Betty Chambers Has Spoken

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Health Issue: Salt, Sodium and Exercise
Monday, April 28, 2008

During the winter I watch what I eat, yet I rarely exercise. I stop around the time I need to see a doctor regarding respiratory or bronchial problems. I was rather good at keeping my weight down. Yet, come Spring it jumps up a bit.

I've been walking since February, but haven't made much headway. Daily, or every other day, I strive to walk 1 hour and 45 minutes. I don't walk for speed. I walk for distance.

As of late, I've been ingesting too much salt.

It's because I love soup. It's a great meal to me. I know exactly how many calories I've eaten. However, according to nutritionists I've read, soup is one of the worse foods to eat. It is high in sodium.

Reluctantly, I have to find another warm food substitute. I can't stand a lot of cold foods, and most "healthy" meals seem to be.

I try to drink a lot of water. Although I know I could never drink enough water, depleted by daily walks, to replenish fluids, or dilute sodium levels.

Salt intake should not exceed 1,500 milligrams a day.

Salt is everywhere. It's in carbonated water. It's in seasonings. It's in my low fat fake milk, which also has a ton of sugar. It's in my oatmeal. I wonder if Sea Salt makes a difference? Is vinegar acceptable? Oh well. Gotta research that. I'll write about Sea Salt later.

I have an incredible craving and taste for acidic, salty, bitter and spicy foods. If I have any craving for sugar at all I just know I'm hungry. With the cravings for salt I'm not even sure what that means.

I can't play around with my health regarding this issue. High blood pressure runs in my family.

My remedy for this situation? Keep track of the salt, and drink more water. Overall, my goal is to get fit, then skinny without being rash, drastic, or harsh.

Labels: exercise, health, high blood pressure, salt, sodium, water, weight

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss: Staying on Course
Thursday, October 4, 2007

In my daily journal (spiral notebook), I enter the following:

date of entry

weight for that morning, before I eat

exercise conducted

- period of time of exercise
- estimate of calories burned
calories to eat for the day

There you have it. Everyday, I keep track of: how much I weight, how much I exercise, calories burned and how much I will eat for the day.

It helps a whole lot.

Estimates for calories burned, I get from this site: freedieting.com, and for calories in food: calorie-count.com.

Labels: diets, exercise, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss: Getting a Digital Scale
Monday, July 23, 2007

I'm not sure if it will make any difference in losing weight, but I purchased a digital scale. It measures the level of: body fat, water, and muscle. I found the body fat amount similar to what I get from web site calculators.

The Digital Scale is a Conair Weight Watchers brand. The picture is similar to what I bought.

I like it already. You select a program level (to identify yourself), then enter height, age, and fitness level.

It gives my exact weight, plus any half poundage. As weight normally fluctuates throughout the week, I stick to weighing in on Sunday or Monday only.

Each time I lose about 2-3 I hover at that same weight for almost 2 weeks. So, I'm hoping for some weight loss by this weekend.

And yes, I have crashed (see earlier posts).

Labels: digital scale, exercise, health, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Health Clubs: Why I Hate Them
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

I have joined a number of health clubs over the years. Like anything that I've used out of necessity (at the given time), I've grown to hate these places.

What's my beef with them? I expect service and cleanliness, yet I realize I want too much. That's a common theme with almost everything for me: I pay more, I still receive less.

1. Too expensive - I'd like a pay-as-you-go place. Haven't found one yet. I know as a business model it wouldn't work for most health clubs, but I'm sure they can think of something innovative to make it work.

2. Filthy - I have borderline germaphobia. After I wash my hands in the ladies restroom, I take fresh paper and use it to open the doors. I even grab the paper first before I wash my hands. I use the paper towel to turn on / off the faucet.

I loathed using the health clubs' showers. I examine the tiles and remember every stain. I can tell you: they NEVER clean these places. Don't even get me started describing my nausea when my bare feet touches the floor.

3. Those "strange" women - Look, your lifestyle is your lifestyle. Not everyone goes to the gym for same sex hookups. Take that nonsense somewhere else, like those bars or clubs catering to your special needs.

4. Chatterboxes - I understand, some people go to health clubs to widen their social circle, make new friends, network, etc. I'm not one of them. I am downright anti-social. It's bad enough the place makes my skin crawl, staying longer than necessary to talk doesn't work for me.

5. Sweaty Exercise Machines - Yeah, we see the posted signs about wiping up after yourself. How different is a health club from a toilet? Does anyone every really clean up after oneself in the public restrooms? (I have my doubts that they are scrupulously clean at home either.)

6. Snotty Bitch Staff - What is this place? An exclusive upscale restaurant or someplace where I drop a few ounces of sweat, wash my ass, and then leave? So what's with the attitude? This place costs a lot of money and you aren't going to be here in 3 months, so watch the attitude!

7. Grunting Man - You know this clown. He comes in, arms akimbo, with belted waist, does some posturing and flexing before the mirrors before heading over to the weights.

What's the first thing he does? Bends down, does a clean snatch and jerk making the most disturbing grunts and yowls you've heard since you last went to the zoo. What creature is making that noise? The missing link?

8. Commentators / Judges - Do they exercise or is it their job to note your progress? Do they have a life or is it spent all day in the health club? Do they ever exercise? They spend so much time watching others, and talking about them that've forgotten the purpose of the health club: exercise.

9. It's Hard to End the Membership - Finally, you understand why the contract is so long, so convoluted, and they insist on an automatic payment plan.

10. Someone is always on your favorite machine - That quick workout is never quick, because there's always someone on your favorite machine. She's taking her sweet time about it. No quick reps with this one, she's going to be there for a while. Frankly, that's how it is with all the weight machines, everyone likes them.

The health club is empty during working hours, and crowded during the "off" hours.

Although I hate them, I still may join one. They have the machinery I don't. I need a complete and thorough workout routine with the weights - no matter the wait.

It would be nice if I could create my own custom workout and payment plan with a nearby health club.

Labels: exercise, health, health clubs, weight lifting

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss: The Holding Pattern - Part 2
Saturday, July 7, 2007

There are many emotional issues behind the holding pattern regarding weight loss. I've certainly had my share of them.

Why the weight comes back or more won't come off:

1. Getting tired of it. The exercises become boring. The body is adjusting to the torture, um, exercise and after a while I need to find new tactics. The incentive seems to fade, why am I doing this again?

2. Weather changes: Now, it's too hot / too cold to begin that exercise routine today. I put it off. Next thing I know, six months have past and I'm over 30 lbs overweight again.

3. Emotional triggers: I get upset over something. Next thing I know, I'm wolfing down that salty snack I've been depriving myself of for the last few weeks.

Well funk that, I'm eating what I want, when I want, so there! After the binge, I feel horrible and eat more.

4. Unwanted attention: On some level (as an introvert) I likes being ignored as the "thick" or "fat" person. People accept me as I am. I'm the same person in a new body. I start to wonder, why weren't these folks friendly before the weight loss? Shallow bitches.

5. Unwanted attention: Yeah, I know I've lost a lot of weight. Did I require your permission? (Some people don't like you changing on them.) How many effing damn times are you people going to talk about how I look now? Did I ask your effing opinion about my weight? No? Then shut up about it.

There are people who think if you lose weight, you are doing it for them. WTF? Health is the number one consideration for weight loss.

6. Unwanted attention: The worst (to me) is attracting the eyes of men I didn't want even when I was "fat" or "thick." It makes me long for the days when I was chunky enough to be ignored by these guys. Hmmm. Maybe being 30 lbs overweight did have its advantages.

7. Unresolved issues and keeping it off. If losing weight is the goal, when is it accomplished? The hardest part is keeping it off, because if the exercises have to be heavy duty strenuous to get to this itty bitty size, and the food has to be constantly monitored, it becomes self-defeating. It must become a consistent, everyday good habit.

8. Unresolved emotional issues- Weight has been lost, yet if the "other" problems haven't gone away, then nothing has been accomplished. The weight will come back and with a vengeance.

9. Don't care - at some point, the indifference (to appearance) will return. So what, if I take an extra bite? So what, if I didn't exercise? What's the difference? And then the vicious cycle begins again.

10. The injury - I lose count of the number of times I overdid it on the treadmill. I would stop exercising, and this stoppage turned from days into weeks and into months.

11. Too much energy - when I start working out, I turn into this hyperactive child. I am so "psyched" and full of energy that I need to exercise even more. It's similar to drug addiction, I need to work out more to hit my next high.

If I don't, I may get so blue, depressed and down in the mouth that I stop exercising. So each time I work out, I have to up the ante. I've gone up to 90 minutes of walking, 85 minutes of running / walking on the treadmill, and stationery cycling at 13 speed for one hour. I do each exercise every day. For now, I never take a day off.

I know it's coming. I'm going to crash when I reach my limit...

Labels: diets, exercise, health, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss: The Holding Pattern - Part I
Thursday, July 5, 2007

Well, it starts to get real tough when the weight starts to sit at the same number for a few weeks. I am not LYING when I say I work out every day. So, it must be something I'm doing wrong.

I did an initial weight loss profile on Jillian Michaels' website, turns out I was NOT working out hard enough. Or should I say the exercise I was doing wasn't burning off enough calories. Lawd. It's always been that way with me, but to realize that 95 minutes of walking was doing little to nothing for me is agony.

I also have to scrupulously examine how many calories are in everything I eat, because I cannot get away with an extra bite like most people.

The scale may not be moving, but one of the joys of losing weight is shopping (in my closet) without spending money. Clothes from way back when I was smaller now fit. It's delightful to get into these clothes. And I am even more determined to get into those really small jeans I could wear a few years back.

The best progress I can report is that I've gone from 44-36-44 down to 40-31-40. I wont stop until I can reach about 36-27-36, or a smaller waist size if possible.

Labels: clothes, exercise, Jillian Michaels, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss: Another 2 lbs Bites the Dust!
Sunday, June 3, 2007

This will probably be my last entry with regards to weight loss until next month (July).

It sure is good to see some changes occurring.

After another week, I've lost another 2 lbs, and I am feeling great. Warm weather is always the easiest time to begin shedding excess weight.

The nice thing about my current regiment is not to over do it and injure myself, or try to skip meals. I do not miss a meal and I don't skimp on the food. I count every calorie. I keep track of everything I eat.

I add more time to the slow and moderate exercises I do every single day.

Labels: exercise, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss - 2 pounds the hard way - con't
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

It has been hard but after one week, 2 lbs finally came off.

Frankly, I was shocked. I've never been able to get that much off in a week. It usually takes me one month to lose one pound.

I've been determined to do something everyday. I make sure it is not strenuous or injurious. I don't like waking up the next day stiff and sore, so I stretch before I begin walking / jogging.

My goal is to lose 6 to 8 lbs per month. I don't want to exceed that.

I feel rapid weight loss causes too much skin to hang on a person. I'd rather let the body slowly take care of itself.

So what's my current weight? If I told you I'd have to kill you.

Labels: exercise, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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Weight Loss - 2 pounds the hard way
Tuesday, May 22, 2007

I'm starting to think that I am going to have to put myself through some kind of Spartan workout (an exercise program for the actors of "300", which explains all those hot bodies in that film - drool).

I often read that eating 2000 calories per day, walking for 45 minutes around 3-4 times a week, any average person will lose weight.

I'm not average. Doesn't matter what the online calculators say, that kind of plan will not work for me.

I could eat between 1700-2000 per day, walk for 45 minutes every day and still not lose weight. Not even a pound after a month!

Hell, I might even gain weight.

Whatever level of activity my metabolism is at, I'd say it's sluggish, it's barely active.

So, since I've lost weight before, I know this plan will have to be 2 pounds the hard way.

Eating: 1350-1650 calories per day. If I'm hungry, I drink water / herbal tea / lemonade.

This is the killer, because frankly, I hate working out:

Weight lifting every other day. I never exceed 30 minutes. I combine with stretching.

Running / Walking - alternating between the two every other day for up to 45 minutes. I consider this the "shock to the system" routine. I do this on the treadmill.

On days I don't weight lift, I might get on the stationery bike to add 15-30 minutes to the running / walking routine.

Last but not least, I alternate the indoor running / walking with the outdoor 45 minute walk, which is followed or proceeded by the stationary bike or weight lifting.

I pop two aspirins (daily) and on alternate days vitamin C, folic acid and a multivitamin after a meal.

Does it work? In the past it has. It's the sticking-to-the-program part that's the biggest problem.

Labels: 300, exercise, weight, weight loss

posted by GoldenAh

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