MASTEREDHEL's SparkPeople Blog

Surviving Autumn: Plan B, C, D, ...

Fri, 1 Oct 2010 18:56:52 EST

I love spontaneity and change. I am probably my happiest when I sample new foods, explore new locations, learn new subjects, meet new people, and am not sitting still. Sitting still is boring. Sitting still, mentally or physically, is a recipe for getting old. One of my long-term goals in life is to be (at age 80) the most kick-ass granny ever--like a twenty year old in a well loved, slightly worn body.

But despite enjoying the thrill of BRIGHT SHINY NEW INTERESTING, routines...

Update: Blood Test Results

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 22:09:40 EST

Six vials of blood later, the results are in... Great news!

My lipids were excellent.

152 mg/dL cholesterol
68 mg/dL triglyceride
64 mg/dL HDL
74 mg/dL LDL

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was within normal levels. I'm really happy about that because of my family's history of hypothyroidism.

Potassium came back abnormally elevated on the first test, but on the second test was completely normal. Apparently, having a false positive i...

Six Years In Pictures

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:26:48 EST

Dec 2004 Kona Village Resort (Before SparkPeople)

Here I am frumpy and out of shape. Weight loss and health never seemed as important as studying, but I wasn't really happy with my body and my priorities were seriously messed up.

Aug 2005 Hiking To Blue Lake (Before SparkPeople)

Looking at the ingredients, though, I thought I could make something healt...

Update: Running 40 Miles A Week

Sat, 4 Sep 2010 14:33:53 EST

Since reaching my goal weight, I've really focused on (a) increasing my fitness performance (b) fine tuning my nutrition.

My current fitness program is:

Monday - Long Run, Upper Body Strength Training

Tuesday - Normal Run, Crosstraining, Mid-Lower Body Strength Training

Wednesday - Speed Drills and/or Tempo Run, Crosstraining, Upper Body Strength Training

Thursday - Normal Run, Crosstraining, Mid-Lower Body Strength Training

Fr...

How I Met My Goal Weight Part III

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:54:00 EST

Part I reviewed good goal setting strategies, and Part II got tough on nutrition. This week we examine the third component of how I met my goal weight: consistent exercise. As a survivor of moderate to severe asthma, I hated exercise before I found SparkPeople. It's not hard to imagine why; wheezing, using an inhaler, being last in gym class, gaining weight, and peer ridicule made exercise seem hellish. Aggravating that scenario were the attitudes of my family members. They overate or st...

How I Met My Goal Weight Part II

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:29:36 EST

Last week we discussed the importance of goal setting. Today our focus turns toward nutrition, which is arguably the most critical aspect of any weight loss program. There are many conflicting opinions on the subject of optimal nutrition, and I am not a dietitian. However, I have struggled and observed the struggles of others; I have read and continue to read published credible information on the subject. This article is a short summary of what I've learned on the road to success.
<...

How I Met My Goal Weight Part I

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:54:31 EST

A fellow Sparker recently asked me how I met my goal weight. What really helped? What sabotaged my efforts? It never occurred to me that my experience might contain "secrets" to success, but I'm more than willing to share what I've learned. So in this blog series I'm going to outline the major strategies which led me here.

Let's start with The Four Big Ones:
1. Goal Setting
2. Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition
3. Consistent Exercise
4. Mental Stamina and Emoti...

Amenorrhea. Advice Anyone?

Thu, 5 Aug 2010 00:48:13 EST

For the last several months, I haven't experienced my period. That sounds great in theory, but in reality there's a whole slew of potential causes and none of them are good. You can read about them here:

www.mayoclinic.com/health/amenorrhea
/DS00581/DSECTION=causes

I don't really want to deal with premature osteoporosis, so I'm getting this checked by a doctor tomorrow. My family does have a history of hypothyroidism, so there's a potential cause r...

Lessons from Dark Literature: The Case for Serendipity in a Healthy Lifestyle

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:31:22 EST

Literature is as much a creation of the reader as the author. Spark members who write and know how difficult the process can be might scoff at this notion. Skimming through a few paragraphs doesn't seem quite equal to the anxieties the author must go through: structure of the piece, cadence, word selection, transitions, revisions, etc, etc. But have you ever received reader feedback which just flummoxed you? "How on earth did this person read that into what I wrote?"

In some ...

Wheezing Asthma Kid Becomes A Runner

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:17:56 EST

When I was a kid, allergies and asthma were my enemies. The P.E. programs didn't want the liability of dealing with a special case. The other kids laughed to watch me struggle while running around the field, only to finish dead last and suck on my inhaler. My food allergies severely limited what I could eat, further alienating me from my peers and the norm. Given all these factors, being healthy and active seemed more like a punishment than a reward. My self-confidence suffered. I ate m...

Love Your Body

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:05:06 EST

Today I decided to set my weight loss goal to maintenance. This event marks a major milestone for me, because while I've been happy to no longer be overweight or obese, I haven't ever been satisfied with my weight as is. There's always a skinnier me to be had, I thought. I'd look in the mirror, see my skin fold somewhere, and say, "Ah-hah! That's another place I need to improve." The first benchmark was 130 lbs. When I reached 130 lbs, the goal became 125 lbs. When I reached 125 lbs, ...