December 26 was a bittersweet day for us at the gym. It was our last workout with our favorite trainer, Tom. It was a sad day because we have been working out with him since January 2020 and his last day was December 31, 2024. We were happy for him too because he landed a job as a trainer for the University of Tennesee football team in Knoxville. 

Tom had a great attitude, asked us about our family, and teased me about the exercises I didn't like (TRX runners, sleds, push-ups). He was the best trainer we had, and we've had many. If I wasn't so excited for him I would have cried. I can only wish him the best of luck with the Tennesee Volunteers!

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Retirement Hasn't Killed Me

 

The Wall of Fame at Premier Fitness & Performance 

If you look closely (click on the image), you can see that Don and I have continued to work out since our retirement in 2010. We have faithfully gotten out of bed and driven to Twinsburg almost every Tuesday and Thursday (excluding a couple of months in 2020 and when recovering from surgery) for 13 years.

After two months of working out, I thought this retirement thing was going to kill me. See this post from 2011.

To tell you the truth, I would not be still doing this without Don. I would have given up after having shoulder surgery in 2013. But because Don is the most habit-driven, consistent person I know, we are still at it together!

I am sure all this working out is doing something good for our bodies. I can squat, lunge, sprint, run through a ladder, step up on a tall box, do ab roll-outs using a TRX, slam ropes to the ground, and do farmer's carry with 50 lbs. I can do front planks, side planks, and saw planks. I can pull a heavy sled, balance on one leg while tossing a 10 lb. ball from side to side, and of course, bike. 

But there is one thing I still cannot do. I cannot do one standard push-up to save my life.

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Making Health a Priority

Hilton Head, 2009

2020 is going to be a year in which I prioritize my health. Let's face it, I am not getting any younger. Health issues seem to escalate after 60 if you don't pay attention, and just look how fast the past 10 years have gone!

The health issue I have been up and down about during the past 10 years has been my tendency to have high blood sugar. I kind of understood why it was happening and how to control it, but it wasn't until recently that bells went off and it became crystal clear.

During the past month, I have listened to many episodes of the podcast Dishing Up Nutrition. This is a show produced by licensed nutritionists at Nutritional Weight and Wellness in Minnesota. This organization has been around for over 25 years and they help people with many chronic health conditions lose weight and get their health under control so they can have more energy and avoid serious problems.

In pretty much every episode, whether they are discussing Pre-diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Migraines, PCOS, ADHD, Alzheimer's, Arthritis, Chronic pain, sleep issues, etc., your diet is key to helping reduce symptoms and in some cases curing the problem.

Their eating plan for pre-diabetes (and pretty much everything else) is not for the faint of heart. It is for people who are serious about their health. But the good news is that it is very simple to follow. There are really only two rules: 1. Do not eat any processed carbohydrates and 2. At every meal and snack, eat some good fat (olive oil, butter, coconut oil, nuts, avocados), some protein (meat, fish, poultry, eggs), and some good carbohydrates (mostly vegetables or a little fruit). You can eat three meals and three snacks a day if you need to.

For example, breakfast could be a 2 or 3 egg omelet with veggies cooked in butter. Lunch could be a large salad with chicken and avocado with an olive oil & lemon dressing, dinner could be a steak, sweet potato and asparagus drizzled with olive oil. A snack could be half an apple with some peanut butter.

By avoiding processed carbohydrates and including fat in the meals, blood sugar does not spike. This was the bell that went off for me.

I've only been eating this way for four days, but I can testify that it works. I hate being on a blood sugar roller coaster, and I feel like even in this short period of time I've leveled out.

I know this is a commitment on my part, but I'm willing to do it for my health. I would encourage everyone to listen to a few of these podcast episodes that interest you. They are very motivating!

Hilton Head, 2009

This photo is not related at all, but aren't these two cute?

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When You Want Sugar

Cutting back on sugar? Here are 15 things to do instead of succumbing to the call of ice cream and chocolate:

1. Go for a walk
2. Do laundry
3. Read a book
4. Write a note
5. Stretch
6. Listen to a podcast
7. Make a list
8. Organize a closet
9. Plan a party
10. Send someone a care package
11. Organize your digital photos
12. Pull weeds
13. Go to the library
14. Cut some flowers from your yard and put them in a vase
15. Plan a road trip

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I Better Be Good

By the looks of my breakfast, you can tell that I am back on the straight and narrow road.

I got the results of my bloodwork back yesterday, and yes, my blood sugar is higher than it should be. Fortunately, it is not as high as I thought it would be! But I know when I see my doctor next Friday I'm going to be given strict orders. So I am getting a head start.

There is no excuse not to eat this way. It took me a whole 10 minutes to cook my eggs and kale. Well, it would have taken me 10 minutes, but I burned the kale two times because I was distracted by the Royal Wedding this morning.

You, too, can have kale for breakfast. Here's how (from Cassy Joy Garcia at Fed & Fit):

Lemony Kale

A handful of kale (de-stemmed and chopped)

A little lemon juice

A pinch of salt

A little butter or olive oil

Melt the butter in a small frying pan. Add kale and toss to coat. Turn heat down to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let it steam for a few minutes. Watch so it doesn't burn.

When the kale is bright green, squeeze a little lemon and pinch a little salt on top. That's it!

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My Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Life

I don't think I've said too much about my dietary changes in the past year. Last September, I embarked on a new way of eating. I totally cut out foods containing gluten and dairy.

Why would I do such a drastic thing?

For as long as I can remember, I had stomach aches and irritable bowel issues on occasion. I never knew what caused them, and they didn't happen frequently enough for me to do anything about it.

Then, sometime in the middle of 2015, I noticed that the episodes were becoming more frequent. By the beginning of 2016, I was getting sick about twice a week. It was interfering with my life, so I had to take action.

My doctor put me on antacids, which made things worse. Then I went to see a random doctor because I couldn't get in to see my regular doctor. He said quite simply, "I think it is something you are eating." I should have thought of that myself, but I didn't.

For two weeks, I went on the Low-FODMAP diet which pretty much eliminates all food except air. And I also started taking a probiotic.

I began to feel better right away. After two weeks, I was allowed to add back one food at a time to see what was causing an issue. I knew dairy was an issue for sure. I really didn't eat that much of it before, but I decided not to eat it at all. The other thing I was suspicious of was wheat. Whenever I would have a sandwich or pizza or pasta I would not feel well. So I did not add that back.

I added everything back except those two things, and I have not had one stomach ache or IBS episode in almost a year. This means I cannot eat conventional bread, pizza, pasta, or desserts. But I really haven't had much of a desire for them at all.

I've been getting along just fine eating fruits, veggies, meat, fish, eggs, rice, potatoes, dark chocolate, nuts, gluten-free oats, and beans among other things. I've also discovered that I'm sort of following what is known as a Paleo diet. Some Paleo followers don't eat dairy and some do. Some don't eat beans and some do. Some don't eat any grains at all. But the Paleo cookbooks have many recipes that work for me, so I checked a stack of them out of the library. I am compiling a cookbook of recipes Don and I will both enjoy.

When we go out, I usually eat a salad with chicken or salmon on top. I can always find something that works.

I'm just so thankful and thrilled that I don't have to worry about getting sick on a regular basis any more. Hooray!

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On a Roll

I'm on a roll now. I lost weight two weeks in a row. Hooray!

Here are some things I came across recently that help with healthy living:

24 Diagrams that make eating healthy super easy.

Blueberry Pie Smoothie recipe. I love anything with blueberries.

Peanut Butter Brownie Balls to curb your appetite.

10 Foods to give you more energy.

This week, I lost 2.1 pounds. Total pounds lost: 6.2

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Step Breaks

Back when my children were small (25 years ago), I got up early in the morning to do a step workout video before they awoke. I loved doing step aerobics. I still have the step. It looks just like the photo above.

I got an idea today at PSC. One of our exercises in the second circuit was to step up and down for 30 seconds. It occurred to me that I could bring my step upstairs where I work at my desk. When I'm going to be sitting there working for a couple of hours, I can set a timer to go off every 15 minutes and step for a minute or two.

This will give me a little exercise in between sitting. Every little bit helps.

Although I was terrified to get on the scale this morning, I am happy to report that I lost 3 pounds!! The only explanation is that some of last week's effort carried over. I'll take it.

This week, I lost 3 pounds.  Total pounds lost: 4.1

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Prepopik

I debated whether or not to mention my colonoscopy prep on the blog because who wants to think about such things?

But I determined that this might help someone who is putting off having the dreaded test because of the horrible tasting, nasty drinks that are on the market.

Prepopik is a relatively new prep drug (FDA approved it in 2012). My doctor at the Cleveland Clinic OK'd it, so I decided to give it a try. The cost was $120, but my insurance paid for half of it. It was worth every penny to me.

In 2007, I tried Fleet's Phospho Soda. This prep was taken off the market in 2009 because it caused kidney failure in too many patients. It also tasted so bad I had nightmares for three years.

In 2010, I used GoLYTELY. This prep not only tasted bad, but I had to drink a gallon of it.

I took Prepopik in two 5 ounce doses, followed by 5 (8 ounce) glasses of water for the first dose and 3 (8 ounce) glasses of water for the second dose. The two doses were spaced eight hours apart.

Prepopik did not have a bad taste. It was something like a thick Sprite. I mixed the powder with cold water and drank it quickly through a straw. Drinking the extra water was no problem at all.

The only complaint I have about Prepopik is that it took about six hours to take effect. This meant I was up all night. My doctor told me she has heard this complaint from several patients.

Overall, I would use Prepopik again. Fortunately, it will be five years before I have to do that.

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Fit Food Resources

I didn't forget to weigh in yesterday. It was just that yesterday was Peter's birthday. So I am doing my Weigh in Wednesday post on Thursday this week.

I am pleased to report that I lost 2.5 pounds this week! You might say I cheated because I had a colonoscopy yesterday, and that tends to clean one out. But I say it was fair and square.

Here are three blogs that I have found to be helpful for getting good ideas for nutrition and exercise:

Organize Yourself Skinny  has great ideas on how to keep yourself accountable and prepare ahead to keep on track.

Fit Foodie Finds has some easy healthy recipes and workout routines.

Kath Eats Read Food is written by a registered dietitian. She started blogging in 2006 when she set out to lose 30 pounds. She has some great videos and lots of information on good nutrition.

This week I lost 2.5 pounds. Total pounds lost: 3

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Green Smoothie Formula

Getting enough greens in is a challenge. I need to get back to the green smoothie routine. Simple Green Smoothies has a formula for making a green smoothie. It takes the guess work out of  blending your breakfast. The chart has three columns: choose 2 cups of greens, choose two cups of liquid, and choose 3 cups of fruit. This smoothie formula makes two servings of a variety of green smoothies. Spinach has been my favorite green, but I need to branch out and try Romaine, Swiss Chard and Collard Greens.

It is Weigh in Wednesday once more, and I am sad to report that I bounced back up .7 pounds this week. I have many excuses, but two of the best ones are the Fourth of July and its leftovers as well as a very salty dinner last night.

This week I gained .7 pounds. Total pounds lost: .5

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Weigh in Wednesday

I need to get serious folks. No more messing around. There's too much to lose, especially around my middle.

Every Wednesday, I'm going to weigh in. I won't tell you how much I weigh, but I will tell you how much the scale budged. It needs to budge downward - never upward. You are my accountability partners.

Also, each Wednesday, I will post a tip on how to work toward downward budging scales. Here is my first tip:

A couple of months ago, I purchased two small, plastic relish tray dishes at the Dollar Store. Today, I cut up vegetables and fruits I had on hand and put them on the pretty trays. These will be my go-to snacks for the next several days. They look so appetizing I won't be able to resist them.

This is the vegetable tray.

This is the fruit tray.

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Clean and Delicious

I have to share a new website I found today while looking for quinoa recipes. I was searching for quinoa recipes because my doctor put me on the Mediterranean Diet to help me lose weight so that my blood sugar and cholesterol numbers will be better when I have to report back in July.

Dani Spies is the person behind the website Clean and Delicious. What I love about the website is the videos. I've been watching them off and on all day.

Dani shows you how to cook in a clean and healthy way with some really good recipes. Plus, she seems like a really nice person. She has some great ideas that I plan to implement into my routine. I especially like her suggestions to prepare vegetables for the week all at one time in her "Clean Eating - A Week of Food Prep" and "In the Pantry - A Week of Veggies" videos.

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Motivation

Carolyn and I had this conversation today about losing weight. It was a sad conversation. We keep telling ourselves we need to lose weight, but we can't seem to muster up the right motivation.

I don't want to go to the doctor and get the results of my blood work. I don't want to get on the scale. I don't even want to look in the mirror. I need help.

Carolyn has been going to TOPS meetings once a week for as long as I can remember. TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. She loves going to TOPS because there are lots of old ladies there who love her and she loves them.

When I say there are old ladies there, I don't mean middle-aged women. These women are in their 80's and 90's. I want to know why any woman over 80 would care about taking off pounds, even if it is in the sensible way. When I'm 80, I am eating whatever I want.

I've never been to a TOPS meeting, but I imagine it is sort of like Weight Watchers. You arrive, you weigh in, you commiserate with your 80-year old friends that you are up half a pound. You promise to take it off and more by next week. You talk about strategies and motivational methods. You go home.

As our conversation about motivation continued, Carolyn told me she had to lose weight by next week. When I asked her why, she said a 90-year old woman whose name I can't remember was going to bring a paddle and spank her if she didn't take off some weight. She was dead serious. I can't think of better motivation than that!

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All You Need to Know

I'm listening to In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan as I drive around in my car.

Here's what I've learned so far:

There is no need to fret over the ever changing food advice that comes out of the many research studies that have taken place in the past 30 years. All you need to know is, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Eat Food - most of what we eat these days is not really food in its natural form. It is highly processed. Eat real food. Things like eggs, butter, plain yogurt, cheese, chicken, apples, and bananas.

Not Too Much - don't super size your breakfast, dinner and lunch. Don't snack. Use small plates and stop eating before you are full. Easy enough.

Mostly Plants - start with the five fruits and vegetables a day challenge. I guarantee you will not be able to eat as much other stuff.

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Home Workouts

There is no need to join a gym to get a good workout. There are so many things you can do right in your own home to burn calories.

If you live in a house that has a basement and a second story, you can climb stairs for aerobic conditioning. Begin at the bottom of the basement stairs and walk all the way to the top of the second floor. Repeat as many times as you can. Rest in between if needed. Riley especially likes this exercise. He thinks something exciting is going to happen. I'm waiting for him to catch on.

In just 17 minutes, doing the At Home Cardio HIIT workout, you can burn about 200 calories. This workout involves doing six exercises for 60 seconds each with a 20 second rest in between, repeated twice. This workout can be modified for low intensity to begin.

Step outside and go for a walk. Thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the evening is not difficult at all. It just takes discipline. It helps to have a dog who lives for this.

To firm a flabby upper body, invest in a pair of light weights and do the Six Weeks to Sleeveless workout.

Last but not least, don't forget about planks to tighten your core.

Don't think I've mastered all this. I need this more than anyone. Let's all get motivated!

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100 Days of Real Food

The 100 Days of Real Food cookbook by Lisa Leake came out last week. I had pre-ordered it from Amazon, so it was delivered to my house on Tuesday.

This cookbook is 360 pages full of excellent healthy recipes and tips to help you convert your diet to real food.

What is real food? The author describes it like this:

1. Whole food that typically has only one ingredient, like "brown rice," or no ingredient label at all, as with fruits and vegetables.

2. Packaged foods made with no more than five unrefined ingredients.

3. Dairy products like whole milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs and cheese.

4. Breads and crackers that are 100 percent whole grain.

5. Wild-caught seafood.

6. Locally and humanely raised pastured meat products like chicken, pork, beef and lamb.

7. Dried fruits, nuts and seeds.

8. Naturally made sweeteners including honey and maple syrup.

I love that the recipes are easy to follow and use familiar ingredients. They are not intimidating like some healthy cookbooks I've read.

If you are wanting to change up your diet and challenge yourself, this cookbook is a great place to start.

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The Plank

While recovering from my slipped disc, I did many exercises to strengthen my core muscles. One of those exercises was the plank. I did regular planks and side planks almost every day. I was determined to heal my back, so I was diligent.

After weeks of planks, I noticed something. My abdominal muscles were getting very strong. Of course when my back started feeling better, I abandoned the plank routine.

There are many 30-Day Plank Challenges online which encourage you to increase your hold time by five seconds a day. But I think the simplest plank plan is to get into the proper position and just hold the plank for as long as you can. As soon as you start to feel yourself losing control of the proper position, stop. Do this three times a day. You will naturally get stronger over time and be able to hold the plank longer.

The key is to stay in the proper position. You might only be able to hold it for 5 seconds at first, but don't give up. You'll be amazed at how quickly your strength will build.

Plank routine re-start date for me is September 15.

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One Year Without Diet Coke

It has been one whole year since I have had a Diet Coke! A year ago I would not have thought it possible.

It took about four months to get over the cravings.

I was hoping there would be a huge difference in the way I felt by stopping. I haven't noticed much of a change. But...

No more compulsion to turn into the Steak and Shake parking lot. No more McDonald's drive thru stops because I have to have one.

Plus, I'd venture to say I've saved about $1,100 over the course of this year by not spending $3.00 a day on my drink habit.
I only drink water and tea now, and I'm perfectly content.

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Project Get Healthy: Month Twelve

I finally found something that is working for me. My friend Crystal and I made a bet. The person with the most points by September 2 has to buy the other a Fitbit.

We can earn up to two points each day: one point if we eat five servings of  fruits and vegetables and one point if we exercise at least 30 minutes that day. This is day 16 and I have 30 points. I'm not sure where Crystal is.

Getting 30 minutes of exercise each day has not been a problem at all. Eating five servings of  fruits and vegetables takes some thinking. I didn't realize how little I was eating in this area until I had to concentrate on it.

The good thing is, if you eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you don't have room for extra fluff. It keeps me from snacking because I know I won't have room for that next salad or apple.

I also like this because I don't worry about what else I eat. I'm just concentrating on getting the good stuff in. Next up, I think I will add one serving of fruits and vegetables a day to make it six. Pretty soon, I will squeeze out all the bad stuff.

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