Kate Curran's Blog: The Klutzy Athlete, page 5

Starting Again

Weight loss seems to be one of those things I was always starting again until I wasn’t. For most of my adult life I was always on a diet, just finished a diet or starting again.

Losing Stubborn Pounds

This all changed when I read The Checklist Diet by Rebecca Clark two years ago. Suddenly I was dropping off pounds I hadn’t been able to budge for several years. I was afraid I’d hit that over 40 group who just couldn’t lose weight, but when I followed two simple, yet incredibly hard steps the weight fell off—eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full.

In the past two years, I’ve had a mental shift, too. I’m no long going on a diet, finishing a diet or starting over. How I eat now, is how I will always eat. This is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change that includes exercise.

Motivation

I’ve discovered finding motivation to make a lifestyle change can be challenging. Since it’s a new year, I’ll bet a lot of you are starting the search—again.

Diane Carbonell, author of the 150 Pounds Gone Forever recently blogged about this, and she offered some helpful suggestions.

Diane suggests you ask yourself if you really want to lose weight.

Two years ago I was desperate to lose weight. I really, really wanted that weight gone, and I think I needed that motivation, that commitment, in order to be successful.

Diane also suggested to stop thinking about losing weight and just do it. But you have to take steps to lose weight, she said.

Spicy black bean soup

I needed direction, and I found it in the Checklist Diet.

Unfortunately there is no simple way to lose weight. All I know for sure is, diets don’t work for me. I was in a constant cycle of eat what the diet told me to eat and never eat anything I want to eat. All that happened was, I’d lose the weight, then eventually gain it back.

Three Bite Rule

Now, I eat healthy 85 to 90 percent of the time, but I also eat the other foods I love. The key for me has been to eat when I’m hungry, to eat those less nutritious foods when I really, really want them, and to stop when I’m full. I’ve found Rebecca’s three bite rule particularly helpful, especially when I’m eating desserts.

Rebecca says, “Next time you have the craving for something amazing and sinful (like cheesecake), take the first bite and savor the deliciousness. Eat it slowly. By the fourth bite the taste has diminished.”

This really works, and I found a twofold benefit. I ate something I loved, and I savored the texture, the taste, the experience it gave my taste buds, and I only needed those four bites for satisfaction!

 Starting Again

Are you starting again? I’m here for you. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll be your cheerleader.

Watson Falls, Oregon

 

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Putting Action into Words

Putting action into words

I’ll bet lots and lots of people made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or get fit. Certainly a worthwhile goal, but I’m tweaking my New Years resolution this year after reading a blog by Diane Carbonell, author of 150 Pounds Gone Forever. She recently blogged about New Years Resolutions. She’s not a fan of them, and instead of making one, she suggests making your words match your actions.

Last week I blogged that the Klutzy Athlete had lived up to her name by being klutzy and spraining her ankle. This week I’ve been struggling with a painful ankle and ice baths. I’m not sure which is worse, the injury or the treatment! I think the ice baths might be more manageable if was 110 outside versus 40. The good news is, they really do reduce the swelling and the pain, so definitely worth the 20 minutes of aching while it’s soaking.

Finding ways to exercise

As I read Diane’s blog, I thought about my struggle to stay fit through an injury, so I decided to put my actions to words. I want to stay fit so I rode my bicycle today. My words matched my actions, and I am successful in moving toward my goal. This makes a lot more sense to me rather than a one time resolution. Instead, I’ve made a resolution to a lifetime of continued fitness regardless of my injury.

I’m finding with a little imagination there are a lot of exercises I can do so long as I don’t put direct pressure on my ankle. Besides the weight lifting I did last week, minus the leg presses, I can ride my bicycle (indoor and outdoor), do many yoga poses, and I even attended my aerobics class last night.

While I couldn’t run or walk, my instructor designed a routine for me that included upper and lower body work. I used a 10 pound medicine ball and did a variety of arm workouts laying on back. This worked my stomach muscles, too. He also had me do a series of exercises with the medicine ball while sitting up that gave my upper thighs and arms a good workout.

When the class walked or ran, I sat on a rolling cart and pushed myself up and down the gym using my arms. An intense workout that really exercised my shoulders!

Thinking outside the box

While I’m frustrated my ankle isn’t healed, at least I’m able to continue exercising. I’m learning the hard way that sprains take time to heal.

This week I will continue to think outside the box for ways to stay fit while working around an injury, and I will put my words to action. Do you have a fitness/weight loss goal? What words can you put to action?

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The Klutzy Athlete Lives up to Her Name

My ankle

The Klutzy Athlete has lived up to her name—again. Somehow I went from shooing the dog to twisting my ankle. Of course wearing snowshoes while doing so was not the most brilliant idea I’ve ever had. Experience speaking here, you either end up hurt or on the ground. I remained standing, but definitely hurt myself. Now I have a sprained ankle that looks like a black and purple grapefruit.

Of course I’ve been advised to stay off of it, elevate and ice. Let me tell you if you think a sprained ankle hurts, try soaking it in ice water for 20 minutes three times a day! It reminds me of when we wet-waded (just wearing shorts instead of waders) in Canada a few years ago. It was July, but the water temperature was in the neighborhood of 55 degrees F. We’d step out of the river and our legs looked sunburned they were so red. I’m sure my foot would look like that if it weren’t black and blue right now.

Rest
Klamath Falls, Oregon

While I think it’s important to rest when your body needs it, when it starts to bounce back I see no reason not to get moving—within reason. And after three days of being immobile, I was ready to find ways to get active without lengthening my recovery.

Exercise
My ankle

To elevate my ankle, I used some yoga poses. The first pose I used was legs up the wall. The second was a shoulder stand. After that, I started experimenting with poses that gave me some elevation, but didn’t put pressure on my ankle. I found boat pose was another, but I also did several others that just stretched my body and felt good.

I was also able to do some weight lifting of my upper body that gave me a workout without putting pressure on my ankle.

I also found it’s important to get the circulation into my ankle. There are some exercises that will do that, and speed my recovery.

Lying on my back, I pulled my knee into the chest, holding behind the thigh not over the knee, and did 10 foot circles each way and 10 point and flexes with a goal of building up to 40/40/25. Repeat
Moore Park, Klamath Falls, Oregon

on the healthy foot to keep that one strong and flexible.
When I could put weight on my ankle, I stood on one foot for just a few seconds at a time and built up to 30 seconds 2x/day. Do both legs.
Standing heel raises (up and down on the toes) is also recommended. If it hurts, I can do it seated.
Fort Klamath, Oregon

This keeps the weight off the injured foot, but I’ll still get the movement and circulation, which will aid in my healing.

Keep exercising and wishing you a happy and healthy 2016.

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Passionate About Healthy Lifestyle

There was a break in the rain yesterday, so I went out to prune my wisteria. There is no way it could be termed ideal weather for gardening, but I’d been stuck inside most of the day, and I thought this was a great to get some fresh air and a little exercise.

Passionate About Healthy Lifestyle

While I was working, I asked myself why I was passionate about diet and exercise. My immediate response was that I wanted to keep my weight down so that I felt good about myself, but it goes deeper than that. I realized I’m on this weight loss quest to improve my quality of life, not just right now, but as I age. I want to remain healthy and active into my 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond.

A pipe dream some might say, but I disagree. There’s no reason not to look forward to an active life. In fact, I’ve seen many active people well into their 80s. Eating well and exercising increases those odds, plus I feel better, too.

Healthy Eating

Does that mean I always eat healthy and exercise? Absolutely not, but I strive for both 90 percent of the time. In the last few years, my meals have become simpler, but I find I struggle to get a variety of vegetables into my diet.

Rebecca J. Clark, author of The Checklist Diet had a great recipe in her latest newsletter for a pureed vegetable soup. When I first looked at the green mush I thought no way I can eat this, and I love split pea soup, but surprisingly it’s delicious. I loved it and so did my husband. The best thing about this recipe is that I can add some of my least favorite vegetables, and I don’t even taste them.

Pureed Vegetable Soup

Fill a pot with organic vegetable broth, add an assortment of the following chopped green vegetables: celery (strings removed), parsley (stems removed), zucchini, kale, spinach, broccoli, artichoke hearts, etc. I added carrots, cauliflower and mushrooms, too.

Cook until all the veggies are tender. Remove them from the broth with a slotted spoon or strainer. Puree the vegetables in a blender, then pour back into the pot. I added some broth when I pureed them or it was too thick for the blender. Use water or more broth to thin the soup to the right consistency (about the thickness of pea soup). You can add some pepper and a bit of sea salt to taste. I also added, oregano, basil, and thyme.

I will say it takes a little time to prepare and puree, but it’s the best hour I ever spent cooking. With one cup of soup a day, I’ve added a ton of vegetables to my diet, and it’s delicious, too.

How do you get your veggies in? Got a recipe to share? Would love to try it!

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Waterfalls

This weeks photos are of waterfalls. One of favorite hikes is into to see waterfalls and here are pictures of Watson Falls.

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Desserts and Weight Loss

I attended a family Christmas party this past weekend, and while I didn’t eat to excess, I still felt like I did. I wasn’t bloated, I didn’t have that overly full sensation, and I’d even left food on my plate I didn’t like, but I didn’t stop when I was full.

Losing weight is hard work

I didn’t understand why until I read Diane Carbonell’s, author of 150 Pounds Gone Forever recent blog about How to Keep Going When Your Diet gets Hard. She discussed the challenges she faced when losing weight, and a point she made about desserts stood out for me.

Desserts

She talked about attending a party where there were dozens of rich desserts. As she’d lost weight, she’d become very choosy about the desserts she ate. They had to be excellent, or she didn’t have any. So, at this party, she talked to people while they had dessert, and she felt a little sorry for herself. After she got home, she thought about how she’d felt watching other people eat dessert and not having any herself.

“I had a light bulb moment. I realized that although I was a bit annoyed that I could not find anything I really wanted, it was also a real victory for me because I did not just eat a dessert because it was sitting there on the table. I made a conscious choice to say “no,” stuck with that hard decision, and ended up feeling in control and proud of myself. A win-win for sure,” Diane said.

After reading this, I realized this is what bothered me. I mindlessly chose dessert because everyone else was having it—not because I wanted it. And because I wasn’t mindful as Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat would say, I had a small piece of cake, a brownie and a peanut butter cookie. None of them were anything really I wanted.

The cake was good, but I only wanted the frosting. I did recognize that and ate part of it, which would have been fine, but then I went back for the peanut butter cookie. It was good, but not something I craved. I followed this with a brownie. It was really good, and if I’d have chosen it first, I would have been far more satisfied. As it was, I had three desserts and none of them left me satisfied.

Savor, savor, savor

My biggest mistake—I didn’t savor the desserts. I’m discovering that eating dessert when I don’t want it is disappointing. It tastes so much better when I savor each bite.

Was the party a total failure? No. I did leave food I didn’t want. I didn’t eat to discomfort, which is huge progress for me. I still ate more than I needed. But again, it was a holiday party, and considering everything, I did well. And best of all, I had a good time.

Do you have challenges at holiday parties? How do you handle them?

 

 

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Exploring Canada

Exploring Canada

Todays photos are from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada. A great place to visit, and exercise in the great outdoors!

 

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Combating Holiday Stress

Combating Holiday Stress

Holiday stress has really taken a toll on me in the past—lack of sleep, poor diet and little exercise makesme feel lethargic, exhausted and bloated. As part of my weight loss quest, I have decided to make some changes to the status quo this year. My goals this holiday season are to:

Be kind to my body
Fill my body with healthy food
Make time every day to exercise
Make time ever day to unplug, sit and reflect
Get plenty of rest, including naps
Savor my food, whether it’s a rich dessert or a healthy meal
I will remind myself that it isn’t the food that’s special, but the people that make the holiday memorable (thank you Jansen Schmidt for that great suggestion)

Emotional Triggers

I definitely have emotional triggers that cause me to overeat. As much as I love getting together with family, all the petty differences create stress, and the next thing I know, I’m eating rather than dealing with the stress.

My goals this season are to ignore the annoying comments and focus on the holiday, and appreciate what I have, when so many have so little or have lost so much. Putting it in perspective makes all the petty annoyances what they are—petty.

Rebecca J. Clark, author of The Checklist Diet offered these suggestions on managing the holiday season in her December newsletter:

Stay fit during this holiday season

I would never suggest you diet or exercise obsessively this month because it’s not realistic and it’s certainly not fun! With that, here are some simple suggestions to keep fit and healthy during this crazy time of year.

Drink your water

If you’re dehydrated at all, you’ll drag. Aim for 8 glasses a day.

Treats

If you really want a treat, have it, but eat an apple first. Sometimes, we reach for a treat just because it’s there. Eating an apple first may keep you from mindlessly eating everything in sight. At the very least, you’ll get some extra fiber in your diet.

Break a sweat for 10 minutes every day

Yes, every day. Yes, you can do 10 minutes. Yes, you can do more if you want to. Walk, run, dance, clean house vigorously, walk quickly through the mall, whatever. Do 20 pushups against the wall/counter/floor, 20 sit and stands, 20 jumping jacks, 20 bicycle crunches. 2x. Every day. Okay, you can take one day off a week.

Eat Regularly

Eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Snack between if you’re hungry. Don’t skip meals. Don’t save all your calories for dinner.
Eat only when you’re hungry. Stop when you are satisfied.
Eat at least one big serving of a green vegetable every day (not loaded with butter, cream sauce or cheese, please).

Enjoy the season!!!!

Rebecca has offered very sound advice that I intend to incorporate into my holiday celebrations, so that come January, I don’t feel I need to lose 10 pounds. And another plus will be, my New Year’s Resolution won’t be losing weight.

Do you have holiday goals? What are they?

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Exercising at the Ocean

 

 

 

 

I love running on the beach and since I can’t get there anytime soon, wanted to share my last trip and give you a taste of it in pictures. Have a wonderful weekend.

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Post Thanksgiving Review

Post Thanksgiving review starts with this quote, “The best laid plans of mice and men…”

Cooking and Exercise

I had intended to try Rebecca J. Clark’s, author of The Checklist Diet suggestions for cooking and exercise.

Calf raises—whenever you’re stirring something on the stove.
Side leg raises—while stirring/mixing away from the stove.
Stand on one leg—while washing your hands (don’t forget to switch legs).
Arm circles—while waiting for the pot to boil.
Deep breathing—while chopping vegetables (in through the nose, pause, out through the mouth)

I’d also planned to play plenty of music and dance while I was cooking, but all I managed to do was a couple of calf raises. And the outdoor exercise I’d planned, never got off the ground. Of all the weather scenarios I considered, biting north wind was not one of them. I just couldn’t muster any enthusiasm to step outside.

Yoga had been my backup plan, but again I got sidetracked with an invitation to the movies Thanksgiving evening. And honestly, exercise didn’t cross my mind, so my exercise plan was pretty much nonexistent that day.

Holiday Eating

Eating, however, I did much better. My plan this year had been to sample sparingly while cooking. I accomplished this, and I was able to enjoy the meal without being overly full before I started the meal. I also chose reasonable quantities of food, and didn’t stuff myself. I ate slowly, but not slowly enough to truly savor everything. I also had dessert, but in small portions. I ate more than I really wanted, but not excessively and came away satisfied, but again, not stuffed. All in all, I had several accomplishments on the eating front that I’m pleased with.

The 3 F’s

My main objective this Thanksgiving was to savor the 3F’s of the holiday—family, friends and food, and for the most part, I did accomplish this without guilt and without depriving myself.

Holiday Exercise Goals

I didn’t totally fail on exercise either. The day after Thanksgiving, I got my weight lifting done and some yoga, but then slept half the afternoon away. When the wind died down on Saturday and Sunday, I went bike riding both days, but I did a lot of lazing around with family and friends, too. All in all, I’m satisfied with the exercise goals I set, and I’m planning new goals for the Christmas season—not just Christmas day.

With all the parties and gatherings, I find the entire Christmas season through New Years a challenge. So, my holiday weight loss quest continues…

So far, my goals are to eat in moderation and maintain my weight, instead of gaining weight over the holidays and have to lose it come January.

How did you do over the Thanksgiving, and do have goals for the Christmas season?

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