Well, my first 8 week challenge comes to an end today. The second, starts tomorrow! That ought to tell you how great this has been and I hope it motivates you to take on your own challenge.
The reason I (and many of my co-challengers) am/are taking on a new challenge immediately after the last one is simple. We humans don't have the memories of elephants. I need to keep this lifestyle going and, without "a challenge," I might actually forget.
I might forget that - exercising 5 days a week has helped me to feel better, helped me move more freely, helped me be a better me.
I might forget that my body really needs 64 ounces of water EVERY day.
I might forget that my body feels so much better when I avoid sugar!
I might forget the feeling of health that comes from all the nutrients in all those fruits and vegetables!
And worst of all, I might forget that taking care of me is ultra important because it allows me to live and share my life with those I love.
In 8 weeks, I've lost 15.6 lbs. (Insert huge cheers for me!!!!)
And best of all -- I feel better about me. I look in the mirror, and though the image is not what I want to see yet, I see someone who is finally, FINALLY, headed in the right direction. And that, feels good!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
Reaping the Benefits
Today, I thought I'd share 10 of the many benefits I've seen in myself and that others have shared with me as we've taken on "the challenge."
1. Hydrated!
I no longer feel dehydrated! After moving to Hong Kong and until I started this challenge, I always felt so dehydrated. Now, I can't even remember quite what that felt like -- I just know that it wasn't good, and I'm glad I don't feel that way anymore.
As the condition recurred, it increased in annoyance. It began to itch. After a while, I could tell when it started to appear, because I would feel the itch under my pant legs. I tried allergy and antibiotic creams, I considered the possibility of parasites, I sat with my legs raised in the air -- Nothing helped. In desperation, I searched the internet and found an exact description of my condition: Golfer's Vasculitis. From what I read, it's caused by the breaking of blood vessels in the legs and is most common in hot, humid climates. Stories from other sufferers told me that once you had the condition, it didn't seem to get better -- only worse. Encouraging, right?!!
Here's what the lovely rash looked like:
Well, I limited my outdoor time, sat on my couch a lot, and became frustrated while I dealt with the embarrassment of the almost constant, unsightly rash - which by the way, was now appearing at lower and lower temperatures.
Fast forward just a few weeks, and WOW! It seems to be gone! About 3 weeks after starting "the challenge," I went outside -- spent most of a day in the hot sun, walking around. No rash. The second time I went out after the challenge began, it was hotter, and I got a tiny little shadow of the rash on one leg --- much tinier than anything last summer. It disappeared in about 3 days. Since then, nothing. It's incredible! I have walked around, wandering beaches and markets - all in increasingly hotter weather, and, I have not had any sign of the rash in 5 weeks! It's a miracle!
3. Stamina Increase
I have felt my stamina increase. I live up a very steep hill from our usual grocery store. Walking up that hill with armloads of groceries used to be horrible, and it didn't seem that the regularity of the task was making any difference to the degree of difficulty. Once I started the challenge and began a regular exercise program, I began to see a change. I can't say that it is easy yet, but, when I get to the top of the hill now, I can still speak. That's a big improvement!
Hot, humid weather causes a myriad of it's own complications. One of those is sweat. I am not one of those who drips sweat like a water faucet, although, here, I frequently feel like I have a small waterfall between my shoulder blades. The worst part, though, is not the wet, but the smell! Aye!!! I couldn't stand myself, and I wonder how anybody else did. I had stinky, smelly sweat hiding in every skin fold, and as I'm sure you know - stagnate water + bacteria = fungus. Yup. I had rashes developing in a bunch of unpleasant places. (Yeah -- I felt like one great big human rash!) I was using anti fungal cremes constantly. A rash would disappear, only to reappear a couple of days later. I had a hunch that these rashes were yeast-based and fueled by my sugar consumption.
Well, I'm sure you can guess. Within a few weeks of starting the challenge, I stopped using anti-fungal cremes. No need. But even better -- the stinky gross smell is gone! Oh, I still sweat. I still feel the cool trickle run down my back whenever I'm out on a hot humid day - which is most days - but, that horrible stinky scent is gone. Wow!
Other challengers reported noticing these effects:
Among all the participants, we noticed
And of course -
10. Weight Loss!!!
I'd like to know what great things you experience as you make changes toward your own healthier lifestyle! Please, share your comments below!
1. Hydrated!
I no longer feel dehydrated! After moving to Hong Kong and until I started this challenge, I always felt so dehydrated. Now, I can't even remember quite what that felt like -- I just know that it wasn't good, and I'm glad I don't feel that way anymore.
2. Golfer's Vasculitis, Cured (?)
Soon after our move to Hong Kong, I developed a horrible rash on my legs. It appeared first, after a long walk in hot weather along one of the many gorgeous beaches. It didn't itch, so I didn't notice it until late in the day. It looked horrible! I thought at first that I had missed a part of my leg - on both legs - when I had applied sunscreen. For a while, I blamed it on a cat that had rubbed against my legs. A friend suggested that it might have been from the sand fleas at the beach. The backs of both legs had a blotchy, bright red patch on them. It took almost 3 weeks for those ugly red patches to fade completely, but, as soon as I spent another day out walking around in the heat, they returned and the theories as to the cause, faded. As the condition recurred, it increased in annoyance. It began to itch. After a while, I could tell when it started to appear, because I would feel the itch under my pant legs. I tried allergy and antibiotic creams, I considered the possibility of parasites, I sat with my legs raised in the air -- Nothing helped. In desperation, I searched the internet and found an exact description of my condition: Golfer's Vasculitis. From what I read, it's caused by the breaking of blood vessels in the legs and is most common in hot, humid climates. Stories from other sufferers told me that once you had the condition, it didn't seem to get better -- only worse. Encouraging, right?!!
Here's what the lovely rash looked like:
Well, I limited my outdoor time, sat on my couch a lot, and became frustrated while I dealt with the embarrassment of the almost constant, unsightly rash - which by the way, was now appearing at lower and lower temperatures.
Fast forward just a few weeks, and WOW! It seems to be gone! About 3 weeks after starting "the challenge," I went outside -- spent most of a day in the hot sun, walking around. No rash. The second time I went out after the challenge began, it was hotter, and I got a tiny little shadow of the rash on one leg --- much tinier than anything last summer. It disappeared in about 3 days. Since then, nothing. It's incredible! I have walked around, wandering beaches and markets - all in increasingly hotter weather, and, I have not had any sign of the rash in 5 weeks! It's a miracle!
3. Stamina Increase
I have felt my stamina increase. I live up a very steep hill from our usual grocery store. Walking up that hill with armloads of groceries used to be horrible, and it didn't seem that the regularity of the task was making any difference to the degree of difficulty. Once I started the challenge and began a regular exercise program, I began to see a change. I can't say that it is easy yet, but, when I get to the top of the hill now, I can still speak. That's a big improvement!
4. Yeast Infections &
5. SmellHot, humid weather causes a myriad of it's own complications. One of those is sweat. I am not one of those who drips sweat like a water faucet, although, here, I frequently feel like I have a small waterfall between my shoulder blades. The worst part, though, is not the wet, but the smell! Aye!!! I couldn't stand myself, and I wonder how anybody else did. I had stinky, smelly sweat hiding in every skin fold, and as I'm sure you know - stagnate water + bacteria = fungus. Yup. I had rashes developing in a bunch of unpleasant places. (Yeah -- I felt like one great big human rash!) I was using anti fungal cremes constantly. A rash would disappear, only to reappear a couple of days later. I had a hunch that these rashes were yeast-based and fueled by my sugar consumption.
Well, I'm sure you can guess. Within a few weeks of starting the challenge, I stopped using anti-fungal cremes. No need. But even better -- the stinky gross smell is gone! Oh, I still sweat. I still feel the cool trickle run down my back whenever I'm out on a hot humid day - which is most days - but, that horrible stinky scent is gone. Wow!
Other challengers reported noticing these effects:
6. Reduced need for naps
7. Clearer thinking
8. Increased joint mobility
Among all the participants, we noticed
9. A glow to the skin and countenance
And of course -
10. Weight Loss!!!
I'd like to know what great things you experience as you make changes toward your own healthier lifestyle! Please, share your comments below!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
A Vegiful Breakfast
Today, I want to share one of my favorite meals with you. Most people would call it breakfast. I think it's perfect for any time of day. It's quick, it's flavorful, and it's low in calories and high in nutrition! What more could you want from a breakfast?
I have to give credit where credit is due. This little dish was inspired by a similar creation on the menu at IHOP. If you're eating out, I'd recommend theirs. If you're staying home -- this is delicious!
Ingredients:
Olive Oil (125 calories, 1 Tbsp)
Spinach (1 cup raw, 10 calories
1 Egg (75 calories)
1 Egg White (15 calories)
Shredded Low Fat Cheese (1/8 cup Kraft Mozerella, 40 calories)
Grape tomatoes (about 4-5, sliced in half) (1 calorie each)
Salsa (10 calories, 2 Tbsp)
Calorie Total: About 275 calories.
First, in a small pan, saute the spinach in a small amount of olive oil. Notice, I did not include an amount. This is up to you, but I use handfuls! It will cook down to a fraction of it's original size, so don't be afraid to use a lot. You can get your full 1 1/2 cups of veggies for the challenge in this one dish, if you want!
While that cooks, crack one egg. Put the white in a bowl and discard the yolk. Add one more egg - yolk and white. (You can do "just the whites" and your omlette will be even lighter on the calories, but I think one yolk gives it a little better flavor. It's up to you.) Stir well.
Once your spinach has wilted down, set it aside on a plate. You can use the same pan for your omlette, but make sure you have a lid for it, and it is about as big around as you expect your omlette to be.
Pour the eggs into the hot pan, and cover. Cook over moderate heat until the top is no longer runny. Flip it over. Pour the spinach onto 1/2 of the egg. Sprinkle cheese of your choice (about 2 Tbsp) over the spinach then fold the egg over. Let cook just long enough to melt the cheese.
Put on a plate and garnish with grape tomatoes, sliced in half, and your favorite salsa or pico de gallo. Add salt to taste, and ENJOY!
I have to give credit where credit is due. This little dish was inspired by a similar creation on the menu at IHOP. If you're eating out, I'd recommend theirs. If you're staying home -- this is delicious!
Spinach Omlette
Ingredients:
Olive Oil (125 calories, 1 Tbsp)
Spinach (1 cup raw, 10 calories
1 Egg (75 calories)
1 Egg White (15 calories)
Shredded Low Fat Cheese (1/8 cup Kraft Mozerella, 40 calories)
Grape tomatoes (about 4-5, sliced in half) (1 calorie each)
Salsa (10 calories, 2 Tbsp)
Calorie Total: About 275 calories.
First, in a small pan, saute the spinach in a small amount of olive oil. Notice, I did not include an amount. This is up to you, but I use handfuls! It will cook down to a fraction of it's original size, so don't be afraid to use a lot. You can get your full 1 1/2 cups of veggies for the challenge in this one dish, if you want!
While that cooks, crack one egg. Put the white in a bowl and discard the yolk. Add one more egg - yolk and white. (You can do "just the whites" and your omlette will be even lighter on the calories, but I think one yolk gives it a little better flavor. It's up to you.) Stir well.
Once your spinach has wilted down, set it aside on a plate. You can use the same pan for your omlette, but make sure you have a lid for it, and it is about as big around as you expect your omlette to be.
Pour the eggs into the hot pan, and cover. Cook over moderate heat until the top is no longer runny. Flip it over. Pour the spinach onto 1/2 of the egg. Sprinkle cheese of your choice (about 2 Tbsp) over the spinach then fold the egg over. Let cook just long enough to melt the cheese.
Put on a plate and garnish with grape tomatoes, sliced in half, and your favorite salsa or pico de gallo. Add salt to taste, and ENJOY!
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