Friday, November 16, 2012

Before and During as there is no after yet

What a difference 2 years makes

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Wheee! Here I am!


I bet you wonder where I've  been.  Still not recovering as well as I'd hoped to be from my not so fun health crisis last November, then an attack of (suspect) Trigeminal Neuralgia, talk about brain splitting pain, omg just kill me now,  followed by a massive tooth/gum infection resulting in a root canal, that's where.  I gained 25 pounds then lost 20,so there lol!

My measurements are in the basement again, but that's only because I've not been working out at all until the last week or so. My eyes are on a 5k run this fall for Susan G Komen, fitting since I have several friends and family members who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I've got to run again, it's in my blood shin splints, heel spurs, and all.

I've had plenty of time to read and reflect on what I'm trying to do here and in my life.  I want to coach people, help them find their perfect healthy lifestyle because there is no one size fits all diet.  People are unique so they have to have a tailor fit diet to meet their needs and lifestyle.  I want to teach others to be self sufficient, take care of themselves and their families, and not be so dependent.

Have you seen the new food pyramid now calling itself 'myplate'? See what I mean? It's a one size fits all politically motivated scheme designed to try to make everyone fit into one mold, be dependant on the government to tell them how to eat and I don't like it one bit.

I searched around and found a school that shares my belief, Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN).  I've seen a lot of good information on the program and a lot of bad so I'm hesitant.  I like what I see in their brochures and a book I downloaded, but....there's still that little voice that asks what if you're wrong? Am I just trading on the 'myplate' scheme too?  I would hope not.  Just because I like to eat sushi doesn't mean all of my blog followers , right? I'm not sure where sushi would fit on that diagram anyway lol!

Where was I?  DREAMS AND GOALS!

I want to become a certified Pilates instructor in matwork and Rhthym Pilates, but that little voice says 'you're too old and still a bit too fat for that too."
The same for the desire to study alternative therapy like aromatherapy, reikei, herbology, angelology(just because I'm amused that there is such a thing) acupuncture, and massage therapy.

Why all of that?

I want to open a practice that teaches people how to eat better, take care of themselves instead of relying the a doctor and a magic pill to take care of them,  make a custom fit lifestyle that they can live with for the rest of their lives.  I want to be able to help people relax without pills but that damned little negative voice is freaking annoying!

I want to dabble with body wraps and infrared saunas too just because they intrigue me as well.

SHUT UP annoying negative voice, eesh! lol!

I've even named my pracite RE: New U

So what is in my way besides a bit of fear?  Money.  I can't borrow it because I made some really bad mistakes in handling money in my younger more foolish years and my credit is shaky at best.  Since IIN isn't a federal program they don't take federal money ie: pell grants or student loans so all I 've got right now are some really big dreams.

In the meantime I set goals for myself.  I'm out of 14s and back in 16s.  I refuse to gain any more weight.  My goal is a 12 by the end of summer. Fortunately the 16s are getting a bit big on me.

YAY!

I signed up on Pilates Anytime so I can take all kinds of Pilates classes on demand over the internet and have found a program in Knoxville that certifies Pilates instructors in matwork.  I can take a Rhthym Pilates certification course online after I get the matwork certification.  So it's baby steps.
Found an awesome bread substitute for my carb addicts out there.  Ezekiel 4:9 bread is pure plant protein bread.  No eggs.  No dairy. No flour. Gluten Free. No sugar. No oil. It does have to stay in your fridge because it has  no preservatives, but it looks like bread, it tastes like bread only with a little more texture, it's low on the glycemic scale, and if you don't tell your family they won't notice the difference.  It is a bit on the pricey side, but then so is a heart attack etc.

There are several manufacturers of this type 'bread', I've only tried Ezekiel 4:9 at this point so I think I'll stick with it for a while.

And what know you?  It took manufacturers long enought o jump on the grapeseed oil bandwagon!  Pompeiian now makes grape seed oil for cooking as do a couple of other companies, look at the ingredient label carefully when you buy to make sure it doesn't have added 'other oils' like vegetable oil or peanut oil.  The liquid in the bottle should have a clear greenish tint to it.
I found Pompeiian Grapeseed oil at WalMart and Kroger but it's a smaller bottle than the Grapeola brand.   I found GrapeOla brand at Kroger and Bi-Lo.  Kroger had some kind of grapeseed oil in a much smaller gourmet 'tin' at a huge gourmet price so I didn't pay much attention to it. I think I'll have a less severe heart attack by avoiding that gourmet price while going for the WalMart Pompeiian price lol!

That's my update for now.  Everyone please have a happy healthy Wednesday!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Silk Protein Shakes Review

I love the new Silk products.  There's a flavor for everyone.  What I don't love in the new Protein Shakes is all the sugar.  C'mon guys, you make a no sugar added soy milk and coconut milk can't you figure out a way to do the same for y our protein shakes?  There are diabetics and low/no sugar people out there who would otherwise enjoy adding a Silk Protein smoothie to their morning routine.

Pretty please?  With low/no sugar on top?

AH HA!

I think I got my Facebook page badge to work...or not. Grrrrrr!

Feel free to click the like button on the right of this page, please. Please?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

YES

I get the following questions fairly frequently:  do you exercise. Yes.  Lightly.  I had stopped pilates and running last November after nearly bleeding to death.  My heart still doesn't like me much as a result, but it now just deals with it.  I just slow down what I'm doing.  I don't go full stop just slow and steady.

What do you eat? or Do you eat?  Yes.  I eat.  The question should actually be what don't you eat?

Do you do those fad diet shakes? Yes and no.  I don't push the diet shakes hard except as supplements or a quick breakfast.  You can't re-learn to eat correctly by relying on diet shakes to get the weight off.  They become old/boring quickly. They become expensive habits really fast. Once you stop using them the weight comes back. They're not really satisfying either.

The best shake out there (in my opinion only) is the chocolate shake by Shakeology.  I add half a cup of diced avocado, 1 tbsp cocoa, and chocolate coconut milk to mine.  Hits the spot when I have a chocolate craving.

How about weight watchers/lean cuisine etc: They're fine too, in the short term.  Once again, these meals get old and boring quickly and you didn't learn anything except they're expensive. Once you go 'off' them the weight comes back.

Diet pills?  ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Diet pills are an invitation for disaster.

Fad diets like HCG, etc? You tell me, how do you lose weight? Getting some injection or just eating 500 calories a day.  Call it the starvation diet, skip the injections/liquid drops, they're useless, and you'll still lose weight, simply because you're now borderline anorexic.

It took a while to get the weight on, some fad something or other diet won't take it off quickly.  If it does, believe me the fat will return almost tenfold as quickly as it left.  If it's a pill, listen to me, there is no magic pill, just a man or woman out there at the head of the company hawking this miracle pill who is laughing all the way to the bank.

If any of the diet schemes out there actually worked no one would be overweight and the 'diet' companies would be out of business.

If you SERIOUSLY want to lose the weight you'll do what it takes.  You'll put in the SWEAT EQUITY. You'll EARN your body back. You won't line the pockets of the shareholders in Joe's magic weight loss pill company any more.

If you really and truly want the weight off, lemme hear a loud echoing YES!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Simple Things

I was thinking back on when I first started trying to lose weight.  I made simple changes.  Easy things that didn' t cause too much muss and fuss in my established lifestyle.

1) Drink more.  I started drinking more tea, water and coffee.  Sometimes thirst masks itself as hunger so ask yourself if you're hungry or thirsty?  Always go for thirst first.

2) Warm lemon water first thing in the morning.  Hydrate hydrate.  Fresh lemons only.  It acts as a mild laxative.

3) Cucumber water.  About mid afternoon when you start taking on water weight/swelling. Wash the cuke thoroughly.  Slice it into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Squeeze slightly.  Put  2 slices in  8 oz glass pour warm water over it. Enjoy.  This has a mild diuretic effect on your body.

4) Skip the salt and sugar as much as possible.

5) Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed into everything you cook.  You won't notice it I promise.  It's full of omegas and acts as fiber woud in you diet.

6) Enjoy a slice of avacado with your meals.  Fiber and essential fats.

7) Make the switch to GrapeOla.  It's grapeseed oil which is very good for you mixed with Canola, also good for you. Chock full of omegas.

8) Enjoy an egg or two for breakfast. (boiled, fried, over easy or however you like it.) Add a slice of avacado, your lemon water, and some cheese or a slice of fruit and you're set for the morning on protein and energy.

9) Have a cup of coffee it's good for you!

10) Find a way to get 10 minutes of exercise in even if it's playing with your pets, your kids, getting outside and walking laps around your house, heck walk laps IN your house.  You don't have to have a tread mill to walk steps or make loops through your house.  Just move, deliberately, wtih exercise in mind, for 10 minutes.

See.  Easy stuff.

Make it a goal to try this for a week.  Tell me how you did.

Have a happy healthy week.

~Mel

Thursday, March 29, 2012

My Carbs Make Me Sleepy Post In a Nutshell

A while back I posted about how carbs made me sleepy. That particular post has had more unique daily hits (means new people who haven't visited here before) than any other post on this blog.  Apparently my problem is not unique.  Actually, my 'problem' isn't really a problem. 

Carbs spike the blood sugar in your blood stream.  It also has something to do with seratonin and insulin production.  If you ingest a huge amount of carbs all those levels spike then drop precipitously kind of like a sugar high.  The spike in seratonin triggers your 'relax button' and you become sleepy.

Now, for those of us who try to adhere to a low carb lifestyle, our bodies adjust to having lower levels of blood sugar/insulin/seratonin.  If we decide to indulge in carb rich foods we shock our system and, if you're like me, you pay for it dearly.  The girls at work have been know to say "You had carbs today didn't you?"  Apparently I act like a kid who's had too much candy when I've been eating carbs I'm not used to and then I become quite grumpy when I crash.  I've scared my husband a couple of times by sleepign so soundly I barely breathe or move for several hours.  Could be why I steer clear of the carbs most days.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

New Playlist

My new playlist is fun, Sexy, and ecclectic. (at least in my opinion)

Karmin Broken Hearted
Rhianna Take Care
Rhianna Talk that Talk
Kelly Clarkson Stronger
Rascall Flatts Banjo
Turn Me On David Guetta/Niki Minaj
Madonna Give Me All Your Luvin'
LMFAO Sexy and I know it
Kip Moore Somethin 'bout A Truck
Carrie Underwood  Good Girl
Luke Bryan Drunk On You
Luke Bryan Country Girl (Shake)
Chris Brown Turn Up The Music
Jake Owen Alone With You
Jake Owen Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Justin Beiber Boyfriend (seriously? It's on my playlist? Yup.)
Enrique Iglesias Dirty Dancer
Dev Dancing In The Dark
Breathe Carolina Black Out
Jeremih Down On Me

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

New Product Plug

YUMMY!  The 90 Calorie Brownies by Fiber One are awesome!  Heat 'em up a few seconds in the microwave and enjoy with a cup of your favorite joe.

Monday, March 19, 2012

This Blog now has a FaceBook Page

You can find me on Melissa Motivation

Friend me please =)

Unusual Salsa Recipe

Forget veggie slices or pita chips, I like to sit down and eat this with a spoon straight from the bowl.


Avacado Salsa

2 Still green avacados
1 can jumbo black olives
1 can rotel (your choice of flavor/strength)
1 can black beans
1 large cucumber

Peel, seed and coarsely chop avacado. I prefer the still green avacados because they're easier to
 handle.  The ones that have gone soft slip slid and disentegrate in my hands or upon stirring.
Rinse and coarsely chop black olives
Rinse and drain black beans
Peel (seeding is optional) coarsely chop cucumber

Toss ingredients together then gently stir in rotel. Enjoy your way.
VERY VERY low calorie and very very high fiber.

I've been meaning to experiment with putting a spoonful of this in eggs to make an omelet.  The things that make you go hmmmmmm.

UPDATE: What I did withthe leftover salsa.  Why I added drained tuna to it and made a HUGE tuna salad without the eggs or mayo.  YUM!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Get back on that horse

Fell off for a while, now I gotta get back up or I never will.  Down for the count...not me.

Been down with a bad tooth and no dentist who didn't want to 'tend to it' without a preliminary check up xray and cleaning' first.  Like that was going to make the current xray and diagnosis by my own personal dentist any better or perhaps make their own even worse????? I especially liked the dentist who said I can get you in on the 20th and then get you scheduled sometime in April with an endodontist?  Really?  I'm scheduled with an endondist on the 15th I was just hoping you could get to me quicker before I die...no big problem here right?

Add to that the suspect diagnosis of Trigeminal Neuralgia, yeah, look that one up.  I'm supposed to see my doctor after the root canal for an MRI to have a look at that bad boy and get a nice prescription to hopefully control it.  My husband said "Good I finally get a nice quiet compliant wife."  Not on your life buddy!

So the trigeminal thing is not curable or beatable, it is controllable.  Just so we get things straight here, I like control.  And it will be controlled, damn it.

Friday is shopping day so I'll be back in the saddle, shopping for proper foods and getting ye old diet back on track.

"Real" health issues aside, there is no compromising otherwise, no excuses, Mrs. Murphy. No excuses at all.  That nerve can cause all the pain filled probblems it wants, it doesn't mean I have to conusme a shamrock milkshake from McDonald's to make it go away because it seems to make matters worse and we really don't want to make things worse now do we?

Other than that, everyone have a safe healthy Wednesday.

Melissa

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Seriously?

Just a short post.

I was waiting in line at a grocery store and overheard the following conversation.

Lady 1:  My doctor told me I'm overweight.  I told him I couldn't exercise because my knees hurt so bad I can't stand to walk.

Lady 2: Yeah mine said that too. Exercising is too hard when you can't walk.

Me: (sigh) To my credit I said nothing.  Not a word, but I did eye what was in their shopping carts.  Bread, icecream, snack cakes, chips, diet soda, chocolate milk, mac n cheese.  Not a fruit or vegetable in sight. 

You don't have to exercise to lose weight.  I didn't exercise at first.  I simply made better food choices.  Is it really that hard to figure out?  What goes in your mouth is what is on your hips, stomach and gut. 

I don't understand what the disconnect is.  All I want to say to people is "Seriously?  You think you're going to lose weight by eating *THAT*?" 

That's really all I have to say right now. 

Have a safe happy healthy Sunday evening.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

LOVE IT!

15 minutes of pilates and 1 and a half reps (15 instead of 20) of curtsy lunges with weights today.  My heart protested mightily and I might sleep for an hour later, but I'm getting there.

What did you do today? 

I hope it wasn't this



There is no reason on the face of this earth to ever make people want to chuck up thier lunch by wearing this kind of pants especially when you're over weight. 

You should be doing this




In order to earn the right to wear those ugly things!

Have a happy healthy Tuesday.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Just a little vent here

I'm guessing I'm just in 'that' age brackett but several of my friends and family members have been diagnosed with breast cancer over the last year. I said something along those lines to my husband,who is known for being an insensitive lout.  His reply was something along the lines of telling me to get a mammogram because he would be most unhappy if I had to have one or both of the girls cut off.

What if I've had cancer for several years without knowing it?  What if there is a tiny little speck of cancer found to be malignant and they have to be taken to 'make sure'?  Would he still love me if I had to have them removed to save my life?  What kind of person tells his wife she'd better not lose 'the girls"?  Is my life that unimportant to him?  Is my only worth to him my breasts?  Really?

I didn't have breasts when we married.  In fact, I sprouted them when pregnant with my oldest son and they opnly got bigger with my second son and subsequent weight gain in the decade that followed.  What could have possibly been his attraction to me back then?  I didn't have 'fun bag assets' 22 years ago. I was just a 'librarian look' church mouse who dressed like a tomboy. I just happened to catch his eye because I was...was...what?  I think he told the marriage counselor that he fell in love with me because I was honest. But who knows why he asked me out? I don't think he knows even to this day.

Honesty has an important place in marriage,but was that all there was too me?  No sense of humor?  No other qualities like sparkling eyes?  Pretty hair?  Long shapely legs? Oh wait, I had long legs but shapely wasn't part of the description.  At 5ft7 and 90 lbs I didn't have curves anywhere except where my skeleton showed through =) Was  I not caring? gentle natured? Spirited? Opinionated?  All I get was I love her because she's honest? Oh and add boobs, I love her because she's honest then a few years later she grew boobs.

I made a two page list of all the reasons I fell in love with him and I'm not a touchy feely person.  I don't do emotions.  I very rarely wrote long letters declaring my undying love, hmmm, I'm pretty sure I never wrote one for him.  That could be bad lol!.  I've always been a take it or leave it kind of girl.  Except where he's concerned.  Obviously, he hasn't put that much thought into it himself.

I guess I'm just not sure what he meant by his comment.  If his life hung in the balance and the doctors said they had to remove a part of his body to ensure his survival then cut whatever it is off.  It doesn't make him any less of a person, my husband to me. 

Maybe that's where the difference lies? I can accept someone for who they are, faults and all, no strings attached. He can't.

Isn't that a terrible way to live?

Too Much Estrogen

As we age our bodies really really turn against us.  I'm 42, in peri-menopause, and in the middle of an estrogen dominant phase which is fuleing uterine fibroid growth which is what landed me inthe hospital onthe brink of death back in November.  My heart is protesting.  It can't pump fast enough to meet the demands of my poor oxygen starved body while it is put through the rigors of exercise.

So it would seem I was on the right path and had everythnig well in hand  when I decided to forge my own path.  How stupid can I be?

How do I fix this mess I put myself in?

Anti estrogen dieting that's how.  No more processed foods.  No more carbs.  NO MORE SOY no matter how much I love the Bolthouse Farms soy drinks.

Go back to leafy greens, 99% organic fruits and veggies, tofu based noodles, and get back out in the sun.  I've been avoiding the trail for a while because my heart simply can't handle running or even walking that distance.  I've had to go to just flexibility exercises with Pilates...again because my heart can't take it.  I'm damn tired of my heart not being able to take it. I couldn't even get up and down fromthe floor last night without my heart rate doubling.  That can't be good. And my doctor just shrugs saying it takes time.. Take it slowly.You're not young anymore.

Really?

I hadn't noticed.

This. Stops. NOW.

I've learned my lesson.  I'm tired of being weak.  I'm tired of having to look at that pitying look in my husband's eyes, or it might be an "I told you so' look meaning I told you you couldn't keep up that regimen and now you're getting fat again hahahahha look, who knows?

This time last year I had plenty of energy. I wasn't bleeding to death, literally.  I could do the 5k walk in under 45 minutes. and I'm going to get there again.  Actually surpass it.

And then what?

Well,I have 8 more 5ks on the calander.

And then what?

School to get my health/wellness/nutrition certificatiions so I can open my own weight loss clinic.  Watch out Jillian Michaels, Melissa Murphy is going to show you how us older ladies do weightloss with style and class

Book is in the outline/rough draft mode.

Now.

Let's do something healthy today.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Pics




A Grumpy Kind of Day

I'm having trouble sleeping again.  This getting old thing is for the birds.  I snapped at my husband today, hurt his feelings and that is bothering me. He was being  his usual self, scattered, asked me where his socks were and I said "Why am I dressing three grown men?" (I was hunting my 13 and 15 year old sons' clothing too.  Seriously, why am I in charge of knowing where everything is? I needed to get dressed too, but at least I KNOW where my stuff is, I don't depend on someone else to do it for me.---See grumpy me, grrrrr!)

On to other more pressing things.  I could care less that Paula Dean has type 2 diabetes.  That's her business in more ways than one.  No one held a gun to her head and force fed her.  No one held a gun to anyone's head out there who has type 2 diabetes to force feed them either.  Does she have some degree of responsibility for everyone who follows her cooking show or uses her recipes?  No.

It's called personal responsibility.  What I've seen so far, the medeia coverage and what not, is nothing more than nanny staters whining that she misled people which led them to get diabetes.  She made people fat to get rich (among some of the more extreme finger pointers out there)

There are many factors behind who develops diabetes. Lifestyle, exercise, stress, genetics all play a part in your overall health.  People need to get a life and worry about the elephant in their own living room first.  Stop trying to legislate what is and isn't healthy for everyone else.

Eating a butter laden pile of mashed potatoes isn't going to give you diabetes.  Eating a big gooey slice of  bourbon chocolate pecan pie isn't going to give you diabetes either.  Either will spike your blood sugar, but it won't last long and it won't kill you as long as you use some sort of sense of moderation from the beginning.  I'll give my boss credit where credit is due, enjoy a few bites of everything you like.  You don't have to eat it all.  The 'mom said clean your plate' club is out of style.

By the way, eating at McDonalds every so often wont' make you fat either. I had gravy, biscuits, and a small half sweet/unsweet tea at McDonalds today because I wanted it.  I've been craving it for weeks so I gave in and enjoyed dipping the biscuit in the gravy( I never ever pour the gravy over a crumbled up biscuit or I'll eat every last bite of it whichis badbadbad)   I'll eat better the rest of the day, but I probably won't get any fatter or become diabetic over it.

Sorry to disappoint anyone who might have hoped otherwise. Actually, I'm not sorry at all.



Monday, January 9, 2012

Now that's better lol!

I really shouldn't be messing with templates when I don't know what I'm doing or have the time to learn either.

Thought for the day: Quitting is not an option when it comes to health.  The only other option is dying and that's kind of permanent and pointless if it can be avoided.

Hats off to Becca Freeman, my heroine, for fighting back against killer, mind splitting migraines, I'm not sure I could be that strong a person. 31 shots to try to control it?  OUCH! I used to curl up in a tiny ball in the corner of a dark room and cry because even the dark hurt.  My clothes on my skin hurt. The wall of the room I was huddled against hurt. Probably the paint on the wall hurt too. The floor I was huddled on hurt. The touch of my husband trying to soothe me hurt.  Sound hurt.  Breathing hurt. Tears hurt. Even my own heartbeat hurt.  I know what that kind of hurt is.  My migraines went away after I had my first child. I hope you will be that  lucky.  Girl I love you!

Hats off to family and friends who are battling different types of cancer. Condolences to my friends who have lost their loved ones in the past few weeks to cancer. 

Hats off to my family and friends who are battling diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and genetic diseases.

I admire you all and wish you nothing but the best.

`Mel