8 weeks to optimum health

I have read several books on dieting and health. The only one that really makes sense to me is 8 Weeks to Optimum Health: A Proven Program for Taking Full Advantage of Your Body's Natural Healing Power by Andrew Weil. And I am learning that it really doesn't take all that long to bake a chicken breast or salmon fillet and some steamed vegetables. I have gotten into a routine of what I buy and what I eat. And I like routines.

Eight Weeks breaks down getting healthier into 8 weeks. duh. Dr. Weil explains his reasoning for choosing a Mediterranean diet then goes on to have you do a new step each week. They are all pretty easy to follow though I have gotten stuck at getting a massage, going in a steam room and meditating. The first 2 cost money and although there is no cost to meditating, I can't seem to shut off my brain.

The program then gets progressively more involved--more supplements; more of a shift toward a diet based on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; more exercise. Besides these steady changes, each week's program has a focus: In week 2, you start drinking bottled or filtered water; week 3 focuses on organic produce; week 4, on sleep; week 5, using a steam bath or sauna; week 6, trying a "universal tonic" like ginseng; week 7, volunteering in your community; and finally, in week 8, figuring out how to integrate permanently the elements of the program into your life.

Another problem I have is getting all the supplements he suggests. You can order convenient packs from his site but it isn't cheap. Right now, I am just taking a multi-vitamin.

Oh right, this is Wednesday. Let's get the excuses out of the way. It has rained almost everyday so I have only been able to walk once. Add to that, Andy was home sick for three days and then there was the holiday weekend. My weight has been up and down more than any rollercoaster. I am quite surprised I lost anything at all. But lose I did. A whopping one pound! Hey, I am being positive. This brings my total weight lost to 43.8 pounds. And to prove it's been wet...

excuses, excuses!

OOPS! Where's today's post? It was on my to do list. I had plenty of time. The 3 day weekend just sort of slipped away.

I hate these long weekends. The kids get bored with each other and I get antsy to have them gone to school so I can do what I want to do. I was determined to make the most of this weekend by being productive. I would make cards, pull some orders, do laundry, do some weeding and write some blog posts ahead of time.

I did get some cards made.

I did some laundry.

I did some weeding.

But every time I sat in my chair, either Ryan was using the laptop or my eyes grew heavy and I was out. I hope I have gotten caught up in my sleep.

On Monday, we all wanted out of the house. So I suggested we go to Hollies. It's a family run nursery. Ryan was up for that (surprise) and we went. They we closed so we ended up at Lake Park. The boys had fun and I got lots of photos.



We were home in plenty of time for me to write something but then...

a tree grows [and falls] in florida

We moved into this house in January 2000. It was a new subdivision and had very few trees. In fact, the only trees were the small ones planted in the front yard of each home.

Our back yard faces southeast so it gets the sun all day. I knew I wanted and needed trees in the back. Our neighbor, Lisa, grew up in Florida. I asked her what kind of shade tree would be best, and grow fast. She suggested magnolias. I read some information and it suggested camphor trees. I called around to some nurseries and found that most were out of magnolias. Hollies had some smaller ones and we took a drive to look.

Hollies was a great find. The staff is so knowledgable and friendly. They had a lot of area where my boys could happily wander about. I asked about the magnolias and found that they were expensive, did not grow fast and were not good shade trees. The camphor trees? They were aggressive and not kind to the native Florida plants. They suggested elms. Elms? Aren't they all gone? These were a diiferent variety that did not succumb to the Dutch Elm disease. Also, the leaves were small and would disappear into the grass and not require raking. I had them install 2 and I had them placed about 15' apart so Gail could string his hammock in about 20 years.


(summer 2002)

I was good to the trees. Each day I watered them as directed. After a month, I began to wean them from their daily water. They didn't die but they didn't thrive either. When I planted the jasmine, I was told "The first year they sleep, the second year they creep ans the third year they leap." I think this may apply to the elms. They trees took a few years to sleep and establish their roots. Soon enough they did grow and provide some shade.

I wanted more trees. I picked up 2 red tip maple trees for $10 each. They were little more than sapplings. But they grew. I also spent a heafty sum on a ligustrum which is technically a shrub but can be trained as a tree like the one I got.

By 2003, the drought eased up a bit but there were some people who still watered everyday. My neighbor behind me was one. And his yard is a bit higher than mine because they goofed when they built his pool. I complained to the builder by writing a letter. I complained to the county about their watering habits. The county came out and fined me because I was watering on one of my off days. I had new plants and it is allowed. However, I would have to go to court to fight it and the appointed day was during our vacation. I paid the fine. Meanwhile, the neighbors constant watering killed one of my elms and one of maples. My symmetry was gone! The balance was off! grr


(summer 2004)

Hurricane Francis managed to tilt the remaining elm. My dad shored it up and it didn't seem to mind as it continued to grow.






(summer 2007)

My dad has to replace the support a couple of times as the elm outgrew them. Other elms in the neighborhood fell to the same fate. This past winter we had to remove the playhouse as the tree was leaning on it for support. Once again, my dad re-braced the tree.


(spring 2009)

Wednesday, May 13, we got our first storm of the year. It was earlier than our typical summer storms. And much stronger. The winds were fierce and the rain horizontal. The yard was flooded.

Thursday morning and the yard was still under water. Ryan went out to jump on the trampoline. I glanced up and saw the tree covering a third of the trampoline. I took some photos with my point & shoot, it being at hand. It was too wet for me to go out and check on the roots at the time. I did check later and the roots are still buried. Chris is going to come and check on it and decide the best action. (I told him it was a rush but it's been about 10 days.)





I hate that we have spent 9 years with this tree and we might will lose it.

movin' on up!

Andy is moving up to middle school next year. We visited WMS last week. It was nice to see a different building design. Let me explain. Almost all of the elementary schools are the same design. So even though the boys have been to 3 different schools, the only differences have been cosmetic. In fact, the design is rather utilitarian and ugly. Back to middle school. WMS was built in 1991 and it's a deep red brick. There are 6 buildings which feed off a central courtyard.

Andy was excited about his building having a hallway. The elementary school classrooms all open to exterior covered walkways. He liked that the hallway and bathroom have good echos.

His new classroom is rather small but there will only be 4 or 5 kids in his class. Four classmates are moving up but they will be separated according to ability. Andy & S will be in the highest level.



Andy's new teacher, Miss Jessica, is a trip. She looks and sounds a bit like Kristin Chenowith but is taller and doesn't sing soprano as far as I know. She loves these kids and they love her. While we were there, she was having the students help her pick out videos to include in their annual compilation. She tapes the kids "Cooking Show" and "Dance Party" and even at the school dances. Andy & S loved watching the videos.

There is an annual school talent show. One of the austistic kids won Third Place last year. Miss Jessica was so proud of him and showed his video. The boy, DK, was good but I know Andy can sing better. It will be interesting to see how Andy acts on the stage with an audience.

Classes start an hour earlier than elementary school. Which means the bus will come an hour earlier. Andy is not my early riser. We will need to work on this through the summer so it's not a shock when first day comes.



It was really interesting to see the older students. I did not know them before so I don't know what kind of progress they have made in WMS. But they spoke well and were not shy about meeting new people. I hope this helps Andy. One thing that will help is having Ryan at a different school. Though coordinating their schedules will be tough, Andy relies on Ryan being there. He hates when Ryan is sick and not on the bus.

[weigh-in wednesday] 5/19 diets

This week, .4 pounds, total 42.8 pounds.

So frustrating to watch the scale hover around the same point. I know I should weight myself every day. I can't help it. At least it isn't going up.

Should I even mention the word diet? It's a four letter word with a bad reputation.

diet 1 |di-it|

noun
the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats : a vegetarian diet | a specialist in diet.
• a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons : I'm going on a diet.
• [as adj. ] (of food or drink) with reduced fat or sugar content : diet soft drinks.
• figurative a regular occupation or series of activities in which one participates : a healthy diet of classical music.

verb ( dieted , dieting ) [ intrans. ]
restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight : it's difficult to diet.

I think I should focus on the first definition:

the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats

OK. That seems pretty safe. Really, a diet is just what you eat. So, what kind of diet are you on? And I don't mean a specialized diet to help you lose weight. What kind of food to eat day to day?

Most of us born probably grew up eating the same things. Cold cereals for breakfast. Sandwiches on white bread for lunch. Meat, potatoes and canned vegetables to dinner. A few fresh fruits were thrown in but weren't encouraged because they disappeared too quickly. Store bought cookies and salty snacks were around but not like they are today. We jad milk in our cereal for breakfast, at lunch in school and were required to drink at least one glass during dinner. We were allowed one soda per day, usually a 10 ounce bottle. We had to split a 16 ounce bottle. Most meals were at home. With a family of 7, eating out became very expensive. TV dinners were rare and considered a treat. (Really, eating poor quality food in an aluminum tray was a treat?) I call this the American diet of the 1970s.

In the 1980s, more of our food came from packages. Packaged potatoes, sauces in jars and frozen, microwaveable meals became the norm. We still had milk in our cereal but in high school, we had the option of soda. Milk was no longer required at dinner. And that is partially because we started to eat out more frequently. My brothers were grown and gone and now we were a family of 4. There were more fast food restaurant and more affordable family restaurant to visit. There we were allowed one soda as free refills did not exist. Family meals at home were few and far between. When we were home, the TV was usually on and mom was probably on the phone. We were still limited to one soda per day at home. But we had our own money and local quickie marts to buy soda and snacks. This was our American diet of the 1980s.

I was never one for the cooking. Find something, make it and eat it. I don't enjoy the process, it feels like a chore. Convenience food were my friends and enemies. I learned to make casseroles since I would have to juggle to many things at once and try to coordinate all the cooking times and temps. I was cooking for convenience rather than health. And there are so many options in the frozen foods section. I love Stouffer's Mac & Cheese and couldn't happily eat it several days a week. I once made lasagna from scratch. It took hours and it didn't taste all that better than Stouffer's.

But convenience foods are not a healthy choice. They are full of added fat and sodium and preservatives. And they are not cheap either. You are paying for their time to make it and package it and deliver it to your store.

So what now?

warsaw filharmonia

The following week was spent getting acclimated to the city. Lori & Teré never seemed to stop complaining. It was cold in the rooms so Stefan and Fred brought over a heater for them. We went shopping for boots and they didn't like anything they saw. To be fair, we were shopping in Poland and were lucky to even find any boots. Many shops were half empty. Then again, did they not realize that February and most of March is still winter? Lori's pink high-top Reebok's may have been stylish but were impractical.

Mike and I did our best to avoid them. I liked Nopp but she stayed with Lori & Teré so I only spent time with her at class or at the dorm. Fred didn't do much to make the girls shut up but he didn't placate them either. I think he was used to tuning out females.

I started to venture out on my own. I liked doing what I want when I want and not have 5 people complain about it. I liked to ride the trams and just watch the city go by. It was very cheap, less than pennies. I went into a local café called the Magnolia. I was handed a typed menu, all in Polish. I would point to something and be told "Nie wiecej" I would point to something else and be told, "Nie wiecej." Finally, I pointed to something that they did have. I didn't know what it was until it came. It turned out to be veal cutlet which was good.

I thought a lot about Bill. As much as I liked him, I was conflicted. There wasn't anyone to talk and I didn't know which way to go. I guess that was all for the best. Lori told Fred about him. When we got to the embassy Friday night, Fred was already there asking for Bill. It was very embarrassing. It was the one night Bill & I could have gotten together. But there were plans to go to the Warsaw Philharmonic. I really did not want to go and Fred knew it.I am glad that I went. The music, limited to a piano and violin, was wonderful. I was really impressed with the architecture. The original building was destroyed in 1939 and was rebuilt after the war. Fred thought it looked too plain but I really liked it. I think it made me focus on the music more.And going to the Philharmonic made me avoid a big mistake with Bill.

not me! monday

This is my first Not Me! Monday. I got the idea from here.

Sometimes being a mom is tough. So many things to do. We compensate by multi-tasking. Lucky for me I did not leave the stove on and have Andy tell me about it later after the calphalon griddle was ruined. Not me!

And us moms need to keep all those appointments straight. It's a good thing that even though I wrote down the right day, I did not take the boys to their hair appointment a week early to find the door locked. Not me!

Us mom also have to schedule repairs when necessary, or put it off for months because we get a lot of rain in the summer. But I did eventually call the sprinkler guy came to repair the sprinklers. But I did not not check them before I called. They worked and there was nothing to do but pay the $75 service call. Not me!

Some household maintenance we can do ourselves. It's a good thing my dad taught me how to use a plunger because I did not plug up the toilet. Not me!

Us moms have to buy the groceries. I did not go to the grocery store 3 times because I did not plan ahead. Not me!

Oh Thursday, I was to meet the teachers and students when they went to check out their school for next year. I arrived early because I hate to be late. I did not fail to see them arrive because I was too interested in listening to This American Life. Not me!



I cannot guarantee that Not Me! Monday will happen every week. But it's a fun way to keep it real, so to speak. Then again, I did not do anything of the things written here. Not me!

water ride

We have had some unusual storms this week. It is like summer is here but these storms seem even stronger than we typically get in the summer.

I was at my computer when I heard an an engine that wasn't a car or truck. I looked and saw my neighbor with 2 boys riding his ATV through the puddles. They were getting wet and having fun. I grabbed my camera to take some pictures. Ryan followed me and when our neighbor saw him, he asked if the boys wanted a ride. I wasn't sure if they would. Ryan was hesitant so P went around the block again and came back. By then, Andy came out and wanted to go. Ryan would start to get on then change his mind. Ryan would not hop on but Andy did. He loved going through the puddles even though P did not go as fast as he had with other boys. Ryan decided he would get on, but he seemed nervous the entire time. I took lots of photos but only a few came out OK.

tom's of maine toothpaste

I got some new toothpaste. Tom's of Maine Peppermint. First of all, I am so happy that it is a paste. Why did Crest have to change everything to gel? Secondly, the smell is wonderful! The peppermint is a welcome eye opener. However, the taste is not so good. I was expecting some nice peppermint but that is overpowered by the baking soda. There is no sweet taste which is probably for the best. (Seems kind of odd to put add sugar to something that is supposed to clean your teeth.) After a few days, I am more used to the flavor.



Tom's has a lot of different toothpastes available. I would like to try one of the ones for sensitive teeth but they are not available locally. Maybe once this tube is gone, I will order some online.

My patronage of Tom's began a few years ago when Andy developed body order prematurely at age 9. I knew I wanted to get him a deodorant that was safe. Nothing with aluminum. I checked the store and decided on Tom's Fragrance Free. It has a fragrance but it's light and sweet and fades quickly. It was tricky getting Andy to use but now he does it by himself. I saw that they had a lavender scent and had to buy it for myself. I love it. They aren't antiperspirant but being in Florida, who would notice the difference if you had a bit more sweat under your arms. The main part is that they really control the stink from Andy.

I have also used Tom's Mouthwash. It seems a little weird to put witch hazel in your mouth. Did you know witch hazel is the active ingredient in Tuck's Hemerrhoid Pads? Anyway, once I got past that, the spearmint flavor is very refreshing. And I really like that there is no die, spearmint leaves may be green but products made from their essential oils are clear.

[weigh-in wednesday] 5/13 goals

This week, .8 pounds, total 41.8 pounds.

How do you reward yourself?

Do you make smaller goals and celebrate them? Or do you wait until your final goal has been met?

Does it make sense for you go out & splurge on a delicious meal when eating those delicious meals got you fat? You could buy yourself some new clothes or maybe some music but what if you are trying to save money?

Since I have a large weight loss goal, I am breaking it down into smaller portions. I will do something when I lose 50 pounds (if I ever get there). But I am not so sure what to do. It might be summer vacation time when I reach that goal so going out to eat won't be possible without a babysitter. Music and books are necessities to me so I don't really wait to buy them. I don't think I will need new clothes by then.



Perhaps a plug-in for Photoshop? On Mother's Day I almost bought Topaz Adjust but decided to spend the money on more photo greeting cards for the teaching staff. Maybe really wanting Topaz Adjust will be motivation I need?

Actually I don't know what more I can do. I have been eating less than my allotted 2100 calories. The weight seems to come off so slow. OK I know that moving more will burn more calories. And maybe instead of blogging, I should be lifting some weights or cleaning the house.

Maybe.