Happy Anniversary

On August 15, 2010, I started logging my exercise, nothing fancy, just using the 'notes' on my IPhone. Most experts in lifestyle change advocate writing things down, and the Weight Watchers program incorporates 'tracking'.   Tracking, either on paper or on WW etools, has never been my strong suit.  But today, I celebrate the first anniversary of my exercise log.  Back when I was first diagnosed, Dr. Natalie, in discussing exercise, said it was not optional.  Or rather, not exercising is not an option.  And so I do. 
The advantage of recording is that you have a record.. duh!   Reviewing it tells a story.  Lapses?  Sure.   But a review of the log shows 65 yoga classes and 184 walking entries.  Perfect?  No.
I am no longer seeking perfection, only consistency. 
BTW, my A1C went from 7.9 to 6.5.
Dr. Natalie is happy and so am I. 
Heading to Yoga tonight. 

A Letter from Canyon Ranch

A letter arrived,  postmarked June 14, return address Canyon Ranch, tag line "The Power of Possibility (r)"  It was addressed to me in my own handwriting.  I had no recall of having written it -- kind of like those postcards you fill out to yourself at the dentist office and they mail to you to remind you of your next appointment.  Whatever had I written to myself?  I procrastinated about opening it -- mostly because I thought it would contain some letter reminding me that there are things I planned to do that I have not done--you know the lose 15 pounds in 15 days types of promises to oneself.  After about a week, I peeked in the envelope and pulled out a one page document, titled, 'Commitment to Myself' and dated March 23, 2011.  On it I had written a total of 38 words.  Three statements of commitment to a healthier style and three changes that would be apparent three months out. 
I was pleasantly surprised.  Perhaps I did learn something new there about behavior change.  The commitments I made were modest -- to incorporate the recommendations for diet change and exercise and to apply my personal values.  The changes I hoped to realize have been.  They were modest also, having to do with how my clothes fit, my ability to do more challenging yoga and having lower blood sugar levels.
Every day brings challenges and there have been setbacks.  Three things I have learned so far in this journey that I talk to myself about consistently.

1. Stay in Today (forget yesterday and don't worry about tomorrow).  There is a reason why the Lord's Prayer speaks of 'our daily bread'.  I only make positive progress when I keep myself firmly planted in the present moment.
2. Small Changes.  Things like taking the stairs, walking to local destinations (church, coffee shop), parking a longer distance from entrances and remembering to move instead of sit when I can.
3. Simple Pleasures.  Farmers markets and more real food (I ask myself -- "Who made this and What's in it?")  I'm beginning to prefer a more basic diet of fruits, vegetables and meats.  And wine, in very small amounts has really helped.  

Other results?  Went to Weight Watchers this morning.  Down a total of 15 pounds since the beginning of the year, nine since Canyon Ranch (and 27 since my all time high).  Not earth shattering, but my goal has always been to get 50 pounds off -- 23 more to go and eight months to go. 

Those Who Fail To Plan

… plan to fail.  Isn’t that how the saying goes?  I have not written a lot of posts lately about the ‘Eat’-focused portion of this blog.  But the last few weeks have been a struggle.  This is party-time, with lots of social stuff going on related to work and personal life, including retirement dinners, nurses and hospital week celebrations, graduation parties and reunions.  I’ve been avoiding the scale and when I checked this morning, it showed an increase of 2.3 pounds since my last Weight Watchers weigh-in on April 26.  Yikes!  It’s kind of freaking me out.  Now, overall I am still down 22 pounds from my peak weight and 11 since January.  But still, it’s going in the wrong direction. 

But let me digress.  I am not a very organized person – I don’t typically make lists; my desk is cluttered; I’d have a hard time finding my social security card if I had to; and right now, have been unable to locate the parking pass that opens the gate to the hospital garage for several days.  The only good thing about not knowing where the parking pass is?  I have to walk from one of the outlying lots so I get more exercise.

This disorganization is itself a source of stress.  I truly am in awe of those who are blessed with the organization gene.   You know, they’re the ones who send thank you notes promptly, keep track of birthdays, can locate the family mailing list, the ones you call when you need an address or phone number and who don’t have to move stuff out of the front seat of the car when driving you somewhere. 

What I have noticed in the last few weeks is that I get into trouble when I do not meticulously and consciously plan meals and snacks or when a meeting involving a meal or at mealtime interrupts my typical schedule. 

So next week, I have a three-day business trip with a group from work.  I have started thinking about how I will take food with me to help me get through it.  It’s at a world-famous healthcare institution known for a focus on wellness, but I am not going to take any chances.  Mentally, I have begun packing an insulated tote bag with some low-carb staples like cut vegetables, Greek yogurt, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Yumnuts, etc.

Not willing to wing this one.  Not willing to skip another Weight Watchers weigh-in either. 

Weight Watchers

I have an up and down relationship with Weight Watchers®.  Sort of like my weight.  It started in my early 20s, so we have been together, albeit intermittently, for about 35 years.      

Back in the 70s there was a small pink book that provided the rules of the program – still have it but still remember a lot of it off the top of my head.  The highlights were:  five fish meals a week, liver once a week, vegetables with category numbers, limited number of fruits a day and categories of fruits, limited beef, limited carbs and large protein servings at lunch and dinner.   Rules were rules. 

This was the program on which I reached ‘lifetime member’ status.  And never since gotten back to that low point in my weight. 

They keep updating the program and the spokespeople.  Remember Lynn Redgrave?  Fergie?  Now there is Jennifer Hudson, etools, points calculators, many more choices and much more flexibility than we had back in the old days. 

Since signing up for the umpteenth time in January for the Weight Watchers at Work Program ™, I have lost ten pounds and have 25 more to go.  But it’s been a rough road.  Only since the nutrition and naturopathic consults at Canyon Ranch have I gotten a clear roadmap of how it will be possible for me to lose the weight I need to.  It seems that Weight Watchers ®, in all its wisdom and new-found flexibility, has to be tweaked in order for me to effectively and consistently lose weight.  

What doesn’t work for me?  The carbs, including fruit, particularly eaten alone, seem to drive cravings that only lead to an appetite for even more carbs.   The CR recommendation to eat protein with carbs and more strictly monitor carbs seems to be working now in conjunction with the other positive aspects of the WW program. 

New lesson learned?  You are an experiment of one.  If whatever you are doing is not working for you, get advice.  Talk to the WW Leader or a nutritionist and all you may need are a few “tweaks” (I love that word.).  And sometimes, whatever is old becomes new again.