
- decreases the risk of injury to the muscles, joints, and spine
That's an impressive list - 14 items, though the first two seem to be the same in my opinion. Well, still it is motivating.
I especially need the hormones to balance and some help with stress. Having more energy would be nice, as well as sleeping deeper. Oh, and, less body fat!! That goes without saying.
Well, the "proof is in the pudding". I'm out the door for a short walk and I'll report back. . .
I'm baaaack - and out of breath, though that is subsiding quickly. And, I confess, I was gone only 7 minutes and covered maybe as much a three blocks total. But, it was movement in the sunshine and not through too many snow paths.
And, I do feel more capable. Like maybe I can do this again soon. Maybe later today even. The dollar store is close enough, hmmmm, possibilities there.
Of course there isn't an instant way to know if all those internal processes mentioned above happened. I do feel a bit more energy even though my legs ache. But, they ache no matter what.
And, according to Dr. Lerner, it was 7 minutes of being healthy.
I'm reminded now of how the little things can add up. Once upon a time I herniated a disc in my back and was in a body cast. When that cast was coming off I was so weak. It was a big deal to just get a shower and while my muscles were warm to bend over once. Soon, very soon, I could do more and more stretching and bending.
I think our bodies work more on exponential curves than straight lines. Or so it seems. This is encouraging. It means my 7 minutes today could morph quickly into much more. We'll see. I'll keep u and me posted.
So, for more encouragement, here are some of the benefits as noted in Body by God, by Dr. Ben Lerner:
- improves heart function
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces body fat
- elevates bone mass
- decreases total and LDL cholesterol - the "bad" kind
- raises HDL cholesterol - the "good" kind
- raises energy level
- enhances and balances hormone production
- aids in the sleeping process
- increases stress tolerance
- eliminates toxins
- reduces depression
- controls or prevents diabetes - blood sugar issues
- decreases the risk of injury to the muscles, joints, and spine
That's an impressive list - 14 items, though the first two seem to be the same in my opinion. Well, still it is motivating.
I especially need the hormones to balance and some help with stress. Having more energy would be nice, as well as sleeping deeper. Oh, and, less body fat!! That goes without saying.
Well, the "proof is in the pudding". I'm out the door for a short walk and I'll report back. . .
I'm baaaack - and out of breath, though that is subsiding quickly. And, I confess, I was gone only 7 minutes and covered maybe as much a three blocks total. But, it was movement in the sunshine and not through too many snow paths.
And, I do feel more capable. Like maybe I can do this again soon. Maybe later today even. The dollar store is close enough, hmmmm, possibilities there.
Of course there isn't an instant way to know if all those internal processes mentioned above happened. I do feel a bit more energy even though my legs ache. But, they ache no matter what.
And, according to Dr. Lerner, it was 7 minutes of being healthy.
I'm reminded now of how the little things can add up. Once upon a time I herniated a disc in my back and was in a body cast. When that cast was coming off I was so weak. It was a big deal to just get a shower and while my muscles were warm to bend over once. Soon, very soon, I could do more and more stretching and bending.
I think our bodies work more on exponential curves than straight lines. Or so it seems. This is encouraging. It means my 7 minutes today could morph quickly into much more. We'll see. I'll keep u and me posted.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Binge central
It has been a month of binging. And a month of gaining weight. I now clock in at 229.2# and feel lucky to be that low!
Why the binge? Emotions, I think. And perhaps cause I tried to kill off Candida which made me nauseous and perversely that made me eat. I think most people don't eat when they feel sick to their stomach. I do; it stops the nausea. But I also eat too much and gain weight.
Emotions. As Geneen Roth says in Breaking Free from Emotional Eating, "Most of the time we eat in response to our minds. Most of the time we feed our bodies without consulting our bodies." For me that is too often true.
Well, now that the aftermath of a mostly alone Christmas is over and the darker days of winter and sugar days of Valentine's Day are done, it is time for me to "get a grip".
After pondering - My new theme is to focus on what I want: Eat well. Move well. Sleep well.
That has become my inner mantra and I'm resisting watering it down with 3 steps to... and weekly goal to.... Personally all those strategies make me want to rebel. Guess I'm contrary by nature as evidenced by being a fat hypothyroid and eating when nauseous.
And that contrary nature is what I get to work with.
The last half year has taught me the value of eating well. I think I still have much to learn about emotional eating and I'll explore some of that as it comes up.
Right now my thoughts are on what has often been the most missing for me - movement. My thoughts return to Dr. Ben Lerner's comments in Body by God. As I look back I find, "Inactivity causes you to live briefer, age faster, and grow larger." Well, that fits.
I also like, "So if you exercise for ten minutes, then for ten minutes you are actually healthy." I'll start there.
And, for today, I'll end there so that thought stays with me and motivates me:
How many minutes am I going to be healthy today?
Why the binge? Emotions, I think. And perhaps cause I tried to kill off Candida which made me nauseous and perversely that made me eat. I think most people don't eat when they feel sick to their stomach. I do; it stops the nausea. But I also eat too much and gain weight.
Emotions. As Geneen Roth says in Breaking Free from Emotional Eating, "Most of the time we eat in response to our minds. Most of the time we feed our bodies without consulting our bodies." For me that is too often true.
Well, now that the aftermath of a mostly alone Christmas is over and the darker days of winter and sugar days of Valentine's Day are done, it is time for me to "get a grip".
After pondering - My new theme is to focus on what I want: Eat well. Move well. Sleep well.
That has become my inner mantra and I'm resisting watering it down with 3 steps to... and weekly goal to.... Personally all those strategies make me want to rebel. Guess I'm contrary by nature as evidenced by being a fat hypothyroid and eating when nauseous.
And that contrary nature is what I get to work with.
The last half year has taught me the value of eating well. I think I still have much to learn about emotional eating and I'll explore some of that as it comes up.
Right now my thoughts are on what has often been the most missing for me - movement. My thoughts return to Dr. Ben Lerner's comments in Body by God. As I look back I find, "Inactivity causes you to live briefer, age faster, and grow larger." Well, that fits.
I also like, "So if you exercise for ten minutes, then for ten minutes you are actually healthy." I'll start there.
And, for today, I'll end there so that thought stays with me and motivates me:
How many minutes am I going to be healthy today?
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Confused and desperate
Wonder if that title "Confused and desperate" hits home with anyone else? I set up this blog with the intent to chronicle my journey to health and between then and now I've embarked on at least two approaches that all promised results only to find just partial help. I'm not quite where I started, but not at all near where I need to be for normal life.
So, where is it that I am? I guess a beginning point needs to be declared. I am presently at 223# over 5' 3" of me, with a large bulk in the midsection. That's the bare bones, or should I say the "fat facts". My ankles tend to swell and I have a whole litany of physical symptoms to plague me daily: burning and blurring eyes, fatigue, nausea, chills and hot flashes, itching, headaches, and muscular pain in my legs and neck. The neck pain is probably a residual from the car accident I was in three and a half years ago; the leg/calf pain and sometimes restlessness is undecipherable, even to the doctor.
Yes, there is menopause complicating things probably, as I am "that" age (55 years, I think. It changes every year...) I also have hyperthyroidism - though for me it doesn't mean a skinny body - for which I take methimazole (10 mg) daily.
That's my beginning.
The false starts included juicing, which helped me lose about 10 pounds in total, and the Kathy Abascal To Quiet Inflamation Diet (TQI), which taught me to enjoy quality food and lose about another 10 pounds. Which brings me to now.
Currently I am exploring the wisdom in Allergies: Disease in Disguise, a book loaned me by a pharmacist friend. It seems to be a logical extension of the TQI diet that has you identify foods that you can't tolerate well. While the TQI approach is to only eat those poorly tolerated foods as treats, the Allergies approach is to heal the digestive tract system so the foods can be tolerated again, eventually.
Personally, I'd rather heal my body to allow all good foods than avoid foods for the rest of my life. Foods and eating socially is so much a part of our world. I'd rather not be the square peg in a round world. And, I'd rather heal than avoid.
So, for the next bit, I'll be exploring the wisdom in Allergies with you all. Next time I'll get a link up for the book - until then, realize it is written by Carolee Bateson-Koch DC ND.
Having said this - I am also very open to alternative approaches. In truth, they are my first choices. Accordingly, I am using the Tapping protocol that Gary Craig teaches at http://emofree.com/eft/recipe.html. How this will mix and meld with eating strategies and pain medication - I'm not sure yet. When I tap it seems to cut the pain in half or more - depending how many times I repeat the procedure. Yet, there are times I just seem to need to take some Ibuprofen for the pain.
This all points to the emotions of our lives and how it all figures in with health. More on that next time, for it needs space on its own.
Join me in pursuing peace, healing, and health.
Jan
So, where is it that I am? I guess a beginning point needs to be declared. I am presently at 223# over 5' 3" of me, with a large bulk in the midsection. That's the bare bones, or should I say the "fat facts". My ankles tend to swell and I have a whole litany of physical symptoms to plague me daily: burning and blurring eyes, fatigue, nausea, chills and hot flashes, itching, headaches, and muscular pain in my legs and neck. The neck pain is probably a residual from the car accident I was in three and a half years ago; the leg/calf pain and sometimes restlessness is undecipherable, even to the doctor.
Yes, there is menopause complicating things probably, as I am "that" age (55 years, I think. It changes every year...) I also have hyperthyroidism - though for me it doesn't mean a skinny body - for which I take methimazole (10 mg) daily.
That's my beginning.
The false starts included juicing, which helped me lose about 10 pounds in total, and the Kathy Abascal To Quiet Inflamation Diet (TQI), which taught me to enjoy quality food and lose about another 10 pounds. Which brings me to now.
Currently I am exploring the wisdom in Allergies: Disease in Disguise, a book loaned me by a pharmacist friend. It seems to be a logical extension of the TQI diet that has you identify foods that you can't tolerate well. While the TQI approach is to only eat those poorly tolerated foods as treats, the Allergies approach is to heal the digestive tract system so the foods can be tolerated again, eventually.
Personally, I'd rather heal my body to allow all good foods than avoid foods for the rest of my life. Foods and eating socially is so much a part of our world. I'd rather not be the square peg in a round world. And, I'd rather heal than avoid.
So, for the next bit, I'll be exploring the wisdom in Allergies with you all. Next time I'll get a link up for the book - until then, realize it is written by Carolee Bateson-Koch DC ND.
Having said this - I am also very open to alternative approaches. In truth, they are my first choices. Accordingly, I am using the Tapping protocol that Gary Craig teaches at http://emofree.com/eft/recipe.html. How this will mix and meld with eating strategies and pain medication - I'm not sure yet. When I tap it seems to cut the pain in half or more - depending how many times I repeat the procedure. Yet, there are times I just seem to need to take some Ibuprofen for the pain.
This all points to the emotions of our lives and how it all figures in with health. More on that next time, for it needs space on its own.
Join me in pursuing peace, healing, and health.
Jan
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