Digestive Health

The power of life and death begins in the gut. My experience as a licensed colon hydrotherapist and digestive health specialist has taught me the importance of digestive health. Many health problems can be traced back to dis-ease in the digestive system. Our bodies are wonderfully created, made to survive in even the least of ideal circumstances. The ideal chemical balances within our bodies are impossible to reach withou an understanding of how those systems work. For example, the digestive system is one long, fancy tube with an entrance point and an exit point. Everything that goes in must be assimilated, and the leftovers must come out. Everything that goes in affects the body in many ways: the body's pH levels, the balance of bacterial flora, the level of hydration, among others, are all affected by what we eat and drink. A happy bowel has 2-3 movements per day. The consistency is as important as the frequency. Any more or less bowel movements indicates that the digestive system is in distress.

I have a few tips to helping the digestive sysemt run smoothly. First, upon arising, drink 16-20 ounces of pure water. Drink this water at room temperature and before taking supplements or eating. This will help you to have a complete bowel movement. Second, eating yogurt daily will help keep your body's natural healthy flora in balance. There are four nutritional supplements that can be taken by anyone to help with bowel regularity. I am including the products in my product line from Nature's Sunshine. These products hold the highest quality standards and have competitive pricing. These are as follows:
1. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria. Bifidophilus Flora Force provides billions of beneficial intestinal microorganisms that offer a whole range of health benefits.
2. Essential Fatty Acids help coat the lining of the digestive tract, for protection and ease of movement. Super Omega 3-EPA protects cell membranes.
3. Digestive enzymes help the body fully digest the foods eaten. Food Enzymes is a key product for the digestive system.
4. Dietary fiber supplements help ensure adequate fiber to clean and empty the colon. Everybody's Fiber also contains short-chain FOS—a soluble fiber that provides food for friendly microorganisms in the colon.

To order any of these products, please contact me with your contact information and I will gladly help you with your order.

National Pancake Day

I read in the TBT yesterday that today is National Pancake Day. In my attempt to find out more details about this day, I found out that IHOP celebrates National Pancake Day on February 24th. Shrove Tuesday is the day before the beginning of Lent, also known as Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and Pancake Day. Shrove Tuesday was Tuesday, February 24, 2009
this year. I'm not sure exactly where the TBT got its information, but I definitely enjoyed the idea! In honor of one of my favorite foods, I decided to take National Pancake Day one step further. Instead of just having the expected pancakes for breakfast or brunch, I made pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner! To keep things interesting, I made different versions of this cheap and versatile food. For breakfast, we had banana walnut pancakes, made with buttermilk and coconut oil in the batter. They were splendid! For lunch, I decided to try my hand at pineapple upside down pancakes. The idea came from an IHOP commercial. I've never eaten this particular pancake at IHOP (I've always liked my homemade pancakes better anyway...), but I knew I wanted to try to make them some day. And what better day than today? (Recipe below.) They were a huge hit and definitely called for a repeat visit some time soon. For dinner, I made some corn pancakes. These had a mixture of pancake better and corn bread mix, with thawed frozen corn kernels, and honey butter instead of syrup. My family loved the variety and eating pancakes all day was great fun! My daughter even asked for chocolate pancakes for dessert! Maybe next time. I definitely won't wait til next year.

Marcy's Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes

1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 C butter
1 large can pineapple slices in 100% pure pineapple juice
1/2 C pineapple juice (reserve from pineapples)
1 3/4 C favorite dry pancake mix (I used a combination of two gluten free flours.)
3/4 C almond milk (I used Almond Breeze Original)
1/4 C ground raw almonds or almond meal
2 T ground flax seeds or flax meal
1 egg
1 T coconut oil
2 packets Stevia sweetener
4 or 5 drops almond extract/flavoring
salt to taste

1. Melt together first two ingredients. Keep on low heat.
2. Depending on size of pot, place 2 or more pineapple slices into above mixture to simmer.
3. Mix together dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients. If batter is too thick, add more almond milk. If too thin, add a bit more dry mix. Allow to sit for a few minutes so bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the batter.
4. Heat skillet on medium low heat.
5. Take one pineapple slice from simmering pot and place on skillet, and pour 1/4 C (I use a spring-hinge ice cream scoop to measure out and pour batter) pancake batter in the middle of the pineapple slice. The batter will spread over and around to cover the pineapple.
6. When small holes form around the edge of the pancake, carefully turn over.
7. Pancake is done when bottom is a light golden brown.
8. Continue with remaining pineapples and batter.
9. Serve with syrup. (I like grade B maple syrup or maple flavored agave nectar.)

ENJOY!!

Low on Energy

I have been very low on energy all this week. It's been a struggle to even get out of bed in the morning. I hear the alarm clock and I crawl under my sheet to protect myself from the morning. My daughters take turns coming in my room to make sure I'm awake. I climb out of bed, my eyes still closed, and shuffle my way into the day, starting my routine. I remember vividly the days when it was no struggle whatsoever to wake up before my alarm rang at 4:30 am to get my daily workout in before waking up the girls and heading off to work and school. I was eight years younger and as much as 20 pounds lighter. I slept about 6 hours a night, sometimes less, and I didn't miss the sleep. These days, I'm dragging out of bed with as much as 8-9 hours of sleep, some days even 10 hours of shuteye is not enough. My workouts have been a greater challenge, too. Back in the day, it wasn't unlike me to kick out a 2-3 hour workout five or six days a week. I would have to force myself to take one rest day every week. Lately, it's all I can do to make the 20 minute mark on the treadmill or elliptical trainer on most days. This week in particular, I have only had two good cardio days, on which I did between 45-60 minutes of slow state (a turtle's pace), steady pace cardio. The other three days I could hardly last ten minutes. On one day, I couldn't even hang onto the treadmill for longer than 3 minutes! I can't figure out what the major discrepancy/ies is/are from then til now that is causing this shift. Granted, I am older (blah, blah, blah...) and I am dealing with multiple health issues which I'm attempting to evaluate and address. But honestly, it's become a very frustrating set of circumstances. Often, I have the will power and the desire to get moving, but my body is not on the same page as my mind. Some days, my body is raring to go, but my head won't clear away the fog. At the very least, I am still making the attempt mostly every day, whether I feel up to training or not. As long as I make it to the gym, and at least go thru the motions, it's better than sitting at home watching Law & Order reruns. So, I'll keep picking myself up off the couch, wrestle with my sports bra, and pack my protein shake, in the hopes that it will get better, eventually.

Skinny enough

I was at Publix, shopping for a few odds and ends, like fruit, water, yogurt and bread. As I went down the bread aisle, I saw a vendor stocking the Pepperidge Farm breads. I don't usually buy Pepperidge Farm, but there were a few new varieties I hadn't seen before. As I was reading the label on a buttermilk loaf, the stock person says to me, "What are you reading it for? You're skinny enough!" I saw the dreaded "High Fructose Corn Syrup" and put the bread back, stating "It has high fructose corn syrup." He went on to tell me how terrible the stuff is and how he breaks out in hives every time he eats it--the Pepperidge Farm vendor! We traded a few more pleasantries, and I was on my way. I was quite confused by the whole situation. First of all, who said I want to be skinny?? Just because I'm reading labels doesn't mean I automatically want to be skinny. I do, however want to be healthy. I don't want to be very thin. I want to be a lean, mean, fit machine! Skinniness to me has a negative connotation: gaunt; bony; scrawny; meager; twiggy; weedy. Lean is also used as a synonym for skinny, but I don't see the two in the same light. Someone who is skinny isn't necessarily healthy. There is such a thing as skinny-fat, where a person is naturally thin, but not fit and can have a large percentage of body fat for his/her size. When a person is lean, they have a low body fat percentage and a high prcentage of lean tissue, including muscle. Someone who is lean is toned, fit, and athletic, not skinny. My desire is to be lean, not skinny.

Secondly, why would someone who has such an adverse reaction to and a distaste for a particular product/ingredient be involved in selling that product? The idea brings to mind an unsuccessful boat salesman who's afraid of water, or a personal trainer who hates to sweat, or even a surgeon who can't stand the sight of blood. Perhaps this guy was trying to build up his defenses against the stuff. Who knows.

Missed Workout?

I inadvertently missed a workout today. I had a doctor's appointment at 8:20 am that I had to cancel because my insurance info wasn't in order: BOOOO! So, I'll have to reschedule for later this week, which means the appointment I had scheduled for later this week will have to be postponed until early next week... Needless to say,, my stress level was at an all-time high bright and early this morning. I spent the better half of the morning on the phone, online, and in tears. I think all will be in order no later than Wednesday. I had every intention of making it to the gym before school let out-I even wore my workout gear all day- but by now I'm just so emotionally drained that I might just leave it for tomorrow. I know I should go any way, at least for 30 minutes or so, and I just might still do that. The activity would help me clear my head, and I could relieve some stress. But as it stands right now, my head is telling me to skip it! I could use the break, and tomorrow I can start fresh. I haven't really given myself a workout break since I started back a month ago. Yesterday was my first real break day where I did no form of exercise whatsoever. Today would be two days in a row. I don't know that I really want to push two days in a row just yet. I have a 5-day training schedule this week, which means that even if I do end up training today, I will have to take another full day off some time this week. Decisions, decisions. I think I'll leave the choice up to fate: If my girls have lots of homework, then we'll come straight home and I'll miss a workout. However, if they have a light homework load, then I'll take them to the YMCA, and we'll all get in some exercise. Sounds like a plan to me!

UPDATE: I did actually make it to the gym this afternoon. The girls didn't have much homework, and so we went to the YMCA. They were supposed to join a youth dance class, but it was cancelled. So, they started their homework while I got in a good 40 minute workout. It was chest and triceps day, and I added a bit of deltoid work since it is a weak area for me. I didn't do any cardio, except for a 5 minute warm up and 7 minute cool down. But, the best part is I felt SO MUCH BETTER after finishing my workout than I had felt all day long. Training really gets the endorphins (feel-good hormones) moving, and exercising is such a stress reliever. I almost always feel better when I make myself workout even when I don't feel up to it. Once my training session is done, there's a feeling of accomplishment and peace. It's not always easy to remember this feeling before the workout, but once the hear starts pumping a bit harder and the sweat starts forming, the familiar satisfaction kicks in and poses a nice reminder for the next time stress is high and energy is low.

Weightloss Update

Current Weight: 157.2#
Jeans Size: 14

Well, my jeans fit slightly better this week: revealing a smaller muffin top. Tomorrow is the last day of my cleanse. I used the leftovers from a full body cleanse I never finished a few months back. It was about 10 days' worth, and to be honest, I thought I would have lost more weight this week. I know that the prescription drugs I'm on are making it more difficult to lose weight, but it's still frustrating. I'm doing everything I know to do:
1) I'm keeping a food diary, and keeping my caloric intake to less than 1400 calories on most days.
2) I'm keeping a workout log, and varying my workouts to beat boredom and prevent overuse.
3) I'm taking daily supplements to complement both my diet and my training.
4) I'm weighing in daily, keeping a close eye on my weight fluctuations.
5) I'm not eating anything past dinner, which is about 6pm daily.
6) I'm keeping a regular food schedule, eating every 3 hours or so.
7) I'm supplementing my workouts with a protein shake after every workout.
8) I'm staying active throughout the day, not just during my workouts.
9) I'm getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
10) I'm staying well hydrated, carrying water with me wherever I go. I drink more than 80 ounces per day.
11) I'm eating fruits and/or vegetables at every meal, and supplementing my fiber intake.
12) I'm incorporating one full rest day per week into my training schedule.

Above is a small sample of my daily efforts toward wellness. I'm giving 100% of my effort, and I am thankful for even the smallest of improvements, even if it is a bit frustrating when progress is slow. I will be like the tortoise, rather than the hare, as slow and steady wins the race.

Cut the Cardio!

Like most of us, I'm not afforded the luxury, nor do I have the time or energy for hour-long cardio sessions every day. Enter High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT consists of 30 second bouts of all-out intensity followed by 60-90 seconds of recovery time. The intervals are completed about 10-12 times. With a 3-5 minute warm-up and cool down, your cardio session lasts about 20 minutes. HIIT can be done using any type of cardio exercise or equipment, such as the treadmill, elliptical trainer, stationary bike, etc. HIIT torches about nine times more calories post-exercise than steady-state cardio. This is due to EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). An increase in EPOC means that you consume more oxygen recovering from the exercise, and therefore it takes the body longer to recover, which equals more calories spent. HIIT training should be done on three nonconsecutive training days per week to reap maximum benefit.

My personal experience with HIIT is that it works and it works fast! I learned the hard way that certain prescription drugs can slow weightloss efforts and even cause weight gain. Since incorporating HIIT to my training schedule, I have been able to start losing weight again after a long battle with the scale. I sweat like mad and my legs burn during a session. Afterward, I feel more energetic. Even dealing with chronic headaches, I feel less wiped out and more productive.

Bandwagon Jeans

I've been living in elastic waistbands since early February, so I decided to take my own advice and try on some of my jeans. The last time I attempted to wear a pair of jeans was in July when I was packing for my CA trip. I packed all of my size 14s, sure they would fit me. I packed some of my 12s, hopeful that the time away would help me get back on the weightloss bandwagon. Two days before my trip, I decided to make sure my jeans that were occupying such valuable space in my suitcase actually did fit me. To my surprise, they didn't! Not one pair of even my size 14s would travel over my hips, which meant they would not be making the trip to CA this year. I was quite disappointed. Being a classic apple shape, I gain nearly all of my weight around my waist. Even when I weighed more than 200 pounds, my legs stayed relatively shapely. A mere 25 pounds pushed me from a size 8 to more than a size 14, and I was discouraged enough not to look into this matter any further at the time. So, I packed all of my stretchy pants and enjoyed my trip.

Now that I'm back on the weightloss bandwagon, I've since lost 6 pounds. I decided now would be a good time to try on those pants again. Well, it turns out that the size 14s went on smoothly, and even closed-- but not so smoothly. I still had a muffin top, but at least they made the trip over my hips! I'm considering this a small, yet valuable victory. My goal is to pack my size 8s for my vacation next summer, and the only stretchy pants I take with me will be part of my workout gear!

Lift Like a Girl

I'm no stranger to the weight room. My favored form of exercise is resistance training. I know, that's not necessarily the case for most women. I believe one main reason for this is lack of knowledge. Many women believe that if they work out like a man, they will look like a man. This is simply untrue. What makes a man build muscle in bulk is testosterone. Although all women do have some amount of testosterone, the amount, even if you happen to have more than the average woman, is minimal compared to men. Therefore, it is impossible for a woman to look like a man just from working out.

My personal experience has been that the heavier I lift, the quicker my body responds to training. Muscle burns about 30 TIMES more calories a day, even at rest, than fat. Do not be afraid of muscle! During most of my workouts, I like to do a combination of rep sets. Rep sets are the number of repetitions used to complete a given set. For example, when performing the bench press exercise this morning, 14 reps completed my first set. My second set consisted of 10 reps, and my third set was 6 reps. Now, as I lower my rep range, I increase the weight. So, I completed the first set using 65 pounds (the bar weighs 45# unweighted), 75 pounds for set two, and 85 pounds for set three. I followed a similar pattern for all of my exercises this morning.

I choose to vary my workouts from one day to the next. I never workout exactly the same way. This causes muscle confusion, and when you keep your muscles guessing you will keep progressing. Using the above example, the next day I work my chest I may or may not do the barbell bench press. I will most likely use dumbbells to change up the exercise. Also, instead of increasing the weight and decreasing the rep range, I might start with a heavy weight and low reps, then work my way down in weight and up in reps. There are many ways to change up the same exercise in order to keep your muscles guessing: pause sets, pyramids, staggered sets, intervals, etc. The key is form.

As I mentioned earlier, lack of knowledge keeps many women away from the weight floor, especially free weights. As a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, I always kept form as my highest priority. There is a right and wrong way to perform any movement or exercise. Actually, there are several right and wrong ways. This is where education is necessary. Hiring a trainer to teach you proper form is very important when beginning a new exercise program. Improper form can cause injury, pain, insecurity, and all will likely lead to a break in activity or ceasing workouts altogether. Learning good body mechanics will improve confidence, and allow you to try more exercises as you progress.

I Kicked my own Butt!

This weekend I decided to workout at Bally. I hadn't been to Bally since I started working out again. The main reason being that the YMCA is just so much closer and easier to get to after I drop the girls off at school. The second main reason being I noticed I get lazy at Bally. They have lots of equipment to choose from, my favorite of which happens to be the Cybex Unilateral equipment. On this equipment, you use weighted plates to add resistance. These machines make me feel strong, but the fact remains that any machines remove much of the stabilizing factor that helps tie together all movements. Meaning, free weight exercises are the best whole-body exercises, in this example, because free weights require stability, which recruits more muscles and muscle fibers for any given exercise. Your stabilizer muscles help you balance the weight and your body. They are hardly recruited when performing weighted machine exercises. So, although I really like the Cybex equipment, I am aware that free weight exercises are superior. This knowledge doesn't make me less lazy, though.

Equiped with this information, and determined to have a kick-butt workout, I decided before I ever stepped foot in the gym that I would first complete my chosen free weight exercises before using any machines. This was the key to my soreness factor! Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) kicked in the day following my chest and back workout, and again this morning, following leg day. I haven't felt this sore in months! The soreness and inflammation are predeterminant factors that clue me in to muscle growth and development. My body is working hard to get stronger for the next workout! So, what I learned is that a variety of exercises will result in more muscle recruitment, a better workout, DOMS, hypertrophy (more muscle) and, in time, weightloss.

Weightloss Update

weight: 158#

So far, since 7/16 I've lost a total of 9 pounds, 6 of which have been since 8/14. This is very encouraging news, since between 7/23 and 8/14 I plateaued. In those three weeks I was in CA visiting family, and trying very hard not to fall off the wagon while still enjoying my stay. So, considering I was across the country and out of my routine, I'm just pleased I didn't gain any weight during that time!

Now, at my current weight, I have 20 pounds to go to reach a comfortable weight for me. I had wanted to be at my goal weight by my birthday, but since that is only a few weeks away, I have to make some new goals. I can comfortably and safely set a goal of losing no less than 6 and no more than 12 pounds in the next 6+ weeks ahead. That could put me at the halfway mark to my longer-term goal of 20 pounds. A safe weightloss average range is 1/2 to 2 pounds per week. The more you have to lose, the quicker the weight comes off initially. Depending on your level of activity, the scale may or may not budge. This is because as you become more active, you begin to build more muscle, and muscle is denser (takes up less space) and weighs more than fat. Ideally, using a bodyfat monitor would help you to measure progress, as it geives a clearer view of what's going on inside. But not everyone has regular access to this tool. So, a good determining gauge would be how your clothes fit. Once a week. you could try on a pair of jeans that fit you just right, and then a pair that are a bit snug on you. As the comfy jeans get bigger, and the tight jeans start to slide on, you can be sure that you are on your way to meeting your goals, regardless of what the scale says.

I Heart Blue Nails

For as long as I can remember, blue has been my favorite color. I may have had a brief tryst with pink and/or purple in elementary school, but I've done a pretty good job erasing the bulk of those memories. I love all kinds of blue, from the trues in a clear sky, to the hues of a ulysses butterfly. But, until recently, I never had blue nail polish. Polishing my nails always seemed an extravagant treat. Whenever I tried using the Walgreens brands, my nails were left clumpy, smudgy and peely within 24 hours. And to spend $30 just to have the same peeling happen in maybe 36 hours seemed rather pointless. So, whenever I did paint my nails, I usually focused on my toes and stuck to some pink or red variation. That is, until recently. On a whim, I decided I wanted to paint my nails blue. It seemed a good idea, considering my blue fascination. I searched out just the right blue. It had to be a nice royal blue, not a baby or sky blue. After some research and store hunting, I found the perfect shade of polish: OPI's "Yoga-ta Get this Blue!" seemed to call my name. At $8.50 a bottle, I hoped the polish adventure wouldn't bring up the disappointments of polishes in memories past. Lucky me, it worked! Now, I don my favorite color on my fingers AND toes on most days since said purchase. What I learned is how happiness can be filled in to the small gaps of your day with just a splash of color. My blues remind me to find the joy in the little things, and that makes for a better day. By surrounding myself with what brings me joy, I have less time and space for the not-so-happies. And when the blues want to pay a visit, I'll use my royal blues to wave bye-bye.

Soapbox Pride

I came across an interesting sight this morning on my way home from the gym. As I waited at a red light, I noticed at the opposite corner a man standing and talking. As I looked more closely, I noticed he had abandoned his parked garbage truck in the parking lot of a quiet corner store, and came to the sidewalk corner to speak. Whatever he was saying seemed very important to him, although I couldn't make out his words. He seemed quite emphatic, gesturing at driversby and wielding his trash picker, as he paced in front of his trashcan. I began to wonder what could have occurred to cause this man to abruptly change course and decidedly preach to an uninterested public. What topic was he so interested in that it drew him from his work? What happened recently to cause this man to proudly proclaim his convictions to anyone who would listen? These questions got me thinking about my own convictions. What in my life is so important to cause me to jump on my own soapbox at the drop of a hat? I'm no stranger to the soapbox, just ask anyone who knows me. I've built up heated discussions on child welfare, and directed monologues on health and fitness for families. Now, the "wellness" soapbox seems to be my topic of choice these days. I want to offer the gift of wellness to my family and friends, both by being well myself, and by inspiring others within my circle of influence to be well. Wellness encompasses all aspects of health and fitness: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. I believe the best gift any one of us has to offer is ourselves, and I want to offer the best me I possibly can.

Weightloss Roller Coaster

I have been on a weightloss rollercoaster for nearly 15 years. I have been over 200 pounds, and I have been 115 pounds. My 5'2" medium frame is most comfortable somewhere around 130 pounds, give or take 5 pounds. Any smaller, and I look sickly; any larger, and I feel heavy. I have been uncomforable in my own skin fo a long time.

I've learned that a big part of my weight history has emotional roots. When I feel down, I eat. Conversely, when I feel good about myself, I have enormous self-control. I am also learning that my weight history has a physical component. I believe that from years of dieting, I have thrown my hormones out of balance. I used to be able to lose weight relatively quickly, once I had the motivation. When I am motivated, I have the self-control of steel. However, over the past three years, I have been unable to lose any substantial weight and keep it off. Most of my weight yo-yoing has occurred within these past three years. I have been known to lose or gain 5-10 pounds in a week. This year, I gained 20 pounds in a month, and a total of 30 pounds within three months.

I have since come to terms with my weight and health issues. I am now on the Road to Recovery from yo-yo weight control. I have the tools and the knowledge to go about weightloss in a safe, healthy way. I am 100% dedicated to approaching my health and wellness from an educated perspective. Since August 24, 2009, I have lost 4 pounds! I will chronicle my journey in the hopes that my experiences will help others in similar situations find wellness, health, and peace.