Month: July 2018

Food Plan-Exercise Plan-Peaceful Spirit

July 24, 2018: weight 227 (-13)

Vacation. Will it be a nightmare for My Fitness Triangle? My wife and I headed off to Lake Tahoe for a family gathering last week. The event was my youngest daughters’ 40th birthday. This event makes me officially old. Most all the clan was there except my younger son who is in the Navy and was not allowed to take time off for a birthday party. The Navy still needs good men. I knew I wanted to stick with my fitness triangle while on this trip and I knew I should cut myself some slack so that I would not miss the enjoyment of the event. There were 7 girls there; 3 daughters, 2 granddaughters, an ex, and a wife. Someone was sure to be dieting and my wife is a known smart eater. Those two facts would and did create a safe space for me.

Food Plan. Most of the travel eating was pre-planned. As we rushed out in the early morning, we went straight to the McDonald’s. It’s on the Don’t List, no fast food. Egg McMuffin is only 300 calories and very filling so I skipped the ugly stuff and moved on. A full Mcdonald’s nutrition chart is in the store and online. There is not much there I should eat and it is an unhealthy addiction for me. Car snacks were cherries and nectarines for me. My wife added whole grain crackers and peanuts. Away we went. We split a Mahogany Smoked Meats sandwich in Bishop (yummy) and enjoyed the drive.

  Our first night was at The Tahoe Valley Lodge. My Tahoe daughter had arranged a nights stay while others occupied her house room that was to be ours. It is a really lovely place and we ate next door at a Mediterranean restaurant. I had a greek salad and a lamb wrap, both were good and on the Do List, veggie or fruit with any meal. It was easy to stay in the plan. The big family spreads also were Food Plan friendly as they all included fruits and veggies. I just had to pick the right products. The choice was mine.

Exercise Plan. There is a lot of sitting and talking at these gatherings as we catch up on each other’s activities. Opportunely, my wife and I go a little stir crazy without some activity. As the troop drove to a nearby lake to sit and talk, we walked the 20 minutes to get there and fed our activity need. That worked for everyone as there were fewer bodies to haul. My activities during our four-day stay included 2 hikes/walks of 30 minutes or more, a 10-mile bike ride (beautiful), and 2 swims of 20 minutes. My wife did all those things but 1 of her swims was noteworthy as it was about a mile. It was too far for me. At this altitude, exercise can be taxing. It is over 7000 feet. I found myself sucking a couple of times for lack of air, but what a great place to suck.

Peaceful Spirit. Being at peace can be an issue at our family gathering, All the different personalities are bumping heads. I found my breathing and higher power gathering space in my daughters’ backyard. It worked fine for everyone except the dogs. When I can keep myself in order, the other issues seem to line up better. Each morning I went off to the backyard, coffee on an outside table and followed my breath for a few minutes. It always helps me. As we loaded the car to come home, as we said our goodbyes, the dog finally snapped. It bit my wife. We were now headed for the ER, vacation over. She needed a stitch and meds. She was a trooper on our 500-mile drive home which included long roadwork delays and a couple of thunderstorm down pores. Find your breath and focus there.

  We are back home and we have made visits to our local stores to restock our favorite fruits and veggies. My wife is healing but still traumatized as is my daughter, the dog owner. We are grateful for all the hospitality and compassion we received.

Do you need a food plan? Review my Do’s and Don’ts in the June 24th blog, “Food for Thought”. Also, check out the “Pegan Diet” in Woman’s Health Magazine. Dr. Oz is talking about it too. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19983443/pegan-diet/

Have a question? Send it in.

In the Spirit, Dave

 

Mind over matter: July 10, 2018 weight 228 (-12)

When the Mortgage Company I worked for moved into its new offices, there was a separated small corner room. In this room were 2 large leather recliner chairs and 1 small table. Some of my co-workers called it the nap room and for them it was. In my mind, this was the meditation room. It was a place to take a quick break and decompress when the business got too stressful. I would walk in, sit down, and breath. This is meditation. Being able to release stress is the third key to fitness.

 

    You and I have heard the simple psychology of a Type A or a Type B personality. Type A is associated with coronary disorders and other stress-related issues. These “aggressive personalities” have huge benefits to the world, but they must decompress or risk dying prematurely. It is with premature death in mind that I started to meditate. Meditation has many forms and is different for each person. There can be a spiritual component to meditation which I will not cover here. Meditation can be practiced without it. Here are some of the physical benefits: reduced stress and reduced depression, reduction of blood pressure, fewer headaches,  increased productivity, and muscle and joint tension reduction. I like the benefits.

    The following information is on page 5 of The Power of Meditation.

 

“Regardless if you choose to meditate for spiritual reasons or for physical

and mental health, meditation generally consists of the following elements:

• A relaxing environment: whether it is in the woods, by the lake, in a

studio, or in your living room, mediation usually occurs in an

environment that is physically comfortable and free from noisy

distractions. Some people choose to sit on a cushion and focus on

their breathing in complete silence while others may choose to lay on

their beds and listen to relaxing music.

• Posture or movement: during mediation, the participant will generally

sit in a specific posture, such as with the legs crossed, spine straight,

and hands resting on the knees. Sometimes participants will lay

down or engage in specific movements, such as with yoga or t’ai chi.

• Focus: while meditating, the participant will focus on a number of

things from their simple breath, the feeling of energy moving through

the body, an object, a value or ideal, or a word or phrase called a

mantra.

• An open mind: during meditation, the participant allows their mind to

let thoughts flow through their mind without judging them. Often

times, the meditator will observe the thoughts instead of suppressing

them and then gently bring their focus back to the intended subject.”

What I do is find a quiet spot, sit for 5 to 20 minutes and focus on my breath. The quiet spot is so I am not easily distracted. I will add soft or meditation music if I am easily distracted. There are plenty of free YouTube or other music choices. Incense can be added to help create a mode or change the energy of the room. I sit in a chair with my feet uncrossed and on the floor. My focus goes to my breath, feeling it move in, out, and all through my body. I focus my attention on sets of 3 breaths. 3 breathes in and out. 3 more breathes focused as the energy moves from head to toe. At this point, I can usually separate the flowing body energy from the breath. I focus on this energy. If I become distracted, I return my attention to my breath. Focusing on the energy allows me to dissociate completely from the days’ issues to unconsciously drift or focus on something different from my physical surroundings. This focus is usually my choice. Sometimes the focus seems to have a power of its own and I am an observer. That is okay too. The power of this state of being is amazing and well documented. Take 5 minutes and focus on your breath; in through your nose and out through your mouth and relax.

In the Spirit, Dave

click in this picture.

 

Define: Torpor (n). A state of mental or physical inactivity. Lethargy; apathy. www.dictionary.com

Trying to balance my simple exercise program with my available time and personal energy variations is a challenge. I purposely planned a minimum amount of time 6 days a week for 20 minutes so that the workout would become habitual. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Jim Ryun. Jim Ryun, the Congressman from Kansas, was the first High School student to run a sub-4-minute mile. Every High School track kid of my generation knew who he was. He was interviewed by all the sports writers. One statement he made stuck in my head. Jim was asked what the hardest part of his workout was; he replied that it was putting on his shorts before he got on the track. The implication being the battle was between his ears. I talked to friend Diana about the blog. She has always been a caring person and she has always been going 100 miles per hour. Diana said her husband goes to the gym to keep his strength up for pulling in the big ones. He is an avid fisherman. He had been on her case to walk more. Diana said she didn’t have time and then listed all the things she needed to do. It was a lot. This is what my head does too.

 Walking around my block is 30 minutes. Walking to the park and back is 45 minutes. Resistance training at the park is 25 minutes. Stretching in the patio or family room is 20 minutes. Weight training in the garage is 25 minutes. After I get started, most days I go longer than the prescribed time or distance. I vary my pace. I like it. I am trying to find different places to walk. I have done a lot of local hiking trails like the little trail behind Gum Grove Park in Seal Beach. My improved diet has resulted in less joint pain. I am hoping I will be able to run again at some point. I am also swimming during my aerobic time. I like the beach so I am ocean and bay swimming as well as the local lap-swim pool with the same 20 to 30 minute time frame in mind. I am also doing some biking but I have to double the allotted time to make it an aerobic activity. It is all good.

   The resistance training is minimum for my personality. You may want to increase it, especially if you are rehabbing from something. In my athletic days, I spent 3 hours a day for 7 years in the weight room. I tend to overdo in this area, so I keep it to the minimum. I focus on chest, arms, core, and quads.  The activity is 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps at a minimum of 3 exercises. These same muscle groups must be stretched too.

  There are 2 more points. 1. Nothing is difficult except between my ears. I have met the enemy, he lives between my ears. 2. I cycle from overactivity to dull and unmotivated. I have to recognize that and keep moving.

Here is a link to “8 Habits of Highly Fit People” from Livestrong.com.

https://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1011188-8-habits-highly-fit-people/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=070218_m_mon_editorial&c_crid=cta1

 

In the Spirit, Dave