THE LAST 4 or 5 pounds Good moves.

 I had a great  Physical Therapist twice a week for a few weeks.   My doctor says he'd be more than happy to get me another course of it any time. 

But there are other moves we work on alone, and those moves make the difference for us.  Some are harder than others for me.
 

1.   Put the spoon or fork down between bites.  Makes me more aware of eating slowly. 

2.  Chew food slowly and politely even if you're late for work.  

3. Whatever I'm mixing up or serving up in the kitchen, I try to put it on a plate and sit down to eat in  the dining area. 
  (If I had a kitchen window counter with stools, I hope I'd still sit on a stool, not eat standing up.  Eating standing up is okay at a formal reception, but a person like me can wander around grazing and eventually forget having eaten.  (Except for being forgetful, I have nothing against grazing.) 
 
4. Other mindless eating:  If I bring a whole cheese stick to the laptop, you know I'll eat it all instead of the half I planned on.  And I may have to go back to cutting off one piece of Lara bar in the kitchen and bringing it to the table.

Yes, I do eat my breakfast oatmeal and berries in front of the screen once in awhile, especially when I can't wait to see the thunderstorm forecast.   But I know I'll eat the oatmeal every day.  It's the remembering to chew slowly and pay attention to the good food... Okay, I admit I may also read at breakfast. 

(Next weekend I'm going to talk about timing: the rule to eat every three  hours. That can need a lot of adjusting in bad weather when there are doctor appointments, and other places where it's awkward to eat.)  Send me your suggestions!

I wish you health. 

LAST 4 or 5 POUNDS Cool room myth?

 When I lived in northern Indiana, my father's idea of healthy cuisine helped me put on more weight than I needed.

In winter, once in awhile someone would  say, 'You want to lose weight?  Just go out the front door, stand in the snow, and breathe that icy air."

I don't remember doing that often.  I felt like an idiot standing in the front yard, and besides,  my grandmother's mantra followed me out there: "You'll catch your death.!" 

Fast forward: one day recently, I saw a line on line about sleeping in "a cold room"  for our weight.  They gave a simple reason:  Our bodies have to work harder to warm cold air to a temperature we can use.

This week I dug around on line  to find that original quote.  Instead were notes and articles from various formal  studies. 

But we're not in a scientific experiment.  As it gets chilly out, I can have an extra blanket ready.  Or two.  And find out what my lungs might do with "cool-room" air on the last 4 or 5 pounds.

THE LAST 4 or 5 pounds: The Plateau versus The Ego

It crept up on me.  I've always gone up and down a pound or two with my new eating regime.  (And since I do retain water, there will be some higher numbers at times. )

But the last week or so,   the  same couple numbers keep bouncing  up and down..

And I hate it.  Especially because my doctor isn't delighted that these few pounds are at a lower level than months ago.

I want to go in there in two weeks and show him Progress! But he's a doctor, not a guy who will take my picture for a yearbook or something.    

I want to see the best of my numbers every day on the scale.  

Yes, it's ego.   

And I'm embarrassed to write about it because I know a plateau, a time to rest at the same weight before going on can be good for us.

  (Remember I was the one who lost too many pounds too fast two years ago, and watched them come stubbornly back.)


I know that if I keep up my eating plan, and stabilize here,  (okay, and remember to check if I'm thirsty when I think I'm hungry) the next three or four pounds will go in good time..  

I wish you health.

ENERGY - EATING TO LOSE THAT TIREDNESS

My PTh doesn't say much when I mention how tired I get.  I'm wide awake when we're working on my strength, balance, and endurance.

But other days, I may be  just plain tired, or have leg fatigue or allover fatigue.  Even in a few-minute nap, I fall asleep. (Good for my dry eye, at least.)

But  what if there's more to the tiredness?  So of course I went shopping on line for answers--this time to Harvard.edu. Healthbeat in my email. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/tired-4-simple-ways-to-

Harvard had a lot to say about something called ATP, which I had to look up:

"ATP is a high-energy molecule found in every cell. Its job is to store and supply the cell with needed energy. " from study.com

Then back to Harvard.  "Tired-4-simple-ways-to...help your body produce more ATP and replenish dwindling energy levels. The most common strategies revolve around three basic concepts: diet, exercise, and sleep. "         

Let's talk about food.  And some of their suggestions you already know I do:

"Diet. Boost your ATP with fatty acids and protein from lean meats like chicken and turkey, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and nuts. "  But too many nuts and too much meat..they say my body has to work harder and uses up my ATP.

Then they mention what I do!

 "When lack of energy is an issue, it’s better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day," according to Dr. Komaroff..."Your brain has very few energy reserves of its own and needs a steady supply of nutrients,” he says.

 “Also, large meals cause insulin levels to spike, which then drops your blood sugar rapidly, causing the sensation of fatigue.”  my bold

Then: something many of us need work on:  enough water.  A slim, energetic , older friend of mine told me recently she is required to drink 7 of those grocery store 6 pack bottles of water.  I know I"m still not drinking that much.  But Harvard stresses the amount:

"If your body is short on fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue. ...Although individual needs vary, the Institute of Medicine recommends men should aim for about 15 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids per day, and women about 12 cups (2.7 liters). " They offer some foods with high water content, but you can figure it out.  It is watermelon season, after all.!

 There are so many ways I need to pay attention to this water amount.  Do you?

I wish you health.