Saturday, July 05, 2008

Guest Post by Dr. Andersen

Here is the 2nd in a guest series post by Dr. Wayne Andersen as he talks about his habits of health.  It’s a good one!

No exercise for the first three weeks of the program?  Huh? 

Yes it is true. In my upcoming book, “Habits of Health,” there is no exercise program for the first three weeks of the program. Why?  Because most people fall into two groups: those who exercise and those who don’t.  If a person has not been exercising regularly, we first want to get them to a healthy weight.  Once they are down to a healthy weight, they will then be able to burn fat at a more efficient rate.  It is important to keep in mind that if you have not been exercising and then you are too active too quick, you could hurt yourself… this is the last thing we want.  The main focus is to lose weight, to consume just enough calories to support your activity level, achieve a great fat burning state, then settle into a conducive exercise routine.

Remember that my program is not a gimmick program.  This program is not about losing weight temporarily.  It is about following a step-by-step program to create long term health, a healthy lifestyle that will last for the rest of your life. You do this by building as you go.  Achieving a healthy weight is the first phase and then the exercise will follow.

Now if someone is exercising I can understand the concern.  I lectured at a gym and asked a bunch of women to raise their hands if they had been going to the gym for the last couple years and a majority of the women excitedly raised their hands.  I then asked them how many of them had a achieved a healthy weight and most of them had not reached their goal.  For those who do exercise regularly, I want them to cut their program in half for the first three weeks and then resume their normal routine.

The first goal is to get rid of the extra fat around the middle.  You need to get your body into that fat burning state, and if you’re too active too early then you will not get into that state very effectively. Allow yourself to use the system, make sure you get enough calories and work your way up.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Well, I Had Good Intentions

I really did. I had this nice post in my head that I was going to write. Something about grilling ideas since tomorrow is like the biggest BBQue day on the planet. But then...I stepped on my scale. I haven’t been on my scale in a week. That was a hard thing for me. Normally, I get out of bed, go take care of pee pee business and then hop on the scale. This week, I said that I wasn’t going to do that. I just wanted to relax about the yoyo thing. Ummm I am down to 166. I have no idea how it happened. I was 170 again last week. 4 pounds - GONE???? Really? How did this happen? It’s like a scientific anomaly.

Tomorrow is normally weigh in here. It is also 4th of July. A day of picnics, fireworks and apple pie. I propose a day off. For everyone. If you would like to weigh in today, great. Feel free to do so. If you want to relax and take the day off, I am all for that too.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. 

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Ugh - The Eating Continues

Honestly, I don’t know what the heck is wrong with me.  I’ve been eating like a pig… just 2 weeks ago I was rejoicing in dropping 12 pounds almost and tonight I was laying on my couch eating an entire tub of spice drops - a TUB I say… you know the ones that have like 1000 spice drops in it?  Yep, ate it.  My neighbor gave it to me as a little token of appreciation for helping her out with her computer.  Some token :( I haven’t eaten sugar and I can’t tell you how long and I figured I’d just have a few, but I didn’t stop till there was like only 20 left and THEN I put it away.  Not when there were like 200 left, nope, just 20.  This was after I ate doritos which I bought at the grocery store after a moment of weakness.  It is the classic case of deprivation.  I deprived myself for so long and then I just went nuts. 

I’ve been really stressed lately and food has certainly become my comfort.  You know, it’s funny.  I help write this blog along with Queenie and she is losing mondo weight and here I am struggling time after time after time.  I research this stuff - I KNOW what to do and what not to do, and yet I can’t seem to break free from my obesity.  Honestly, I’m ready to give up.  I’m ready to accept the fact that I’m fat and will always be fat.  It’s just so frustrating.  I guess as co-writer for this blog I shouldn’t be admiting this, but the fact is I’m not much different from you all that struggle.  I have my moments of complete and utter failure just like everyone else.  I just have to own up to the fact that I can’t give you guys advice if I can’t follow it on my own. 

I want you all to know how much I try - I really do!  I have good intentions every single morning but then they fall to the wayside every time food is involved.  I do good for a month and then I spend 3 months screwing up.  I wonder if that is why you are all deserting us… are you fed up with reading advice and tips from a person that can’t seem to follow her own advice?  I wonder if maybe you are all mocking me every time you click onto this site… or can you relate?  I really don’t know honestly.  I just don’t know.  I’m so sick of being sick and tired.  I’m so sick of being fat.  I just don’t know how much work I can do anymore to take off the weight.  I feel like I have been dieting my whole life - and it is never going to end, and tonight, maybe just for tonight, I can’t deal with it.  Hopefully tomorrow I will wake up and it’ll be another day and I’ll feel totally different and want to get back on the wagon again… I can only hope! 

Sorry for the venting - I just needed to get my frustrations out.  If you are having some of the same issues I would love to hear about it… sometimes I feel so alone in failure that it is hard to believe that I’m not the only obese person the world :(