Lessons Learned

 In the four weeks or so that I've been on a journey to health --and actually being serious about enough to try and change this time around -- I've learned a few things about myself.

• Water isn't all that bad. Granted, I rarely drink it "straight" unless its from a bottle.  I tend to doctor it up with lemons or lemon juice. I've also used other fruits at times.
•  I'm competitive and impatient, not always good things. This has also led me to realize that each person's journey to health is different. This is one instance where it's okay to take different roads and still end up (hopefully) at the same destination. I may not agree with some of the paths I've seen people on, but all I can do is express concern and move on. I suppose this can also be said of our spiritual path as well. Hear me out on this part, because I know what you're thinking and you're right. The bible tells us that there is one path to God, and it's a straight and narrow one. But, I'm realizing there are side roads that get to that point. You have to start somewhere. And we all know there are detours that sidetrack us but prayerfully we find our way back to the right path. But that's a blog post for another time.  As far as the competition goes, a journey to health is not a race. It's a lifetime of changes and tweaks. Same for the impatience. The weight didn't get piled on overnight, and it won't (shouldn't) come off overnight. What works for one may not  work for another.
• I eat semi clean and I'm okay with that. For now. I try to eat a whole foods diet, which horrifies some. I drink whole milk and I wish I could get it raw. I try to stay away from processed foods when I cook at home. But I'm at a point where fast food is going to be part of my life at the very least a few times a month due to scheduling, lack of planning, and the occasional craving.  I'm not quite ready to make my own bread or my own cheese. Will i ever be? Don't know, but I'm leaving the possibility open for now. The main point is, no matter what or where or when I eat, I need to be responsible enough to make good choices. Whether that be choosing more locally grown food, organic over conventional, or a simple cheeseburger versus a deep fried fish sandwich, it's up to me. It should always be that way. 
• The most surprising lesson learned? I like to exercise. Right now I walk twice a day most days. In the morning is my alone time. It gets me in a better mood and I can think better. Night time is family time. I enjoy the slower pace with my two men. It's a way to connect. I want to add more exercises but an injury prevents that at this time. It will happen though. I'm in this for the long haul.

Get Real, Hollywood!

I hate Hollywood. Absolutely detest it. Not so much the people themselves, because I don't hate anyone. It's the image of Hollywood. And I'm not so thrilled with the media and the health industry, either.
Day after day in movies, print, television, billboards, internet, and even in person, we are told that we must worship image and hate self. Oh, that's not true at all!  Want to bet? Quick, think of a healthy, happy woman. What did you think of? A thin, tall woman with not an ounce of fat on her, I'm guessing. Most actors and models are impossibly thin and they show off that figure in skin tight and/or flesh revealing clothing. There are very few overweight actors or models, especially women. When you do see one, what's the first thing a reporter or writer says about them? Plus size. Even doctors and the media tell you that in order to be healthy, you have to weigh a certain amount and not an ounce over.
There is a certain amount of truth to that statement. As in, weight does have an impact on the body. People like myself who are overweight have a higher likelihood of being diabetic or have high blood pressure. It's harder to climb stairs without huffing and puffing sometimes. But you know what? it's not the end all be all final story of health. I've seen overweight people who could run faster and out exercise their thinner buddies because they actually took care of themselves a little better.
Am I advocating that no one should try to lose weight? Not at all. After all, I'm right here on My Fitness Pal, writing this blog post while my head is screaming at me to go outside and walk while I have a chance instead of sitting here writing and avoiding making lunch. I'm drinking my water. Getting myself to move. Bottom line? I want to be healthy so I can take care of my family. And let's face it, I want to see less of me in the mirror.
So what's the point, chica? The point is we are bombarded daily with negative body images. Everyone tells women that in order to be sexy or even "pretty" you have to be skinny. In order to be somebody you have to be thin. In order for anyone to even look at you without pity or disgust you have to be slender. The lie that skinny automatically equals superior health is perpetuated hourly.
 Yes, we as a nation do need to eat healthier and slim down some. A few less value meals and a few hours spent walking or playing outside in the fresh air would do wonders. But also remember that its only part of the story. Genetics plays a big part in a person's size and shape as well as the love for KFC.  Thyroid can be a friend or foe as well. I've seen some who could eat fast food all day and never get off the couch but would still be super thin. Healthy? No. They have an amazing metabolism but are still slowly killing themselves by not eating healthfully and exercising.
 I've talked with a friend who can only see what society tells her: overweight equals fat and ugly. Her words. She considers her old self to be fat and ugly. She chose to lose weight in a way I don't consider to be healthy but hey, I'm not a person with a degree and I'm still fat so what do I know.  I know she only sees worth in herself because she's close to her goal of being super skinny and I honestly don't think she will stop there. Because it's been drummed into her that she was worthless as a fat person.
I've talked with a beautiful young lady who has very low self esteem. She can't figure out how to like herself at this point. She's trying to lose weight but she sees only the negative side of things at this point.
And I have me. For nearly twenty years I didn't like myself because I was no longer the thin girl I was as a teenager. I bought into the myth that you have to be skinny to be pretty, to be count as a person. Clothing makers help perpetuate that myth as well.  You have to look long and hard to find clothing that looks flattering and cute for women built bigger than a twig. At least, that's how I sometimes see things. It takes confidence and a sense of style to rock fashions these days. It can be done, but hello under garment industry: even us fuller figured gals like wearing pretty undies. Dont write us off with utilitarian bras. And simply coloring them something other than black or white to throw us a bone is not helping. How about some lacy, femininie fabrics along with the support?
For years we've been fed this baloney that skinny equals beauty. You know what? Anyone can look fabulous with enough make up and lighting and air brushing.  But a size zero body does not always equal healthy. Not in body or in mind. Too often I'm seeing young girls who are still growing refusing more than a few bites of food because they are afraid of gaining weight. Or adult women who think the key to happiness is eliminating any trace of fat in their diets.
Fat or thin, or any other way we describe ourselves, our goal first and foremost should be healthy.  Are you eating a well balanced diet that includes good fats (Yes, you need some good fats in your diet for optimum health!)? Are you getting up and walking or running or playing catch with your children? Being active in some sort of way? Are you a good person with a good attitude for life and compassion for others? If you can say yes to those then in my opinion you have a great start on being healthy.
Bottom line folks, weight and any other number people come up with to define us is just that. A number. Work to change those numbers if needed. I am. Just don't let your happiness and well being and self worth be dictated by numbers. Learn what is best for you. Do some research if need be. Be real. If need be, re learn how to eat. But please don't fall for the line that only skinny people have lives worth living. It's okay to not like something about yourself and want to change for the better. It's not okay to hate yourself. 

Wake Up Call

When it comes to changing my life it seems I'm a slow learner. I know I should be in better health than I am for my age, but I let excuses get in the way. No time. Surely it's not that bad. I'll start tomorrow. I eat fairly healthy. Well, yesterday I received a wake up call. 
  I saw my doctor to monitor my thyroid and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin was up this time from where it had been hovering so yea me! Thyroid I'll hear later about. I glanced at the number on the scale. Umm, not so good. Up ...twelve pounds from last time I saw my doctor. Not so good. And one of the first things he said when he saw me... You have high blood pressure. I want to put you on a low dose of medicine. This is the part where you hear the screeching brakes.
  Let's face it, folks. I wasn't even fazed by the announcement that it's time to schedule a colonoscopy. My dad had colon cancer in his late 40's and died from it by the time he was 50. So yeah, I knew that was gonna happen sooner rather than later. High blood pressure though, I wasn't prepared for that little bomb. 
  Honestly though, it shouldn't be a shocker. Hypertension runs in my family. But my readings at the doc's office have been to the point of monitoring only once or twice, and most of the time low enough to skirt by so I began not paying as much attention to those numbers. My doctor has, though.  And this doctor does not play with my health. He tells me like it is. It's up to me to follow his advice though.
  I don't want to be on medication the rest of my life. I plan on learning more about high blood pressure and natural ways I can bring those numbers down. I'll take the medication every day like I'm supposed to but I'm not going to stop there. It's time to stop falling off the exercise wagon and get more active. I'm fairly careful at the grocery store in that I rarely buy boxed convenience foods, but high amounts of sodium lurk in places you wouldn't normally think of, like ketchup. And here's a tip for you: almost anytime a food manufacturer slaps a label on their product that says "lower salt", "low fat" or any of those type things, guess what: read the ingredients list. Whenever one ingredient such as salt or fat gets lowered or axed completely, something else (usually sugar) is added to make up for it, so it will still taste good. One particular brand of ketchup I noticed has several different bottles of the red stuff, whatever suits your fancy, including low salt. Yeah, that one won't be gracing my grocery cart, much less my dining table because when you look at the ingredients list there is not only high fructose corn syrup, but regular corn syrup, both fairly high on the ingredient list. Sorry for the run on sentence there. I may even look into making my own ketchup. We'll see.
   I will be taking more care in what I eat and being more vigilant about ingredient lists. I don't need to cut out all salt, just cut down on it. I also need to be sure to exercise more. I'm going to begin with walking every day. I want to add in low impact exercises I can do at home (my knees and back scream at me with certain things, another reason for needing to lose weight), and look into calming exercises. 
  I mentioned before that I was going to do some posts concerning health, and now I have more than enough reasons to continue it. What about you? What do you do to take care of your health, particularly if you have high blood pressure?  Maybe we can encourage one another.