Today's post is indeed about time. The lack, use, and importance thereof.
I go to music conferences a lot, and try to go to sessions that interest me and/or will help me teach better or otherwise make my job more enjoyable. I went to one a few years ago dealing with "Efficient Marching Band Rehearsals." The presenter, currently a university marching band director, said something like "everyone has the same amount of time; there are 24 hours in everyone's day. No one gets more time than you do to do the stuff that we all need to do."
That was a couple years ago. And you know what? Bullshit. Seriously. There are plenty of people who have more time than I do (and those who have less), because they don't do the same stuff I do, nor do they have the same things in their lives that I do. And I'm not necessarily complaining; I just want folks to know that the whole "pressed for time" thing is indeed real!
Some cases in point here:
When I was young, single, and kid-free, I had lots of time. Lived in an apartment, so there was no lawn mowing, snow removal, or other maintenance responsibility. I could work all day and night at school and not worry about it. (Not that I did, but still...) I could basically do what I wanted at whatever time I decided to do it.
Fast forward (Lord, it was fast forward...) 25 years to today. Two kids, three cars, a mortgage, a Labrador, and a career that I (mostly) love. Here's my past 6 days:
- Monday was winter break, so I didn't have to go to school. I was there for a couple hours, though, doing stuff that needed to be done. Not bragging or complaining here, just letting you know. Went to the gym for a good, sweaty hour that afternoon.
- Tuesday. Snow day. Got the call as I pulled into the school parking lot for my 6:45 a.m. class. Several kids were already there, so we hung out for a while until it was lighter outside and they could see better to drive home. A couple of them and I decided that breakfast sounded good, so off we went. Then I took Dana to Grand Rapids for a medical procedure that deals with early cancer detection - all clear! No exercise that afternoon, because I just get that way sometimes...
- Wednesday we started "Tech Week" (it's actually 10 days...) for the high school musical . So after my regular day of classes (6:45 - 2:45), I get to do a really cool part of my job and conduct the high school musical cast and orchestra. We got done around 6, then I chatted with a band parent for about a half hour regarding her kid, then went home. Sat and talked with my wife, whom I'd not seen all day. I think I ate dinner, too.
- Thursday was similar. After rehearsal was out, my wife and I went to our daughter's orchestra concert after a very fast dinner. Arrived home at 9:30 p.m.
- Friday was a near carbon copy, but after rehearsal I spent the evening enjoying catching up with someone - cigars, chatting, dinner, etc.
- TODAY I got to exercise again:)
Now I say that I "got to exercise" again, but really, couldn't I have given up something in the above week? Or sucked it up on Tuesday when I "just get that way"? Well, what do I trade? I wasn't excited about Erin's concert, but it turned out to be quite good. But miss it? I have to live with her, you know! And sitting and talking with my wife pretty much beats exercise any day (thanks, dear...). And there are things like the impromptu breakfast with kids, or my Friday night out, that I simply wouldn't trade for much of anything.
But back to College Boy (and he was, too - young whippersnapper thinks he knows all about the world...) <That line is better if you read it in a grumpy old man voice:)
- At what point did I have time to exercise Thursday? Don't tell me "you have the same 24 hours as everyone else," because no one has the same 24 hours as anyone else. So on these days I try to make better choices as well - smaller meals, for instance, since I won't burn as many calories as usual. And because of the nature of TIME, that doesn't always happen, either! In the period from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, I was home for about 20 minutes. We grabbed a quick dinner on the way to the concert - no time to cook.
So it comes down to priorities, or decisions. My kids have both taken Econ class; they learned about "opportunity cost." In other words, you can have something, but what will that cost you? Be it money, time, or whatever, everything costs you something. My opportunity cost for spending my time the way I spent it this past week was exercise. Was it worth it? I think it was. And that's what I will have to remember next week when I step on the scale - I enjoyed my time in the pit, at the concert, at dinner (did it have to be B-dubs again???), but they cost me some exercise time. Which will possibly be reflected in my monthly results. But like I said, I will try to remember the choices I made and that the opportunity cost was worth it.
In closing I would like to give a shout-out to two former students who are regular readers of these musings. Nicky Jager-McCleery is a cancer survivor, mom, and runner. Where does she find the time?? She and her family are even doing some assisting with families in need and taking in some "extra" children through a pretty cool program called Safe Families. She'll be doing another Fifth-Third Riverbank Run this spring. You can view her blog here. And Kate Riemersma-Sluiter - a mom, English teacher, and blogger. Her latest post, though, really bugged me - it's her mom's recipe for chocolate chip cookies... Keep up the excellent work!!
Next up for the Fat A$$? Not sure... There are some basic thoughts about rewards; a thought or two about the numbers game - BP, blood sugar, weight, etc. - and how exercise and such can change them; and right now just a couple links to articles about how processed foods are ruining our lives. THAT should be a good one! I love processed foods...
See you next week.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Rosie's Kitchen
Just finished 45 minutes on the bike, updating my workouts in MapMyRide, and now I am sitting in my favorite big brown chair smelling the enticing aroma of a marinated pork roast that's in the oven. Mmmmmm... All while trying not to think of the not-so-good food choices I made over the weekend! But anyway. I did exercise most days this past week, and the week itself went well.
My wife is a great cook. Over the past 22-ish years of marriage she has made about two things that were just not good at all - we both laugh to this day about the Green Bean Soup recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook (if I recall correctly); a cold, milk-based cream-style soup. Pretty awful. And some weird thing from the WW cookbook, I think, that sounded good and looked good, but the minced mushrooms and whatever else it was just ended up being awful. Otherwise, amazing stuff.
To help her with ideas and such, she has bought several cookbooks over the years. The above-mentioned Moosewood (all vegetarian/vegan from the Moosewood restaurant - mostly good stuff!), as well as Weight Watchers, the famed "Eet Smakelijk" or however you spell it from the Holland Junior League, and one of our faves, "In the Kitchen with Rosie." But therein lies the topic of this post.
You see, Rosie is the famed Rosie Daley, celebrity chef to Oprah Winfrey. You can see her book on Amazon here. About 20 years ago when Ms. Winfrey was going through her weight loss issues in public (she had one or two more followers than I do), her second attempt, after that liquid diet thing ended up being a bad idea, was to hire Rosie and eat great, healthy food. Very cool.
Hell, yes, it's cool. And hell, yes, couldn't we ALL lose a ton of weight if we had Rosie??? "Good morning, Mr. Walker, I made you this lovely healthful breakfast. And your lunch is in the fridge ready to go to school."
"Why, thank you, Rosie, I'm sure I'll enjoy it." And when you get home, exhausted from the tough day at the office (or with hordes of teenagers...):
"Dinner's ready. Look, I made your favorite - baked chicken tenders and fries." (This recipe is really in the book, and it's awesome.)
Well, OF COURSE I'D LOSE WEIGHT. I have often thought that Rosie is exactly what I need to succeed. But I don't make a gazillion dollars a year and can't afford a personal chef... So what do I do?
Well, Dana is of course a huge help. She makes great meals and uses some healthy recipes. And there are indeed some pre-packaged things that aren't too bad calorie- and fat- and such-wise. So we can do reasonably well.
But if you've been keeping up with my posts you know that convenience is a big factor; Dana has been known to work many 12+ hour days planning, grading, teaching, and other school-related duties (for instance, tomorrow morning we have a 6:30 a.m. staff meeting. They just don't make stuff any more fun than that...). So sometimes we fall victim to grabbing whatever's in the fridge.
To combat THAT, Dana does a great job trying to buy good stuff. I don't always do a great job EATING it... The bags of fresh green salads, the frozen veggies, the fruit. Yeah, it gets wasted sometimes. And really, what is more convenient than opening a bag of spinach and putting some dressing on it? Or eating an apple? For God's sake, you don't have to do anything to an apple - you just eat the darn thing. I mean, bananas and their annoying peels - how inconvenient is that?? Peeling a banana takes time. Sigh...
So, we don't exactly have Rosie. But we do have each other, and we do, in theory anyway, possess self-control. But still, I can dream, can't I? It would be cool, wouldn't it? For the record, I would also hire, for my personal staff, a massage therapist, a housekeeper, and a person to just scratch my back when I need it. So if I ever win that Mega Millions jackpot, you can bet I'm not going to be on TV saying how I'm going to keep my job and live life like I have been. Nope. (OK, maybe I'll keep the job...) I'm going to buy a house on the lake, a totally impractical car, a Seven bike, and hire a staff. And do whatever I want to all day. And Rosie will make delicious, healthy meals, and I will have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, weigh about 160 pounds, grow my hair back, and.... I know, I know, time to wake up. I'm late for school:)
Have a great week, and thanks for reading. Not sure if there was really a point to this particular writing, but hey, you get what you pay for, right? Got some good stuff coming up, though, including sharing the success of one of my students, who has lost over 50 pounds this past year.
Go eat some healthy food.
My wife is a great cook. Over the past 22-ish years of marriage she has made about two things that were just not good at all - we both laugh to this day about the Green Bean Soup recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook (if I recall correctly); a cold, milk-based cream-style soup. Pretty awful. And some weird thing from the WW cookbook, I think, that sounded good and looked good, but the minced mushrooms and whatever else it was just ended up being awful. Otherwise, amazing stuff.
To help her with ideas and such, she has bought several cookbooks over the years. The above-mentioned Moosewood (all vegetarian/vegan from the Moosewood restaurant - mostly good stuff!), as well as Weight Watchers, the famed "Eet Smakelijk" or however you spell it from the Holland Junior League, and one of our faves, "In the Kitchen with Rosie." But therein lies the topic of this post.
You see, Rosie is the famed Rosie Daley, celebrity chef to Oprah Winfrey. You can see her book on Amazon here. About 20 years ago when Ms. Winfrey was going through her weight loss issues in public (she had one or two more followers than I do), her second attempt, after that liquid diet thing ended up being a bad idea, was to hire Rosie and eat great, healthy food. Very cool.
Hell, yes, it's cool. And hell, yes, couldn't we ALL lose a ton of weight if we had Rosie??? "Good morning, Mr. Walker, I made you this lovely healthful breakfast. And your lunch is in the fridge ready to go to school."
"Why, thank you, Rosie, I'm sure I'll enjoy it." And when you get home, exhausted from the tough day at the office (or with hordes of teenagers...):
"Dinner's ready. Look, I made your favorite - baked chicken tenders and fries." (This recipe is really in the book, and it's awesome.)
Well, OF COURSE I'D LOSE WEIGHT. I have often thought that Rosie is exactly what I need to succeed. But I don't make a gazillion dollars a year and can't afford a personal chef... So what do I do?
Well, Dana is of course a huge help. She makes great meals and uses some healthy recipes. And there are indeed some pre-packaged things that aren't too bad calorie- and fat- and such-wise. So we can do reasonably well.
But if you've been keeping up with my posts you know that convenience is a big factor; Dana has been known to work many 12+ hour days planning, grading, teaching, and other school-related duties (for instance, tomorrow morning we have a 6:30 a.m. staff meeting. They just don't make stuff any more fun than that...). So sometimes we fall victim to grabbing whatever's in the fridge.
To combat THAT, Dana does a great job trying to buy good stuff. I don't always do a great job EATING it... The bags of fresh green salads, the frozen veggies, the fruit. Yeah, it gets wasted sometimes. And really, what is more convenient than opening a bag of spinach and putting some dressing on it? Or eating an apple? For God's sake, you don't have to do anything to an apple - you just eat the darn thing. I mean, bananas and their annoying peels - how inconvenient is that?? Peeling a banana takes time. Sigh...
So, we don't exactly have Rosie. But we do have each other, and we do, in theory anyway, possess self-control. But still, I can dream, can't I? It would be cool, wouldn't it? For the record, I would also hire, for my personal staff, a massage therapist, a housekeeper, and a person to just scratch my back when I need it. So if I ever win that Mega Millions jackpot, you can bet I'm not going to be on TV saying how I'm going to keep my job and live life like I have been. Nope. (OK, maybe I'll keep the job...) I'm going to buy a house on the lake, a totally impractical car, a Seven bike, and hire a staff. And do whatever I want to all day. And Rosie will make delicious, healthy meals, and I will have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, weigh about 160 pounds, grow my hair back, and.... I know, I know, time to wake up. I'm late for school:)
Have a great week, and thanks for reading. Not sure if there was really a point to this particular writing, but hey, you get what you pay for, right? Got some good stuff coming up, though, including sharing the success of one of my students, who has lost over 50 pounds this past year.
Go eat some healthy food.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Monthly Update
Well, folks, it's been a month (I know, I can't believe it, either...), and things are looking pretty good here at my house. At least as far as re-establishing SOME healthy habits; still working on a few!
Want some specifics? Too bad - here they are. Number-type stats first, then some reflections. Or at least idle thoughts...
Want some specifics? Too bad - here they are. Number-type stats first, then some reflections. Or at least idle thoughts...
- Starting weight ca. Jan 1 - 226 lbs
- Weight as of Jan. 31 - 218.5 lbs
- Net loss of 7.5 lbs.
- 22 workout days
- 142 miles on the bike (all indoors...)
- 8 gym/weightlifting sessions
- 17 hours total exercise
- 13,234 calories burned (based on MapMyRide's calculations - possibly high?)
And the promised idle thoughts:
Not a bad start! Let me surprise a few of my faithful readers and look at the bright side first. I've lost seven and a half pounds and worked out far more days than not. The days I didn't get a workout in were due to illness (four days), a cancellation from TB (one), a concert day, and some just plain lazy ones. I've established somewhat of a routine, working exercise into my (almost) daily life. I even started practicing my trumpet again, since I have several performances with the HJO coming up this spring. Good stuff.
Some challenges still remain, though. My chiropractor and several others tell me I don't stretch enough. Could be because I don't stretch at all... I have a very specific stretching regimen that my chiropractor set up for me; perhaps I will start on it next month. A mere three months after it was given to me:)
Food is still not completely under control. When I track the occasions for these choices, they almost totally fall under the category of "Convenience." Tired, pressed for time, guests at the house, whatever. We actually were talking the other night about being tired of pizza. On the upside, though, is the fact that while I'm not making great choices all the time, I'm at least trying to limit my badness. Two slices of pizza is fine, thank you, and no more bread sticks. I can still destroy a large burger and fries, though. So I try to not go to places that serve those.
Speaking of fries, I'm pretty convinced that I have officially passed the age limit for deep fried foods. (Sorry, I took a moment there to mourn...) Dana and Erin and I went out for dinner on Dana's birthday the other night. Beechwood Inn's lake perch are quite awesome. But it seems lately that when I eat deep fried stuff I feel very, very uncomfortable. The basic idea is that my abdomen seems to bloat like a tick... So I will try to a.) limit the intake of those foods, and b.) make sure the occasion and quality of the food is worth the discomfort (i.e. Beechwood's perch beats Russ' hands down and is worth the pain).
In the gym I'm pretty happy as well. I'm almost back to full strength since my surgery last year (this has NOTHING to do with my surgery - that was just about the time I kind of quit going for about a year). We kind of alternate between "heavy month" and "do whatever TB says, which is probably not lightweight month," and January finished well - yesterday's chest and biceps workout saw some good bench press weight, where Daylin, Dan, and I finished with single-rep sets of 250 lbs. after building up from 8-rep sets starting at 135 and adding 20 lbs per set.
My pants are still snug, and there are a few shirts I still won't wear. They fit, but they're not flattering. And I still have several pair (pairs?) of pants that are too snug to be comfortable. I actually have one pair of Levi's 501 jeans that are my favorite jeans ever. I've had them since about 1996. 34 waist, slim fit. I got into them a year ago. Not comfy, but they were on, they were buttoned, and I wore them around the house. My goal is to look good enough in them again to wear them to school.
Well, I seem to be running out of what little coherence I started with, so I will probably go back to Facebook or something. Thanks for hanging in there with me. I have a few more ideas in the pipeline for posts, but feel free to suggest a topic.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
I'm POOPED!
You, gentle reader, deserve fair warning... The title of this post probably does NOT mean what you think it does. As a matter of fact, if you keep reading you will most definitely venture into the realm of TMI - this post is NOT about being tired.
Get it??
Still with me???
I will give you one more chance to bail....
OK, consider yourself warned. Any objections to content hereinafter written are entirely because YOU couldn't look away.
Yep, this post is about poop. Good old run-of-the-mill fecal matter. Many words have been written regarding this particular substance and function, quite a few of them hilarious. My family actually bought me (I kid you not) a book on the subject for Fathers' Day a couple years ago. Detailed descriptions of the many varieties of the daily constitutional. Laughed til I cried.
There are also many different words for the stuff itself (the most obvious, beginning with S, we will skip for now, but there are dozens - doo-doo, poop, dookie, fudge, crap, bum nuggets, butt butter - check out http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html#Poop (the stuff, nouns) for a LARGE list), as well as words and phrases for the act of pooping (dumping, daily constitutional, dropping the kids off at the pond, drop a deuce, etc. - http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html#Poop (to do it, the verbs).
My family could go on for hours about this. And my dad, Doc, loved to hate every second of it. "Come on!" he'd shout. "Knock it off!" And then he would get the wheezing, red-faced, almost-ready-to-combust laughter (which I have inherited...) going and lose all control.
Apparently everyone poops, too. Women don't, depending on who you ask, but I have my doubts.
Gillian McKeith, a funny, grouchy lady that had a TLC channel show called "You Are What You Eat" for a few years, is very into the analysis of said substance. She even has a chart with pictures (though if you want to know any kind of information about what your poop should look like you have to sign up for her club): http://www.gillianmckeith.info/individual-pages/stool-analysis-and-poo-chart/
I have had many a serious conversation about the act and substance with medical professionals; a little over a year ago I had a colectomy, which, as you might guess, is an "ectomy" of a pretty important part of the process...
"Reasonably smooth, easily passed, with little to no wiping afterward." This was the first surgical consultation I had. About two years ago, when I was first considering what was basically elective surgery but very necessary for my long-term well-being. The surgeon went on to describe many other things in great detail, and kept referring to my colon as a "poop organ." Hard to keep a straight face based on my family history with the subject. "Yeah, doc, you shoulda seen the one I did the other day..."
So, as you might guess, between family history, medical history, and the overall comedic enjoyment I and society get regarding the subject, I have done a lot of thinking about my daily constitutionals. And here's what I have to offer:
1. It's still funny. I don't care who you are, you have a funny story in your personal history about this. Whether from a toddler's diaper coming off in the crib to the "my word, I must have lost five pounds after that one," (and you DON'T! try it; weigh yourself before and after!) you have enjoyed a good laugh over this. And that's good. You should laugh at yourself, because other people probably are:)
2. It can be painful. Whether from the aftermath of my favorite salsa from one of my band parents, an illness, or the effects of too much (fill in the blank here), we have all experienced an unpleasant trip to the loo.
3. Holy crap, that surgeon was right!! I didn't end up using him (something just didn't click with us, and if someone is going to be digging around inside me and taking out a reasonably large part of a reasonably important organ, I want to get along with him/her), but he was indeed correct: when I eat right and exercise, they come out just like he said! It makes sense, of course. If your body is properly fueled, your body uses the fuel it needs and disposes of the waste. "Garbage in, garbage out" is the other end of that spectrum.
I could (and have) go into great detail about my various loads. And I have honestly found it edging toward fascinating sometimes when, after an evening with more than one beer, too many deep-fried foods, and maybe some rich dessert, the next morning's offering is rather different than the one the day before.
So what? Well, in spite of the fact that I am not that great at taking my own advice, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
- "Smooth, easily passed, with little to no wiping."
- Someone named Dr. Lindsay Duncan answered the "how many times a day" question with this nugget: "You should be having 2-3 healthy bowel movements a day. When you aren't eliminating properly, your body's waste may not be expelled for days, weeks, or even months. Most people go through their daily lives eliminating once a day, once every other day, or even less. If you eat 3 full meals a day and only eliminate once a day, once every other day, or twice a week, what happens to all the un-eliminated waste matter? Where are all the other meals hiding? All of that unexpelled toxic waste is sitting in your body affecting every cell and tissue, which has a negative impact on your health. These toxic poisons rob your body of good health and energy, making you feel old, tired and sick. Ninety percent of the time, these complaints can be alleviated or greatly reduced through internal cleansing."
- This handy link discusses size and color: http://women.webmd.com/pharmacist-11/digestive-problems (it's geared specifically to women, but that's OK)
So there you go. A little info/experience about going to the library (as my father would say, newspaper in hand, heading down the hall). One of the first episodes of Seinfeld I remember watching included this hilarious bit in which Kramer can't find a bathroom; he ends up "missing his chance." Yep. Been there...
This post is lovingly dedicated to my family. My siblings - Pam, Kevin, Brenda, Marcia - and I could tell you stories! My wife, Dana, and I could, too, but it might embarrass the kids:) Nathan encouraged me to write this one the other day, and Erin always loves hearing about the satisfaction level of my morning constitutional.
Get it??
Still with me???
I will give you one more chance to bail....
OK, consider yourself warned. Any objections to content hereinafter written are entirely because YOU couldn't look away.
Yep, this post is about poop. Good old run-of-the-mill fecal matter. Many words have been written regarding this particular substance and function, quite a few of them hilarious. My family actually bought me (I kid you not) a book on the subject for Fathers' Day a couple years ago. Detailed descriptions of the many varieties of the daily constitutional. Laughed til I cried.
There are also many different words for the stuff itself (the most obvious, beginning with S, we will skip for now, but there are dozens - doo-doo, poop, dookie, fudge, crap, bum nuggets, butt butter - check out http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html#Poop (the stuff, nouns) for a LARGE list), as well as words and phrases for the act of pooping (dumping, daily constitutional, dropping the kids off at the pond, drop a deuce, etc. - http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html#Poop (to do it, the verbs).
My family could go on for hours about this. And my dad, Doc, loved to hate every second of it. "Come on!" he'd shout. "Knock it off!" And then he would get the wheezing, red-faced, almost-ready-to-combust laughter (which I have inherited...) going and lose all control.
Apparently everyone poops, too. Women don't, depending on who you ask, but I have my doubts.
Gillian McKeith, a funny, grouchy lady that had a TLC channel show called "You Are What You Eat" for a few years, is very into the analysis of said substance. She even has a chart with pictures (though if you want to know any kind of information about what your poop should look like you have to sign up for her club): http://www.gillianmckeith.info/individual-pages/stool-analysis-and-poo-chart/
I have had many a serious conversation about the act and substance with medical professionals; a little over a year ago I had a colectomy, which, as you might guess, is an "ectomy" of a pretty important part of the process...
"Reasonably smooth, easily passed, with little to no wiping afterward." This was the first surgical consultation I had. About two years ago, when I was first considering what was basically elective surgery but very necessary for my long-term well-being. The surgeon went on to describe many other things in great detail, and kept referring to my colon as a "poop organ." Hard to keep a straight face based on my family history with the subject. "Yeah, doc, you shoulda seen the one I did the other day..."
So, as you might guess, between family history, medical history, and the overall comedic enjoyment I and society get regarding the subject, I have done a lot of thinking about my daily constitutionals. And here's what I have to offer:
1. It's still funny. I don't care who you are, you have a funny story in your personal history about this. Whether from a toddler's diaper coming off in the crib to the "my word, I must have lost five pounds after that one," (and you DON'T! try it; weigh yourself before and after!) you have enjoyed a good laugh over this. And that's good. You should laugh at yourself, because other people probably are:)
2. It can be painful. Whether from the aftermath of my favorite salsa from one of my band parents, an illness, or the effects of too much (fill in the blank here), we have all experienced an unpleasant trip to the loo.
3. Holy crap, that surgeon was right!! I didn't end up using him (something just didn't click with us, and if someone is going to be digging around inside me and taking out a reasonably large part of a reasonably important organ, I want to get along with him/her), but he was indeed correct: when I eat right and exercise, they come out just like he said! It makes sense, of course. If your body is properly fueled, your body uses the fuel it needs and disposes of the waste. "Garbage in, garbage out" is the other end of that spectrum.
I could (and have) go into great detail about my various loads. And I have honestly found it edging toward fascinating sometimes when, after an evening with more than one beer, too many deep-fried foods, and maybe some rich dessert, the next morning's offering is rather different than the one the day before.
So what? Well, in spite of the fact that I am not that great at taking my own advice, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
- "Smooth, easily passed, with little to no wiping."
- Someone named Dr. Lindsay Duncan answered the "how many times a day" question with this nugget: "You should be having 2-3 healthy bowel movements a day. When you aren't eliminating properly, your body's waste may not be expelled for days, weeks, or even months. Most people go through their daily lives eliminating once a day, once every other day, or even less. If you eat 3 full meals a day and only eliminate once a day, once every other day, or twice a week, what happens to all the un-eliminated waste matter? Where are all the other meals hiding? All of that unexpelled toxic waste is sitting in your body affecting every cell and tissue, which has a negative impact on your health. These toxic poisons rob your body of good health and energy, making you feel old, tired and sick. Ninety percent of the time, these complaints can be alleviated or greatly reduced through internal cleansing."
- This handy link discusses size and color: http://women.webmd.com/pharmacist-11/digestive-problems (it's geared specifically to women, but that's OK)
So there you go. A little info/experience about going to the library (as my father would say, newspaper in hand, heading down the hall). One of the first episodes of Seinfeld I remember watching included this hilarious bit in which Kramer can't find a bathroom; he ends up "missing his chance." Yep. Been there...
This post is lovingly dedicated to my family. My siblings - Pam, Kevin, Brenda, Marcia - and I could tell you stories! My wife, Dana, and I could, too, but it might embarrass the kids:) Nathan encouraged me to write this one the other day, and Erin always loves hearing about the satisfaction level of my morning constitutional.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Permission Granted
Remember when you were a kid and you would just be dying to try something? Maybe be allowed to go somewhere, or do something new, or do something by yourself for the first time? Did you react the way I sometimes did? "Since I've been trusted with this responsibility, I better not screw it up. I might need to bank some good behavior for similar activities in the future." So maybe I would get home early with Dad's car, or bring home the change from the 20 bucks for groceries instead of putting it in my piggy bank. OK, not EVERY time...
This year I managed to not completely overindulge, but I didn't totally abstain, either. Admittedly there was too much alcohol, calorie-speaking, though an argument can be made that ANY alcoholic beverage fits that category. But between lunch, late afternoon at the bar, and dinner on Thursday I managed to have four drafts and a punch concoction made up of several shots of harder stuff. I was never drunk nor out of control, but like I said, the calories were all liquid and not beneficial.
Friday there were a few more drinks and more food - a dinner sponsored by a travel company that I have worked with in the past. So, too many calories. BUT... the difference I spoke of above? I knew it was coming and vowed to at least try to make good choices and I gave myself "permission" to do it. In other words, I had no plans to abstain or "deprive" myself from food and drink, but I also decided that I wouldn't grouse about my lack of willpower or inability to turn down food.
And it went well:
- Thursday's lunch was 2 crab cakes and a small bowl of soup (and two beers..) Not bad! No deep fried, and small portions, though the crab cakes are probably high in calories.
- I had a late afternoon snack at the hotel restaurant - 6 wings (and two more beers...) Again, decent portions, but deep fried...
- Dinner was awesome. Went to Stella's Bar and Grill in downtown GR (you really should go) on the recommendation of a friend. Had a Buffalo Burger - so much for portion control!! It was a beautiful thing, though, and I enjoyed it. With fries. And these wonderful things called "Stuffed Tots" or something - tater tots stuffed with cheese and jalapenos, breaded and - you guessed it - deep fried. Only had three. But they're pretty big. Anyway...
Friday and Saturday went reasonably well also, with the biggest meal being the aforementioned sponsored buffet. Limited myself to one trip, though. And two beers. And there was wine sometime before dinner.
*Disclaimer: I don't remember having this much alcohol in two days ever, so don't worry; I'm OK! Again, never out of control, and no driving.
Bottom line: ate too much, drank too much, but didn't allow myself to go to that place of "I suck at this, so I might as well just give up and eat whatever I want." Figured I would have Saturday afternoon and Sunday to do some exercise, anyway, so I would work it off. (Maybe in my next post I will talk about the cold/sinus infection-type disease I had the last three days that prevented my exercise... Ah, well, you know what they say: want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.)
Anyway, I did better than I have at similar events, and I didn't do the pity party thing. Which is a big thing for me. I'll be back at the bike tomorrow, then when I have a dinner meeting on Wednesday at Logan's I will have a low-cal, high-protein meal. No deep fried. No carbs? Probably not, but it's a good thought.
Give yourself some permission once in a while. Because what I got to thinking was that since I had permission, maybe I would try to bring back a little change. Or get home early.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
I'm Not Lazy, I'm a "Fan of Convenience"
A small, but significant, milestone this week:
218.5.
Yep, I've lost seven and a half pounds since January 1. Pretty cool. Not sure if it was the exercise or not (there has been plenty of that); it may have been weight that was coming off anyway just because I'm eating at least a little better. But that is not the real subject today. No, today is a post about my enjoyment of doing nothing...
I hate lazy people. Drives me crazy. Not really sure why, since I AM one. Totally. Notice how it's been a week or so since I last posted? Did you think to yourself, "well, he's back to work after a vacation and has a lot to prepare for, what with a concert this week and solo and ensemble festival coming up, etc., etc."? You did, didn't you? Yeah, it's not really that true.
See, there are many, many times that I could (and, perhaps, SHOULD) be doing something besides what I am doing. Fact is, I sit around a lot. And I enjoy it. I think it keeps me from stressing a lot, but who knows?
Sure, school gets busy. But the bottom line is that I'm not a "regular" classroom teacher, so the grading of papers, the intricate lesson plans, all that stuff that they do, isn't happening. My most intricate lesson plan usually involves writing which part of the music we'll be rehearsing that day. I can't even fathom being an elementary classroom teacher. Friend Angie says there are times it takes her longer to write the lesson plan than to teach the lesson for her fourth graders! And this is FOURTH grade!! I can't imagine a room full of nine-year-olds. But anyway, back to me.
Former student Tim coined a phrase that I really like. I was telling a group of kids several years ago of my lazy tendencies. He said, "Walker, don't think of it as lazy, think of it as being a fan of convenience." Perfect! And I'm a big, big fan.
And that has a bearing on my lifestyle - trumpet practicing, teaching, exercising, eating. Eating? Oh, yeah, eating. Why do you think they call them CONVENIENCE foods??? They're for guys like me. I don't go grab a good healthy stash of ingredients out of the fridge and make a tasty, low-cal meal. No, if it's football season, you can find me at McDonald's on Mondays after practice, and somewhere else Friday after the game. Conveniently eating whatever's in front of me.
So I think (other) lazy people bother me because I reflect on myself in their actions.
And the real point of this writing? That it's so easy (ohhhh, so easy) to not exercise and not eat right. And society has helped make it that way. (I'm not blaming anyone but myself here, so don't get all crazy on me...) But seriously - "convenience" store, "fast food," "drive thru," - come on! When did we lose our capacity to do any work whatsoever?
When I get home from school I like to take some time and relax. Put my feet up. Take a load off. This past week was going to be a challenge for me, and I faced it pretty well - Monday and Friday at TB's Gym (he canceled Wednesday or I would have been there), and trainer rides Tuesday night and Saturday morning (here's a couple shots of me in my lovely basement). So I only missed Wednesday and Thursday. A good start. Let's hope I can keep it up. Looks like it might be paying off...
my favorite tribute to laziness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FZtN7T5PXM
218.5.
Yep, I've lost seven and a half pounds since January 1. Pretty cool. Not sure if it was the exercise or not (there has been plenty of that); it may have been weight that was coming off anyway just because I'm eating at least a little better. But that is not the real subject today. No, today is a post about my enjoyment of doing nothing...
I hate lazy people. Drives me crazy. Not really sure why, since I AM one. Totally. Notice how it's been a week or so since I last posted? Did you think to yourself, "well, he's back to work after a vacation and has a lot to prepare for, what with a concert this week and solo and ensemble festival coming up, etc., etc."? You did, didn't you? Yeah, it's not really that true.
See, there are many, many times that I could (and, perhaps, SHOULD) be doing something besides what I am doing. Fact is, I sit around a lot. And I enjoy it. I think it keeps me from stressing a lot, but who knows?
Sure, school gets busy. But the bottom line is that I'm not a "regular" classroom teacher, so the grading of papers, the intricate lesson plans, all that stuff that they do, isn't happening. My most intricate lesson plan usually involves writing which part of the music we'll be rehearsing that day. I can't even fathom being an elementary classroom teacher. Friend Angie says there are times it takes her longer to write the lesson plan than to teach the lesson for her fourth graders! And this is FOURTH grade!! I can't imagine a room full of nine-year-olds. But anyway, back to me.
Former student Tim coined a phrase that I really like. I was telling a group of kids several years ago of my lazy tendencies. He said, "Walker, don't think of it as lazy, think of it as being a fan of convenience." Perfect! And I'm a big, big fan.
And that has a bearing on my lifestyle - trumpet practicing, teaching, exercising, eating. Eating? Oh, yeah, eating. Why do you think they call them CONVENIENCE foods??? They're for guys like me. I don't go grab a good healthy stash of ingredients out of the fridge and make a tasty, low-cal meal. No, if it's football season, you can find me at McDonald's on Mondays after practice, and somewhere else Friday after the game. Conveniently eating whatever's in front of me.
So I think (other) lazy people bother me because I reflect on myself in their actions.
And the real point of this writing? That it's so easy (ohhhh, so easy) to not exercise and not eat right. And society has helped make it that way. (I'm not blaming anyone but myself here, so don't get all crazy on me...) But seriously - "convenience" store, "fast food," "drive thru," - come on! When did we lose our capacity to do any work whatsoever?
When I get home from school I like to take some time and relax. Put my feet up. Take a load off. This past week was going to be a challenge for me, and I faced it pretty well - Monday and Friday at TB's Gym (he canceled Wednesday or I would have been there), and trainer rides Tuesday night and Saturday morning (here's a couple shots of me in my lovely basement). So I only missed Wednesday and Thursday. A good start. Let's hope I can keep it up. Looks like it might be paying off...
my favorite tribute to laziness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FZtN7T5PXM
Saturday, January 5, 2013
I'm Doing This for MySELF
Well, here I am in the final weekend of Christmas break, wondering if my new routine will carry me through the rest of the school year. It's not that I don't want to do things, it's just that I sometimes find it difficult to keep going with a good plan because, frankly, I'm pretty worn out at the end of each day after school and really enjoy taking a load off. But more on that idea later. Today's thoughts are more a continuation of what I talked about last time.
I have at least one friend who is an alcoholic, and I have known many folks throughout the years who have been smokers and are addicted to nicotine. I hope that I don't offend here, or have people think I am making light of those situations, but I am pretty convinced I'm addicted to food. Stay with me; there are many signs.
My last class for my Master's degree was a seminar in alcohol and drug abuse. I thought that would be a good thing for my career and helping kids deal with stuff, etc. The professor, a psychologist, said something that has stuck with me for ten years. It went along the lines of "an addiction is when 1 (drink) is too many, but 1,000 is not enough." I smiled. "Holy crap, I'm addicted to McDonald's fries..."
And M&Ms. And many other so-called comfort foods. Have you ever done something because you're stressed? Happy? Sad? Angry? I have associated all of those things with EATING. The biggest problem here is that I also love food. Seriously. I don't know if an alcoholic would talk about loving the flavor, aroma, feel of alcohol, but I appreciate food. So I can eat virtually any time! Hungry? Who cares? It's FOOD! Bad day at school? Burger. Good day at school? Celebrate with pizza. Beginning of the year? Curragh for Fish and Chips. End of the year? NHBC for the D-White pizza. You get the idea.
I apologize if, in my ignorance, I have this wrong*. But from what I hear from friends and what I have read, these are addictive behaviors. I didn't mention things like hiding food from others so they don't see you (yep, done it), eating while standing in the kitchen so it doesn't seem like I'm eating as much (mhmm...), and the classic "I can stop this whenever I want." The last one's not so bad, because honestly, I haven't wanted to stop all that much.
*I hate those apologies, by the way. "IF" I'm wrong. I don't know how else to put this one, though.
Which FINALLY brings me to the point of today's entry. I have done bets with people, entered contests at school, signed up for the wellness program (which offers "prizes"), and that kind of thing. Sometimes it works, but most often not. Because I have come to realize that until I want to make this happen for MYSELF, it won't happen.
I have a former student who tried to quit smoking last summer. We gave him crap about it, told him how much money he was spending on cigarettes on a yearly basis, offered to bet with him, reward him, and all the things I mentioned above. At one point he said something like I did. He just didn't want to quit. And in spite of all the stuff I (and he) know about the dangers, evils, and horrors of cigarette smoking, I understood him absolutely. You can't do it for someone else; you have to admit to yourSELF that things need to change. (I don't know where he is on his efforts; I have made it kind of a point to not ask, because it's not my business.)
So here we are, at the beginning of another year and another quest, and I know I have friends and family pulling for me. But I know that, though you are all in my corner, it will not matter how much support I have until I understand myself better. I've come to the conclusion that I am tired of being this way. Mostly it's about how I look, honestly (waaaaayy too much like a guy in his late 40s, for instance...), but lately, as I mentioned a couple posts ago, I have also been thinking about my family history. Doc died at age 70-ish, a few months shy of 71. Quadruple bypass, brought on by high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 Diabetes. All preventable with lifestyle changes. His condition was exacerbated by rheumatic fever as a child (or so I'm told), but I watched the man eat for 20-some years. We used to fight over Helen's American Fries (which to this day I can't duplicate...) if that tells you anything.
So please understand something as you support me: there's a chance I might bristle at your "assistance" at some point. It will probably be when I'm holding a damn pint of Ben and Jerry's that I don't need. But believe me when I tell you that THAT is not the moment to try to stop me or remind me of my successes. I know at least one person who knows exactly what I'm talking about:) And you won't understand it until you've been here.
Next in this exciting tale... "I'm Not Lazy, I'm a Fan of Convenience." Refer to paragraph number one in today's entry for a reminder.
I have at least one friend who is an alcoholic, and I have known many folks throughout the years who have been smokers and are addicted to nicotine. I hope that I don't offend here, or have people think I am making light of those situations, but I am pretty convinced I'm addicted to food. Stay with me; there are many signs.
My last class for my Master's degree was a seminar in alcohol and drug abuse. I thought that would be a good thing for my career and helping kids deal with stuff, etc. The professor, a psychologist, said something that has stuck with me for ten years. It went along the lines of "an addiction is when 1 (drink) is too many, but 1,000 is not enough." I smiled. "Holy crap, I'm addicted to McDonald's fries..."
And M&Ms. And many other so-called comfort foods. Have you ever done something because you're stressed? Happy? Sad? Angry? I have associated all of those things with EATING. The biggest problem here is that I also love food. Seriously. I don't know if an alcoholic would talk about loving the flavor, aroma, feel of alcohol, but I appreciate food. So I can eat virtually any time! Hungry? Who cares? It's FOOD! Bad day at school? Burger. Good day at school? Celebrate with pizza. Beginning of the year? Curragh for Fish and Chips. End of the year? NHBC for the D-White pizza. You get the idea.
I apologize if, in my ignorance, I have this wrong*. But from what I hear from friends and what I have read, these are addictive behaviors. I didn't mention things like hiding food from others so they don't see you (yep, done it), eating while standing in the kitchen so it doesn't seem like I'm eating as much (mhmm...), and the classic "I can stop this whenever I want." The last one's not so bad, because honestly, I haven't wanted to stop all that much.
*I hate those apologies, by the way. "IF" I'm wrong. I don't know how else to put this one, though.
Which FINALLY brings me to the point of today's entry. I have done bets with people, entered contests at school, signed up for the wellness program (which offers "prizes"), and that kind of thing. Sometimes it works, but most often not. Because I have come to realize that until I want to make this happen for MYSELF, it won't happen.
I have a former student who tried to quit smoking last summer. We gave him crap about it, told him how much money he was spending on cigarettes on a yearly basis, offered to bet with him, reward him, and all the things I mentioned above. At one point he said something like I did. He just didn't want to quit. And in spite of all the stuff I (and he) know about the dangers, evils, and horrors of cigarette smoking, I understood him absolutely. You can't do it for someone else; you have to admit to yourSELF that things need to change. (I don't know where he is on his efforts; I have made it kind of a point to not ask, because it's not my business.)
So here we are, at the beginning of another year and another quest, and I know I have friends and family pulling for me. But I know that, though you are all in my corner, it will not matter how much support I have until I understand myself better. I've come to the conclusion that I am tired of being this way. Mostly it's about how I look, honestly (waaaaayy too much like a guy in his late 40s, for instance...), but lately, as I mentioned a couple posts ago, I have also been thinking about my family history. Doc died at age 70-ish, a few months shy of 71. Quadruple bypass, brought on by high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 Diabetes. All preventable with lifestyle changes. His condition was exacerbated by rheumatic fever as a child (or so I'm told), but I watched the man eat for 20-some years. We used to fight over Helen's American Fries (which to this day I can't duplicate...) if that tells you anything.
So please understand something as you support me: there's a chance I might bristle at your "assistance" at some point. It will probably be when I'm holding a damn pint of Ben and Jerry's that I don't need. But believe me when I tell you that THAT is not the moment to try to stop me or remind me of my successes. I know at least one person who knows exactly what I'm talking about:) And you won't understand it until you've been here.
Next in this exciting tale... "I'm Not Lazy, I'm a Fan of Convenience." Refer to paragraph number one in today's entry for a reminder.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)