Acceptance - or Denial?

Today, healthy minded friends, I am going to discuss a controversial but important issue. Body image. This is a raging issue in the press...mostly because for most of my lifetime, the acceptable body image has been defined by media. TV, magazines, fashion - all telling us how we are supposed to look. Unless you've been genetically blessed and starve yourself, that's a goal you'll never hit. Nor should you want to hit it. Everyone has a different body type. I, for example, have a small bone structure despite my height. So when I was at my top weight I didn't look that unhealthy - but I was. The years of emotional and irresponsible eating had left its mark in a size 14 overweight female. You have to know what is healthy for you. If you are not a tall individual, you may be blessed with a fast metabolism. You may be petite. Or, you may have to work harder at exercise and mindful eating because each bite counts. I have friends who have a bigger bone structure, more athletic. They are healthy - their weight is higher than mine, but our structures are totally different. First things first - the goal of this blog is health. Getting doctor approved exercise in everyday. Eating healthy, mindfully - nourishing your body. It is a daily journey. Every meal and every snack is a decision. The next part is the controversial part - body acceptance. When I was at my top weight, no one called me fat. I was overweight and I knew it. I dressed in clothes that fit, as much as I hated buying clothes in the sizes I had to buy. The social construct of aiming for small dunned me. I didn't try and dress the size I wished to be - I accepted that I was a size 14, and I dressed appropriately for they size. Now that I am 40lbs lighter, I dress in the size I am at - small to medium. Even now, I have to maintain an exercise regimen and diet that helps me care for my diabetic self. I accept this. When I was at my top weight, I wasn't in denial...which would have manifested in "body acceptance". Too many people accept the shape they are in, when they are overweight, obese...or morbidly obese. By NO MEANS am I advocating self hate, but do NOT accept that being unhealthy is okay. It's not. You may say you're happy, but your heart isn't. Your cardiovascular system isn't. Your joints aren't. Your mind isn't, if you're eating emotionally. Don't accept being unhealthy. And unhealthyOften manifests physically in obesity, et al. Don't accept where you are if it's not where you should be. This applies to just about everything. Can I get an amen? Then there's the issue of modesty...but don't get me started. Tomorrow I run a 10k and I know I'm going to have to avert my eyes as I pass the running pants bought sizes too small, because that's what the runner thinks their size is...alas, no, and when stretched to their limits, those Lycra leggings get transparent. Ain't nobody wanna see that. But good for them for getting out there! Bottom line...health is a journey...every day for the rest of your life. Take the best care of yourself - that's the thing you need to accept. And don't accept unhealthy. It'll kill you. e b e r

I Went to Paris and All I Did Was Lose 3 Pounds

Ah, Paris - city of lights! Of love! Of...fabulous croissants! I just spent a little over a week in Europe, and I learned a lot. It also confirmed what I know. An extra added bonus was I came home 3 pounds closer to my healthiest weight! I was concerned that I wouldn't find anything I could eat with my diabetes. Au contraire! As usual, it came down to common sense. My favorite time of day was morning...a simple breakfast was a cup of "coffee milk", 2 ounces of fresh squeezed orange juice, and a croissant. The coffee...oh my! They drink espresso, and there is just a splash of steamed milk. So lesson number one was reiterated: portion control! Small cup of coffee with milk, small amount of orange juice, and the croissant was a third of the size that is typically presented to us here in the states. Each meal was like that - small portion sizes. The coffee was exquisite - not once did I add any sweetener to it. Each cup was freshly ground and made for me, and the freshness did not need any additives. The next reminder: fresh is best. Eat food that looks like food! Every egg I consumed was a brown egg, with yolks that were orange. These were farm fresh eggs, and they were amazing. Daily we saw the market on the block open for the purchase of fresh produce, meat, and cheese. As we passed the bistros we ate in, we watched fresh goods loaded into the restaurant every day. My cassolette for dinner had a chicken leg that looked like it was walking around that morning: it wasn't huge and uniform and pale. It was also not the star of the dish - the white beans, fresh carrots, and simmered veggies and spices were. The delightful little macaron that finished my day was made that morning in the bakery - no pre-packaged conglomeration of artificial everything. I was very pleased to see that France is an active city - people were out exercising. Everywhere I went, I saw runners. Plus, people walk everywhere. Parents were walking their kids to school in the morning, and the kids walked home for lunch. It was as it used to be when I was a child. There were no lines of cars picking up kids at school. Kids were on scooters, on skateboards, on foot. Moving! They say there "are no fat people" in France. I have to agree - I saw healthy looking people, moving, exercising, eating fresh, local food, in reasonable portions. My blood sugars were great all week- I focused on the beauty around me, and tasted what Paris had to offer! Now if the Europeans would just stop smoking!!!! e b e r

Six Miles

Welcome to a new year. A new day! A lot of people make resolutions. I have done so in the past, but more than anything it's just a reminder to keep pressing on. A healthy lifestyle doesn't start on a day...it starts every day. Last week I woke up practically immobilized from my back issue. Once that cleared, my compensating right knee was struggling. As the previous post attested to, I stayed on track with my healthy eating and breathing, etc. Today I decided to head out on a run, getting back on track with my exercise. Well, I ended up doing 6.2 miles. And I feel great! It ended up to be a great workout, despite the heat and humidity and puddle dodging. More than that, it really encouraged me. I remember starting this journey six years ago - when I set out to walk a 5k a day. Just a 3.12 mile walk daily. Now, I've done 17 half marathons, and lots of 10 and 5k's. It's still hard to believe it's me. Today reminds me how far I have come. I had to take that first step out of the door, though. And everyday, I have to remind myself that I am going to be as healthy as I want to be. Make a goal. It's your life, your goal. And start. You can do it! e b e r

Health Minded

Being healthy is a mindset, and a lifestyle. It is the only way to success and caring for the body you inhabit! You have to be mindful every day. This week my temperamental back decided to act up. I'm supposed to be training for my string of races this spring. I'm unable to do anything more than walk as of this writing. Earlier in the week, I could barely do that. My health is much more than my physical activity, though. Despite a plethora of Christmas goodies all over my house, I continued to eat healthy - small, frequent, whole food snacks. I drink lots and lots of water. I'm doing my breathing exercises. Now that I can move, I take short walks. I'm not focusing on what I can't do to live my life to the fullest, but rather what I can. I'm journaling what I eat. Accountability keeps me on track, especially as a diabetic. Sleep is also important. I'm trying to find the balance of when to stop drinking water so I'm not getting up in the night. Uninterrupted sleep is vital. This week I have lost 5 pounds. I'm not dieting, I'm caring for myself. I'm making healthy choices in every area. Mental health is also extremely important. I've learned that peace is priceless. Stress negatively effects every part of your life. Therefore, I let go of what I can't control, and modify what I can. Meditation is a daily part of my life. Don't feel like a failure if you are having difficulties in one area of your health. Focus on what you can do in all the other areas, and continue the daily journey of being the healthiest you can be! e b e r

Mind Over...Everything

This weekend I ran half marathon number 17 in Atlanta, Georgia. I had no idea the starting temperature would include a wind chill of 23 degrees. I had no idea Atlanta is one. Big. Hill. I had no idea that many of the miles would be run on tilted roads, straining my ankles. I was mentally prepared for the cold. I knew I could have trained more, but I went forth with the two goals I always have - have fun, and finish upright. It was a rough race. Then I let go and just...ran. I looked at the beautiful cityscapes that are foreign to me. I took in the beautiful houses at the top of the race course. I crunched through the leaves, glancing up at the beauty of scarlet fall leaves shimmering in the cold wind. I smiled as I ran past the dog park, laughing at the joyous romping of the city dogs on their patch of nature. I turned my mind away from the pain, the cold, the repetition of putting one foot in front of the other, and turned it toward soaking in my surroundings. Before I knew it, I was done. Mind over matter...over cold that lasted just that one day. Over pain in my ankles, straining on the road. Over thoughts of quitting, or not finishing. It starts before the race. It never ends. Every moment I have choices that directly effect my health. What I eat...or don't eat. Whether I get up and out and exercise. How much water I drink, versus less healthy choices. My attitude, and how it effects my stress level...which effects my health. Mind over everything that matters. That's what it comes down to. e b e r

Enjoy Thanksgiving...And Stay Thankful for Your Health

Oh, the big season is here...the season of loaded down plates, piled with calories and carbs galore. Just when you start to digest that, here comes more. Then..dessert! It's been the American way. Here are some suggestions on how not to gain weight over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. You may not be able to do them all, but every little bit counts! Here are some suggestions, in no particular order. *Drink plenty of water during the day before the meal. You'll be good and hydrated, and less likely to gorge. *Put a muzzle on your nibbler. All those bites you sneak before or after the meal - they all and up. And quickly! *Cook your own meal...from scratch. This way, you know exactly what ingredients are going into the food you will be eating. And you can make healthy substitutions. If you are one of those that just do not cook, then find a reasonable substitution. At the grocery store, anything bought had a label. Read it!! Compare it against other prepared foods. If there are more than 5 ingredients, or if you don't recognize most of the ingredients, move on. *Provide healthy alternatives. I'll be serving crudités- aka fresh uncooked veggies to munch on. My fresh cranberries will have just enough sweetener to make them taste good. Deviled eggs can be prepared with less fat, and are a great source of protein. Cook fresh green beans, instead of canned. Homemade sweet potatoes can be drizzled with a syrup of your making, instead of drowning in butter and sugar. The roast turkey itself is a great source of protein...and you don't have to slather it with butter. We buy ours fresh, brine it, and it's the tastiest thing ever. Super juicy! *Reasonable portions. A spoonful of the richer dishes, instead of a heap. Fill up on veggies while you wait. *Have a roll, instead of several. Or skip the bread, knowing a spoonful of dressing or stuffing is there. *No seconds! Savor each bite - slowly chew your food, enjoy it, and pause between bites. Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to realize there is food in there. Don't gobble everything down in 10 minutes. *Avoid empty calories and drink wisely! Water, tea with lemon, and club soda are all good alternatives to sweet tea or soda. As far as adult beverages, have A glass of wine. Not a bottle. That's another tangent... *Enjoy dessert...wisely! Have that pumpkin pie, but cut a small piece, and use a dollop of fresh, lightly sweetened whipped cream. Whatever your choice is, cut a small piece, and savor each bite. Or if a large slice is served to you, don't eat it all. *Take a brisk walk, or do 30 minutes of light exercise you enjoy, after your guests have left. And drink some water! I don't want to be a killjoy, but our nation is killing itself, one bite at a time. By all means enjoy family, food, and give thanks...and think how good you'll feel when you do something healthy for yourself! e b e r

Denial Ain't Just a River In Egypt. Denial maims and kills.

A frustrating aspect of being a nurse is giving people advice on how to be healthy, and then they ignore it. Or, addressing with them the issues that are impacting their health negatively, and being ignored. I get it. Denial is a lot easier than taking action. I'm the poster child for this. I spent each decade of life eating crap. Drinking soda, eating lots of carbs. I knew better...but I've never been obese, just had a little muffin top. No biggie, right? Wrong. All those empty carbs and gallons of high fructose corn syrup were taking a toll on my body. Unfortunately, I have a genetic predisposition to diabetes on both sides of my family. I'll never know if my habits hastened my type 2 diabetes diagnosis, but six years ago, the hammer fell. My life was changed forever. I could stay in denial - but I have seen the long term effects of diabetes. I'm fond of my kidneys. I like my toes. I'd like a long, healthy life. I can still have one - I just have to live mindfully. Everything is a choice. What a eat, what I drink, whether or not I park close or further out...whether I take the elevator or stairs. If I meet my daily mileage goals. All these choices have long term implications for me. And for you, too. We all are the masters of this body we live in. What kind of life do you want? Do you want a life that is leading you to high blood pressure, heart disease, immobility, early death? I tell my kids what they eat NOW affects their future. Some take that more seriously than others. I write this blog so it won't take a major negative medical diagnosis to get people to start loving themselves by taking care of themselves. How do you start? Go to a reputable doctor and get a physical. Start there. And if you haven't already..start soon. The journey starts now. Join me. e b e r