Well, I did OK on my first goal of the beginning of the year of 2008 which was to loose 30 lbs. before my vacation but I only lost 15 lbs. I thought I did well considing of my health was not up to par. I do feel stronger than ever before but still need to push myself into more exercise and push myself away from portion size of meals.
For my second goal, which everyone needs in a diet, will be to loose 30 lbs. for the next 3 months. Why three months if you're asking yourself, well it will be my 37th birthday on October 12 and I want to take a second vacation trip which I never do. West Virginia have these great 3 day road trips to see small town stores, nature water falls and the mountains. And what is better to see our country's USA nature in the falls leaves.
I have a bet with my mom, which if you reading this MOM put down that cupcake and start moving, that she has to loose 30 lbs. also and she can go along the ride with me. It's good to have a partner for motivation, support and completeness. Wish me luck and good luck with your goals of success.
My 2nd Goal
Quality Health
Here is a great website to join (it's free) to learn more about your health. Quality Health have great recipes, news to up-keep knowledge about health from doctors and coupons to save on healthy foods and products. Also, they have interactive tools and quizzes which you can learn from of what is true or not.
They have, also, this Symptom Checker which you can see what your symptoms could mean. I was getting pain and strong pitches on my arms which I thought it was a heart related but here it was strain from driving by hold on to the steering wheel to hard. It gave me home care by just relaxing and taking it easy. Plus, I have numbness in my fingers which carpal tunnel sydrome.
Check it out for yourself - Click HERE.
Humor for Colonoscopy Test
Hope you enjoyed it (the description, not the procedure) as much as I did! Everyone needs a little smile on a Wednesday morning!
Subject: Dave Barry's Colonoscopy Journal
... I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis. Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy,I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose watery bowel movement may result.'
This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground. MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.
The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I wa s already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand. There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by Abba. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' has to be the least appropriate. 'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said. And t hen it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade.
If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like. I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, Abba was shrieking 'Dancing Queen! Feel the beat from the tambourine ...'.. and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.
Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that it was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
ABOUT THE WRITER: Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist
I'm Back!
I'm back from my vacation and it great. The weather was foggy and wet but we made the best of it. Its amazing how the fog came in. Usually at home it just comes in from the havens and rises back up but in Maine it comes in side ways and leaves side ways like a rain cloud. Beside the wet weather it was still nice to leave from the routine of life and relax. I took over 700 pictures and most of them have fog in them but here are some of what I saw: top 3 are from Bar Harbor at the National Park, 2nd is Portland George Washington Lighthouse and only got to see Fin Whales at Bar Harbor. I'll probably go back to Maine to the see the Fall leaves in the next 5 years. There are still a lot of places I want to see before I kick the bucket like Alaska, Seattle, Colorado, Grand Canon and Italy along with Paris and London. Hope and dreams to come true is my goal in life.
The best thing on the trip was to see my MOM smile and laugh. We had the best time and always. Love you, mom.
Top Secret Recipes
Todd Wilbur is known as creating his own recipes that he clones your favorite brand-name foods. From Applebees' desserts to Dunkin' Donuts coffee to salad dressings, he has the recipes that you can make from your own kitchen. And with that, you can substitute a fat recipe dish to a nutrition healthy recipe dish. When a dish calls for eggs, you can leave out the yoke and just use the whites. Some recipes are FREE and some you might have to pay 0.79¢ or $1 which is not a hole lot compare to the restaurant price.
My favorite is the Applebee's Chocolate Mousse Dessert Shooter. In the restaurant, they don't give you enough but just imagine, I can substitute the recipes ingredients into low fat or fat free. That would cut the calories in half and will still taste good and I cant have it instead of dreaming it.
His latest video was making Twinkies. See it on youtube (do a search on youtube.com - 'Todd Wilbur' you will get a lot videos that he clones other fine dishes from restaurants).
Top Secret Recipes
2 MINUTES TO TIGHT ABS!
It looks very advance but you can go slower and take your time with it until you can master it which you will if you do it everyday. There are a lot of videos on youtube.com if you do a search for '2 minutes ads'.
Carrot Muffins
1 cup Oatmeal flour
(put some oatmeal in a blender and ground it up until its a flour base)
2/3 cup wheat or white flour
1/3 cup flaxseed flour
1 lb. carrots (puree)
1 cup carrot juice
1/3 cup oil
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Put all dry ingredients in a bowel and mix. In another bowel, put in your wet ingredients and mix. For the carrot, you can do it two ways. 1: if you have a Juicer (I have this one which I never had a problem with it and mom has this one which is the same one except its not chrome look), juice the carrots 1 lb. and use the 1 cup of juice and all the pulp and put into the wet ingredients. 2: You can puree (hand fine shredder tool that shred cheese) the carrots with a hand grinder which will take some time but exercise in your arms. Put the puree into the wet ingredient with some fat-free milk for the substitute for juice. When the carrots are done, mix all the ingredients into one bowel and mix until a batter is form. You might have to put in more flour or more juice/milk to get a more batter base.
Put the batter into the paper cupcake then into a oven for 30 minutes for 400-375 degree. You can put a little bit of sprinkle of sugar on top of the muffin for a little sweet (optional). I just check on them until they are done by poking a butter knife into them and that the knife is clean and it feels like the muffin is cake base.
Flaxseeds - Omega-3
The nutty flavor of flaxseeds combined with an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids makes them an increasingly popular addition to the diets of many a health conscious consumer. Whole and ground flaxseeds, as well as flaxseed oil, are available throughout the year.
Flaxseeds are slightly larger than sesame seeds and have a hard shell that is smooth and shiny. Their color ranges from deep amber to reddish brown. While whole flaxseeds feature a soft crunch, the nutrients in ground seeds are more easily absorbed.
I always put ground flaxseeds in my tomato sauce, smoothies, pancakes and even in my homemade muffins. You can't even hardly taste the nutty flavor in your foods. With a dash, tablespoons or a cup of this wonder high fiber seeds, its worth eating. Flaxseeds, also, protect bone health, against heart disease, cancer & diabetes and controls high blood pressure.
So, next time in the store, go to the baking ails or the organic section (wholefood store), and buy flaxseed in a bag, ground or whole. Amazon.com sell them.
Go Greens - Different Nutrition Flavor
I drink a lot of water but after a while the plain taste of water can get boring and bland. Also, there is not vitamins or nutrition in water except water.
I came across of an ad in the Shape Magazine about "Super Fruit & Veggies Mix." Its not bad of taste and its different and good. Here is the website to read more about. They do have different flavors and they have its own nutrition in its own flavor. Check it out for yourself. Click here - ToGoBrands.com
Off to Maine
Finally, I can say the words, I'M ON VACATION. I have been waiting to say this for a good while.
I didn't meet my goal weight. I'm at 312 lbs. (half my goal score) with a total of 15 lbs that I lost and feeling good about it due to stress about my colon and the rest of my other problems.
By doing squats and other exercise like walking, resistance band and core ball, I feel stronger than last year which I had 2 surgeries. I feel that I can carry myself and my weight by the challenges I have accomplished like walking more over a 1 mile and climbing stairs in my apartment. I know it will be hard with the temptations of desserts and ice cream on my trip. But I'm going to make a rule to only have 'one dessert a day'. I am taking granola bars with high fiber that will fill me up and will drinking plenty of water or lemonade. Also, in Maine, there are a lot of hill climbing and wood area trails which I will be walking to see the sights. I'm going to make myself get out of bed every morning and walk on the beach to look for sea shells which is my favorite thing to do.
By the way, lobster is only 90 calories without the melting butter. I will be definitely having lobster for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. LOL
I see you all back here June 23 but STAY TUNE on some tips of weight loss next week that I have schedule on blogger.com in my post files. Go Greens flavor drink, flaxseed information, my favorite carrot muffin recipe, 2 minute ads and website; top secret.
Avocados
Avocados are luscious fruit and they are high fat and high-calorie treats but they are great support of potassium, vitamins A and E and some B and C with protein and starch. It's good for anyone suffering from stress or sexual problems. With its rich source of skin-protective antioxidants, vitamin E, women are often warned off avocados as being extra-high in fat and calories, should eat plenty of this fruit for the sake of their skin and good for the heart, circulation and anti-aging.
Recommended: Circulatory, Stree, Fatigue, Skin
Cholesterol-Fighting Foods
SOY : Reducing saturated fat is the single most important dietary change you can make to cut blood cholesterol. Used as a replacement for meat and cheese, soy foods help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat. Crumbled soy--an alternative to ground meat--works well in chili, burritos, lasagna, soups, and casseroles. Add tofu to chili, eggs, or casseroles. It absorbs the flavor of whatever you're cooking.
BEANS : Beans are especially high in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Eating a cup of any type of beans a day---particularly kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans--can lower cholesterol by as much as 10 percent in 6 weeks. Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their re-absorption into the body. Soluble fiber is also found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, beans, apples, carrots, and most other fruits and vegetables.
SALMON : My favorite fish in the world. Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their re-absorption into the body.
AVOCADO : Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat?a type of fat that may actually help to raise levels of HDL ("good"cholesterol) while lowering levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol).
GARLIC : t helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage. How? Garlic keeps individual cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls.
SPINACH : 1/2 cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging.
WALNUTS, CASHEWS AND ALMONDS : A moderate-fat diet that's rich in the healthy monounsaturated fats found in nuts may actually be twice as good for your heart as a low-fat diet.
CHOCOLATE : Choose the dark or bittersweet kind. The flavonoid antioxidants work to keep blood platelets from sticking together and may even help keep your arteries unclogged.
TEA : Tea helps to keep blood vessels relaxed and prevent blood clots. Flavonoids, the major antioxidants in tea, have been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that leads to plaque formation on artery walls. These powerful antioxidants may even reduce cholesterol and even lower blood pressure.
Human Lab : Weight Loss
On June 3, Rachael Ray had on her show of a 'Human Lab' weight loss. She had 3 different people try 3 different weight loss products.
Thimage.com seems good for people who have no confidants in themselves. Some people just need more sound and encouragement that they can loose weight. Its all mind over matter that they need to believe in themselves.
Hoodia Spray : Curb your craving with the power of hoodia solution. NO. There are so many different pills, patches and spray out there and they help a little but the only way to loose weight is to move your body and watch what you eat.
Weightview.com : It claims to use visualization help you to motivate to loose weight to meet you goal. I wrote a short article on my blog early that you can see here.
the Best Life
Bob Greene's 'the Best Life' programs in loosing weight and staying health. You probably already see this logo through out the grocery store on packages of food. Sponsor by Oprah, Bob Greene's website and his goal to live a healthy and take charge of your life of being FREE and HAPPY. You can join his 'best life' program that you can learn to eating healthy, exercising, viewing your life — all that puting you at your healthiest at your age. He has written books, The Best Life Diet or Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover, with tips and trick to live your life the best way to live — recipes to exercise. Check his website and see if this program is suitable for you to join or check you community and recipes.
Weightview.com
weightview.com is a motivation in point of view of vision. Take a picture of your self now and upload it to their website FREE and they will show you later how you would look like if you lost 20 - 50 lbs. Seeing is believing. Don't get discourage or upset about wishing or why I didn't loose weight earlier...do it now, start and commit to yourself, get up and move. Reach that goal for being happier and living a life of activities. Go to weightview.com.
Colonoscopy Test
Well, I'm CLEAN. After my prep of the fast and my colonoscopy test, I'm good and everything is OK. The doctor said that he didn't find any polyp and cancer. I am so relieved.
Everyone says that the prep of fast is the hardest thing to do for the colonoscopy test and they are RIGHT. Boy, the fast solution of drink is the worst taste ever. They even give you different choice of flavor which doesn't not work. My sister-in-law told me to put in 'Crystal Light powder' in a glass requirement which helped a little. You have to drink 8 oz. of the solution for every 15-20 minutes until you go clear. I had extra glass of water just to clean my mouth out to get rid the taste. The solution took about 4-5 hours to get through my colon and boy when it did - it did. I just stayed on the toilet for a good while. I went through my solution a little more that half which I started to get clear in my bowel movements. Thank goodness, cause the solution was making me sick.
The next day, I did have a little of water (6-hour before the test) to take my pills and off I went to moon my doctor. When I got there I registered to bill my health insurance and gave my information and went back to the recovering room which I took off my clothes except my socks. The nurse were very polite and kind since it was my first time and told my not to worried because the hardest part was over cause I already to the prep of fast. They (nurse) gave me an IV and covered me with a blanket and they rolled me into a small room which had TV monitors, heart monitor which they did hook me up to one with sicky padding on my chest, and others things like the scope tube. The one nurse gave an oxygen mask to breath in so my chest is full of oxygen because I will be lying down flat for the preseager. I lying down on my left side and the nurse put in the sweet dream foluma (anasaza) which did burn my hand where the IV was. The I fell to sleep.
I woke up and saw my brother holding a nutrition bar and ask me to wake up that it's over and everything is fine. The nurse have me some apple juice which I don't remember drinking and it was over and I went home. It was a piece of cake or should say it was a piece of nutrition bar with fiber.
Thanks to the nurses, doctor, and the support from my brother who drove me home, my mom, Vicky my sister-in-law and my friends at work.
30 Day Challenge is Over
I tried my pants and I did fit into my pants and I lost 4 lbs. this month. I didn't have to lie on my bed to zip them up. YEAH! They are still a little tight but I did zip it. See what happens with a little effort and motivation from other bloggers like Shari, 'Becoming Fit at Fifty' and Jamie, 'Maknig me 'that skinny B' and others. You go girls.
