MiddleAgeShed

Valuing Yourself By Having a Personal Maintence System

I listened to the interview Heather made with Dayle Haddon, and I was struck that she is so right about valuing yourself. Why do we let ourselves go? Why do we let the weight pile on? I know for me it always happens at a time when I am either

• Too busy so that my health is lower down my list of priorities
• Unhappy with an aspect of my life
• Tired and therefore health moves down my list of my life to do list. Let's not kid ourselves, living a healthier lifestyle takes effort, takes time.

However, most of this means that to be healthy, to be at the weight that we want to be at...means that day in day out we need to value ourselves. We are our only asset and yet we let it deteriorate which is stupid....if our body is our only asset, then we should be creating a personal maintenance system that keeps that "asset" strong and healthy.

Dieting Made Easy!

The Times has an article on how as people we have changed our lifestyles from a calorie burning to one the encourages obesity. They give tips on how to lose weight without paying for a gym membership

How to lose more weight for no money

Clean the bathtub 4 calories a minute

Play the air guitar 3.5 calories a minute

Rake the lawn 6 calories a minute

Take up playing the trombone 7 calories a minute

Go on a “bear-hunt” with children in the woods 5.5 calories a minute

Play hopscotch 7.5 calories a minute

Sing to your favourite CD while standing up 3 calories a minute

In-line skate to work 5.5 calories a minute

Push two supermarket trolleys at once when shopping 8 calories a minute

Sand floors with an electric sanding machine 9 calories a minute

Decorate a room 7 calories a minute

Go paintballing 8 calories a minute

Carry a toddler around the shops 9 calories a minute

Saw some hardwood 9 calories a minute

Perform jumping jacks while watching TV 11 calories a minute

So go on which will you be trying! Note to self...remember to close curtains before performing jumping jacks in front of TV :)

New Health Site

I have just seen that Microsoft has launched a new website called HealthVault, described as
"When it's your job to protect your family's health, you need every advantage. Imagine                                 if you had a way to collect, store, and share the health information critical                                 to your family's well-being.HealthVault is the new and FREE way to do                                 just that. Imagine controlling the flow of your health information. Whether you need to search                                 the Web for the most up-to-date treatments, catalog existing health records, receive                                 test results, or monitor current physical readings — HealthVault gives you the control                                 you need."

The site has resources and also PC compatible software to help you with all sorts of health related issues. I am just not sure that I could share such personal information on the web? I suppose that is the old fashioned girl in me coming out...I bet in 2-3 years time we won't think anything of it..like internet banking. Mmm just going to see what they saw when your eyes are constantly bigger than your belly on holiday!

Changing Attitude

I now tend to avoid eating on the move.

This way I enjoy my food more, dont feel deprived and so am happier to eat less. The riskiest point for me though is just when I have finished my meal as often I still feel hungry at that point.

If I can slow down eating too its better as I feel fuller and less likely to snack.

Thats it.

They tell me size does not matter...

You diet, you lose weight, you look forward to buying new clothes....know the feeling?

Today I got a shock as I ordered a top and when I looked at the sizes despite being a 12-14 (UK size) now....I needed to order a XL! Do businesses not understand the effect on women....maybe it is just me but I don't feel XL and I don't want to buy XL.

Part of the happiness of losing weight is the joy of buying smaller clothes.....so that company will not be getting any repeat business from this grouchy woman!

Tennis

I just looked up how many calories 2 hours of tennis burned, and it was pretty good:

In match play which our team did last night we burned 704 calories.

Yippee

off to look at swimming and running...

http://www.self.com/health/activity/calculators

A Whole New Mind (and Wardrobe)

Oh last night was a great night. I emptied my wardrobe again! Yes, I have now moved back into my former clothes - you know, the ones I wore when I thought my body was OK.
It was a fab feeling and now I have a new problem - which pair of trousers or skirt should I wear!! That is a great feeling compared to  - I only have the one pair, do I have to wear them again....

Of course the clothes are a couple of years "old" so I need to go shopping for some trendier items but I don't care - it just feels great that I have a full wardrobe - back to colour rather than "slimming black" and I feel like a woman again, rather than a sack of potatoes.

Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss....oops got carried away there.... :)

Heather's Day in the "Shed"

Although I have been less able to exercise this week due being in London, Cambridge and Carmarthan (!!), I still feel the addiction. Since Saturday's weigh in I have swum once, run twice and played 3 hours of tennis, and am looking forward to a run in the morning and a swim before the Saturday weigh in. This is actually fun!

Strange.

(Won the tennis too)

However, as a farmer I heard something about milk/calcium helping you lose weight. Does anyone have any evidence or details? If not I will google for a show coming to your iPod soon...

Did you know that the average price of bottled water is far far far higher than a bottle of milk! Unbelievabubble.

I'm Back

Sorry there is no podcast this week - but have been in no broadband land "studying"!!! Very enjoyable it was too - I have done my best on the eating but have had quite a few drinks! Anyway as this week I have run and swum, swum and run I am still hoping for a weight loss - we shall see in the morning when I will weigh in.

Off to the gym now!!

Lifestyle Statements - Part 4

Another in my series of my diet learnings

Diet Learning # 004

Thinking ahead helps you control your eating. For instance, today I have a 4 hour drive, a speaking event with buffet, then 4 hour drive back. Buffets are rarely "healthy" so I will not be eating my normal lunch, I will have a little fruit and plenty of water. I have already thought about what I will eat and what I won't be eating at the buffet....

Before I would have eaten meals as they happened. Now I think of the day and control my calories intake ahead of temptations. I suppose it is like any journey - mapping your route to calorie city is vital to ensure that you consume less calories than you will be burning up.