It's really the little things

Thursday, May 16, 2013

I derailed my calorie tracking yesterday with a few pieces of butterscotch candy. Well, that and an ice cream sandwich :-)

I track quite a few nutrients; saturated fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, fiber, Vitamin C; along with the usual protein, carbs, fats, calories. I'm pretty good at planning my meals and making them come out the way I want too. I love trying to up X and Y while keep Z the same :-) The magnesium should be half the calcium, the saturated fatty acids only 1/3 of all your fats, etc. Getting 25-35 grams of fiber can be a challenge and getting enough protein always is, even though I'm a big meat and dairy eater.

But, I have no trouble tracking, even enjoy it. My problem comes though with planning and knowing what I have to eat laid out for me. I want to kick over the traces when I tell me, "eat this but then that's it". Even when I diddle my numbers and rearrange amounts of this so I can have some of that, I have no trouble with the amounts, just the restriction on nothing not on that list or after you finish everything on the list. I'll plan two beers but then want to drink three, just "because".

So, I have this wonderful, filling, enjoyable, etc. diet going for the day and deliberately want to wreck it, just because. Sometimes I'll wreck it with "healthy" stuff, a piece of fruit even. But telling me "no" never has gone over well with me, not when I was 2 and not now, 60 years later

It is perhaps the biggest problem I have with exercise too; me just telling me I "have to" do something causes an internal fight to end all fights :-) Tricking me into thinking I "want to" only goes so far. I know what I want and spend time doing that already, why would I switch?

I bought the restorator a couple-three days ago, put it together and used it for my knee for a little bit but haven't touched it since except to trip over it. What happened to the every day when I'm watching TV? I use it for my knee and get the thought that I really should use it for my shoulders/arms. But that would mean I'd have to move over to the table and I don't think I can read or do anything else while my arms are tied up like that and the TV viewing isn't as good from there.

So, I am coming to really understand the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 rule: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_princip
le Now I just have to take the 20 and apply it to that portion instead of the whole.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CATLADY52 5/17/2013 10:15AM

It's getting to the point where you accept the 20% and then let it ooze into the 80%. Just a thought. Report Inappropriate Comment

NELLJONES 5/17/2013 8:20AM

Instead of saying "No" to something, try thinking about all the "yeses" available to you. It's a mind trick, sure, but so what? Report Inappropriate Comment

Senior exercise and weight loss

Sunday, May 12, 2013

I was reading another story where a youngish person (mid-40's or younger) lost a whole lot of weight and is in wonderful shape and wondered again about being in my 60's past menopause and losing estrogen and other compounds/hormones like there's no tomorrow. Not only would I look ridiculous losing the 140 pounds I've gained since my mid-20's (skin wouldn't shrink back and a cosmetic/skin removal operation would be too risky for me) but it would probably prove detrimental to my innards; I mean my ovaries have shrunken with age, like they're "supposed" to but if I were to become a bag too big for my contents. . .

I re-took the osteoarthritis quiz and remembered that women over 65 are most affected and realized there's a reason for that; yeah, men and the physically fit of all ages can get it but. . . once again, it has to have some "special" female thing going wrong but, because we're female and menopause use to be treated as a "disease" such a short time ago as my mother's era, no one is looking at it from the woman's point of view and trying to see what could be going wrong.

So, I started re-reading about exercise for those over 60 and one thing led to another and I ended up at a great site, the American Senior Fitness Association www.seniorfitness.net/ and signed up for their free newsletter. Reading an article in their current newsletter about "Exercise and Lung Disease", I found out about "restorators" and plan to get one.

Back to the original SparkPeople article about exercise for those over 60 and the Fitness test one should take to see where one needs to improve and how much, etc., I read about a couple books and researching them on Barnes and Noble for my Nook, bought "Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions. . ." by Kate Lorig www.amazon.com/Living-Healthy-Life-C
hronic-Conditions/dp/193350336X/ and am going to add that to my SparkPeople book program I'm starting work with tomorrow.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CATINCJ 5/15/2013 7:43PM

Interesting thoughts. . . I'm very interested in learning more about how my body is changing as I've entered my 60's. What used to be 'up there' isn't anymore and what used to be firm is getting rather soft and saggy . . . . When i was suffering with menopause in my mid-40's, thankfully I was living in Australia and their chemists (pharmacists) have a completely different outlook on it. The body is going through it's natural changes and rather than fight it (and try to be immortal?) - learn how to live with it because the process will NOT be reversed. I'll be interested to hear more as you learn . . . Please share. Report Inappropriate Comment

Favorites and Groupings

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Do you keep a list of favorites and/or groupings in your nutrition tracker? When was the last time you edited it/them? I just went through mine this morning, getting ready for the Spark Solution challenge and was surprised at what I found.

I deleted the half-and-half :-) I don't think Baileys Irish Liquor should be in one's favorites, either, LOL. It is surprising how much I have changed even in the couple years I have come since using the tracker routinely. The Starbucks mocha latte is gone too.

There were some good things too. I remembered my Health Valley soups, I'll add those to my grocery list. www.healthvalley.com/

I found products that are no longer made, that made me sad and a bit embarrassed as I haven't worked with my lists in THAT long? That is one of the things I love about SparkPeople though, they provide the tools but it is up to you to choose and to use them well; there's no one here in my individual life but me, no one can make me eat well or get adequate exercise. There's no magic except what I create and apply myself.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

NELLJONES 5/12/2013 8:22AM

Sometimes I wish Spark would eliminate all branded or restaurant choices in their nutrition database. Report Inappropriate Comment

CATLADY52 5/11/2013 9:35PM

Keep going with the magic and you find more changes. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHARONSPARKLE 5/11/2013 11:21AM

Yes, my favorites and groupings make tracking so much easier! Report Inappropriate Comment

NEPTUNE1939 5/11/2013 10:45AM

no Report Inappropriate Comment

Three strikes, I'm out!

Friday, May 10, 2013

So, I did my 3rd week weigh-in and gained a bit (and I had to weigh myself twice to only gain "a bit" :-) As a result, I bought the new Spark Book and will be going through the challenge program starting Monday:

www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?po
st=the_spark_solution_challenge_starts
_may_13

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MARGOMCP 5/11/2013 11:16AM

I reweighed myself this morning and was actually down a bit so it's not as dire as I thought; I'm maintaining very well; too bad it's a mere 50 or so pounds above what I'd like to be maintaining, LOL. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHARONSPARKLE 5/10/2013 11:12AM

Good for you! I'll be curious as to how the new book helps. I'm thinking of purchasing it myself. Report Inappropriate Comment

Old People Strength Training Idea

Sunday, May 05, 2013

There's a couple new shows on the National Geographic TV channel I'm really enjoying, "Brain Games" and "The Numbers Game":

braingames.nationalgeographic.com/

channel.nationalgeographic.com/chann
el/the-numbers-game/

I think it was the Numbers Game doing a episode about "How Long Will You Live" and they talked about older people falling and how some of that is because they do not have good gripping strength (so can't grab something and hold on to keep from falling).

In another show a year or two ago I learned that lots of older people look down at their feet (presumably to make sure there's nothing going to trip them) instead of "out" where they are going and how that affects their balance, pulling them forward so they are actually more likely to fall than through tripping over something (it's like the old "your shoe lace is untied"; remember back to when was the last time you ever tripped on a shoe lace? I can't remember, it happens so much less frequently than an annoying, "Yoo hoo! Your shoe lace is untied!" like you are just learning to walk or chew gum :-)

But, I had not heard or thought of the hand strength thing. That would be so easy to work on! Ye olde ball squeeze activity.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CHRISTINASP 5/8/2013 3:00AM

I think it's not just the hand muscles that need training. Also the arms, legs and torso, in other words the whole body needs muscles in order to prevent falling and tripping. I did a small course in kettlebell training and there was a lot of attention for this. We lose a LOT of muscle tissue as we age and strength and kettlebell training seems to work very well to counter that effect. Report Inappropriate Comment

1EMMA2011 5/6/2013 10:48AM

Wow! These are truly great tips!! I will make sure I watch these!! Report Inappropriate Comment

NELLJONES 5/6/2013 7:55AM

Unfortunately, creeping dementia (Mom) or stroke (hubby), or any number of other brain conditions, alters balance. Mom has one of those new walkers that not only is something to hold on to, but forces her to stay centered. Hubby just walks slowly using short steps. His striding days are over. Report Inappropriate Comment

CATINCJ 5/5/2013 1:40PM

Another reason 'old folks' topple is due to poor posture, brought on by lack of muscle tone or osteoporosis. I've known a couple seniors who got to the point that they refused to walk because they were so humped over. It messes up the equilibrium. The grip factor is important too. Yoga really helped me. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHARONSPARKLE 5/5/2013 12:06PM

My biggest fear of aging is falling so I'll take your blog to heart and get busy on some hand strengthening exercises! Report Inappropriate Comment