Hello, beautiful readers! It's Day 15 of the #RRBC 30-Day #Blogging Challenge.
For my American readers, happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! To see 18 inspirations quotes from Dr. MLK Jr, check out this article from Power of Positivity.
It felt so wonderful to wake up without an alarm on a Monday. After having breakfast, I worked at my part-time job for three hours. I finished washing my loads of laundry. I visited my fellow bloggers and commented on their sites and shared them on social media. Then, it was time for lunch.
After lunch, I chose to reorganize a closet that is bursting at the seams. This closet contains my suitcases, camping gear, diving gear, and a bunch of other items. I don't have a garage, so it takes some creative Tetris-style organizing to make it work. Luckily, I love solving puzzles. I got rid of some things that I don't need or use anymore, and that helped a bit, but it was still a mission to fit it all.
Then, with the temperature finally hitting 70 degrees, I went for a walk. The past couple of days I've done exercises in my home, and my muscles are begging for a day off, so the walk was great. I have a goal to lose six pounds in six months before our summer vacation.
Two years ago, I weighed 194 pounds. It was my heaviest outside of my pregnancy. I was eating like a bird because I wasn't really hungry, but I couldn't lose weight. I had very little energy. I had tried diets and they didn't work. I was ready to give up when my kinesiologist told me of a holistic doctor who had a natural weight loss program, so I decided to try that.
And it worked! I lost thirty pounds over three months. The program works by retraining your hypothalamus to accept a new set weight point. In other words, the program retrains it to believe the new weight is where the body should be. I also learned that eating like a bird is counterintuitive because it makes the body think you are starving, so it begins to store fat. I learned how to focus my diet on fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy grains, and meats with the occasional cheat day here and there.
Two years later, I've put on seven pounds, but it's my fault. I still eat very healthy, but I stopped exercising. With my son's football schedule, I just couldn't (or rather, didn't) make time for it. So, I'm focusing on doing some kind of workout every day - walking, exercising at home with my Burst Fit videos, yoga, or stretching. Yes, I consider stretching a workout. Sometimes, that's all I have time for, and it's important.
The Burst Fit videos are 20-minute interval training workouts that focus on different muscles in each video. There are six videos with a bonus session for the gluteal muscles. What I love about them is they show three ways to do the exercises based on your level - beginner, intermediate, or advanced. I'm back at the beginner level, but I'll work my way up. My walks take me 30-45 minutes, so when I don't have that kind of time, the videos work. If I don't have twenty minutes, yoga or stretching it is!
And then, if I still have time, I use my infra-red sauna. It's a portable sauna that leaves your hands and head outside of the cabin, which is great because this is usually the only time I get to read. (I finished the story I was reading and a microread. Reviews to come!) I dry brush my skin before entering it to activate my lymphatic system. Afterward, I shower using exfoliating gloves to remove dead skin cells and help tighten the skin. I want to use it more often, but I'm just not finding the time. So, today, I made time for it. Here are some pictures of it opened and closed:
Did you miss the first two weeks of my blogging challenge?
You can find the links to the first week here.
Here are the links for week two:
Day 8 - My Busy Work Life - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-8-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 9 - Holistic Therapy - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-9-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 10 - Poetry Contests - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-10-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 11 - My Teaching Life - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-11-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 12 - Country Line Dancing - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-12-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 13 - Shows I Enjoy and Mary Kay - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-13-rrbcorg-2023.html
Day 14 - Sorority Friends - https://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-day-in-my-life-day-14-rrbcorg-2023.html
Hi Yvette--This is Wanda. I have lost 40 pounds since the pandemic began. It's been slow and steady, but I have hit a plateau. My highest weight was 253. I am down to 175. Basically, I don't eat if I'm not hungry, and I use portion control. I can't eat the way I used to. I do allow myself to have a cookie or two here and there. Those are my downfall. Before, I would tell myself I couldn't have a cookie, couldn't have one, and then I'd become obsessed and end up eating a whole package. Now I can control it. Wish I had figured this out a long time ago!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Wanda! I know how hard it is to lose weight and keep it off. I'm not a nutritionist, but according to my holistic doctor, when you don't eat, you are signaling to the body that you don't have food, so it stores fat. Perhaps that is why you are plateauing. As for the cookies, you are right on the mark. Everything in moderation is my key. It's about building the willpower to have one or two and then stopping. Thanks for sharing your journey with me. :-)
DeleteHi Yvette. My friend and I was just discussing trying to lose weight. I think I'm going to recommend some of your ideas. She is suffering from too much weight that's causing pain in her legs, hip and back and getting worse. I'm overweight and more than my frame can stand. So thank you for talking about this talked about topic. 🙄
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! There is no one right way to lose weight, and not everyone has a holistic doctor with the machine that mine uses to measure the needs of the body. But I have learned that what we eat and why we eat is important to understand. I focus on eating two fruits, two sets of vegetables, and two meats a day. I also have healthy grains like oatmeal and snacks like cheese and dark chocolate.
DeleteI almost solely shop on the outside perimeter of the food store. That is where the natural foods are. The inner aisles are all processed foods, which are harder for the stomach to digest and tend to turn into sugars. And, of course, I exercise, even if it's just walking. The sauna is great for releasing toxins within the body and for tightening up the skin. I hope that helps. Small steps done consistently can make a big difference. :-)
My problem as a diabetic is that insulin causes weight gain and being overweight calls for more insulin. Diets, gummies, et al, do not work for me. In most cases, I've returned the product for refunds after 30 days. For the last three months, I've been working with my VA pharmacist and we are trying different things to reduce the amount of insulin I use daily. So far, we've cut my insulin use down 50%. My levels are within approved limits for my age and I've lost 12 lbs. since.
ReplyDeleteThat's great, John! I have a friend who is diabetic, so I understand your struggle. She has gone completely gluten free (even in sauces), and it seems to be helping her. It seems that your VA pharmacist and you are on the right track. I hope you keep shedding the weight so you can be more comfortable and use less insulin. :-)
DeleteMy lying hypothalamus thinks I'm fine just the way I am. No matter what I've done in the past, I either stay the same or lose a few and gain back more, as if the old hypothaladictator is punishing me for daring to defy it. I am so glad your program worked so well for you, Yvette! Keep at it!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Patty
You're so funny, Patty, but you are exactly right. Your hypothalamus has decided the weight you have carried for a while is where you should be, so unless you retrain it, chances are you will gain it all back (and even more if it feels you are starving yourself). At least, this is how it's been explained to me, and it seems to be right for my circumstance. Thanks for chiming in today! :-)
DeleteWhat is the purpose of the infra-red sauna? You mentioned your lymphatic system. I was curious since I have lymphedema, and the sauna might help me.
ReplyDeleteI would check with your doctor because I don't know much about lymphedema, but my limited research says it would be good for you. Here are two links you may want to check out:
Deletehttps://www.healthline.com/health/infrared-sauna-benefits#What-are-the-supposed-benefits-of-using-an-infrared-sauna?
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/infrared-sauna-benefits/
I hope those help. :-)
Hi, Yvette,
ReplyDeleteI need to take off a few pounds. I'm usually good at doing that by reducing my intake of foods. I will see how it goes this time.
Great article and thanks for recognizing Martin Luther King.
Shalom aleichem
Thank you, Pat! I'm happy you enjoyed it! :-)
Delete