Vote for me...

Isn't this the cutest face?!  What a sweet dog!  Please take a minute and vote for Emmett!!!  And, pass this on so Emmett can get the votes and notoriety that he deserves.

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/petcovercontest/View.aspx?ID=155009&FIID=233560

Who's talkin.....

I'm not sure who originally said these but I like them.  How can I go wrong thinking this way? 

"Optimists live longer even when wrong"
"Add life to years, not year to life"

Rolling into a 3 day weekend!  Yippee, Friday can't come fast enough. 

A powerful 4 letter word........

FOOD! 

I'm experiencing another incredible class weekend.  Yesterday we heard form Mark Hyman and Howard Lyman.  Both interesting, passionate men. 

Mark Hyman (MD) talked alot @ functional medicine.  That is looking at your body as a whole system; treat the system not the sympton.  Ask WHY, not WHAT?  Dr. Hyman has written lots of books but really centered on causes of disease (5 - toxins, allergens, infections/bugs, poor diet, stress) and identifying what we need to GET RID OF and what we need to ADD.  He spent little to no time on what you should/shouldn't eat; that's not his gig but more importantly in his words "food is the most powerful medicine."

What a fantastic and seemingly logical approach but why then are 72% of Americans considered overweight?  The US spends $2.5 trillion (how many 0's is that?!) or 16% of our GDP on healthcare.  Or as Dr. Andrew Weil terms it "sickcare."  In the US, there's been a 700% increase in diabetes since 1983.  These are stagering statistics that no one can argue, whether vegetarian, vegan, gluten or dairy free, meat eaters, etc.  All agree on one thing - WE ARE GETTING FATTER AND UNHEALTHIER as a nation. 

Then bring on Howard Lyman.  Whoa boy!  He's most remembered as the man on Oprah's show talking @ mad cow when Oprah said something like - I'll never eat another burger.  Then both Oprah and Lyman were sued for $180M by the cattleman's association.  They won after a long legal battle.  He's a funny, 72 year old, guy from Montana who grew up on a cattle farm, ultimately took it over and now he's vegan!!  We heard his story and after watching a short video on "factory farming," I'm not sure if I can eat meat, chicken or anything from either.  OMG, how disgusting. 

Factory farming was a new term to me.  I knew the concept existed but I really never thought @ it all that much until yesterday.  It's a vision that's hard to get out of your head.  The mistreatment of the animals is awful, the filth of the environment is disgusting.  While the film was rolling, you could almost smell it's awfulness.  So this has me thinking............do I need it (animal products) to feel good?  I really like a great steak but ooooooh?

Making good choices is complex and yet the right thing for me on many levels - my long term health, control my weight, humane treatment of animals, care for our environment....it's much more complex to me now.  When I started this journey, making good choices as Dan always reminds me really only meant eating well, picking the right foods.........did he know that I would uncover so much more?  Hmmmmmmmm.....

Happy 88th birthday..........MOM!!

Today is my mom's 88th birthday.  WOW! She's incredible too.  I'm so lucky to have such a great role model & influence (not to mention great genes) in my life.  I talked to her @ 6am as she was starting her day.....breakfast then gym then bridge then dinner with my neice.   How @ that for 88?!!!!  Go mom go!!

Bloggers block and....

....random thoughts.  It's been @ 3 days since my last post and I think I'm suffering from bloggers block OR maybe there is just too much stuff jumbling around in my head.

Man o man so much going on right now.  My business is picking up (YAHOO), headed to NYC for another class weekend; lunch with a friend from 1st grade (that's a looooong time ago).  My bro & his wife are going to be in NYC too so hookin up w/them.  Client meeting, class and leaving a little time for whatever comes my way.  Maybe a museum this time around cause it's going to be a boiler there too. 

Some random & totally mindless stuff:

• Book reading - finished Girl in Translation - liked it!  Now reading Backseat Saints - weird but making it thru.  Anyone read anything great?
• More magazine - for the over 40 readers, haha.  Some good articles this month on multi vitamins, eating to avoid breast "c" - good read. 
• LOST 1 lb....4 more to go.  Tried on my skinny pants.  Can't zip them and goal is to zip up on July 4!!!!  Back to journaling.  
• Lucy - shop there?  The power shorts are on sale.  Love these!   
• Topsy turvy - haven't started it yet.  Will try over July 4th weekend.  Any tips?  I love tomatoes.
• Converter - got to get converter for trip to Israel.  Counted up all the "plug in's" I use, ugh!  Laptop, cell, iPod, blow dryer, flat iron.....Do they make a converter power cord :-)!!!
• USB on laptop going - driving me nuts.  The one I use for my mouse.  Anything I can do @ this other than replace laptop!  LOL. 

OK, solved. Less bloggers block and more......so, so much going on.  Making it another great day!!! 

Adios....Shalom...Au revoir....

Most people say goodbye, we say..........Make good choices!  My coworkers and I laughed about this the other day.  Our farewell's are laced with "make good choices."  It's that little being there for each other that helps in the easy times and gets you thru the tough days too. 

I haven't make such good choices the last couple days.  I've not been feeling myself and I used that excuse to eat things that would have never made it onto my plate.  Like FISH & CHIPS last night at the Buckhead Bottle Bar.  Uh true confessions, add calamari, a piece of pizza sort of thing and an adult bev or two!!  WHAT WAS I THINKING?!  Not to mention I knew I'd feel like crap when I woke up this morning but that didn't stop me either. 

This week has been a roller coaster weight week.  Down 1/2 lb, up 1 1/2 lbs.  Every day has been unusual swings in my weight (yep, I weigh daily).  It's been frustrating to say the least.  I had those days when I made good choices and gained so I guess I also figured, what the heck...eat what you want.  Ooooh, that's a bad place for me. 

So today's a new day.  Today I'm going to work on getting my head back in the game.  I've kept up my running (walking more during this heat) and think I need to add something new to my cardio.  Maybe get back in the gym for step or elliptical.  Perhaps my body needs to be awakened or I'm in a rut.  Shortly I'm headed to Body Solutions to train with Dan and on Thursday night he said today we are doing something different.  I'm looking forward to that and maybe exactly what I need.  Hmmm, maybe Dan recognized a rut before me?!  Not possible?! 

 It starts today.....sayonara.....Make Good Choices!!!

Is getting healthy making me sick?

This sounds like such a strange question but I'm left to wonder / question.  I started my weight loss and journey to better health with Dan McGrath in February 2009.  It was great.  Loosing weight & inches and feeling wonderful.  I was not sick a day in 2009.  It was spectacular.  I missed all the colds, flu's and everything else that went around.  Now 2010 rolls around and I feel like I've been nothing but sick.  UGH!  It's awful. 

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat and fever.  Burning up!  That's a whole other question - how do you go to bed feeling great and get sick in the middle of the night?!  Since the beginning of 2010, this is the third time I've had a sore throat.  The last two times rolled into bad, bad colds.  I'm so hoping this one doesn't go that way. 

I don't get it.  I eat healthy; healthier than I ever have in my life.  I exercise regularly, never did that before.  I get good rest, at least 8 hours / night.  My stress level is manageable, lower than prior years for sure.  So what gives?  Why do I keep getting sick? 

Topsy Turvy

The back story - I reveal to you........I don't cook!  I have not cooked throughout my 50 lb weight loss journey.  I WARM UP!  I buy pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, turkey, grilled veggies, etc. mostly at Whole Foods and I warm up.  Honestly I don't own pots & pans.  Haven't for years.  

In going thru my nutrition classes, there's so much discussion around connecting with food in a positive way.  Grow your own, cook your own, sit down to eat w/o distraction and really enjoy the meal.....I love this on a conceptual basis but haven't yet put this into practice.  Sound familiar to anyone?!  Well, I'm not really doing any of these and sometimes in class I feel like a fraud and then I wake up and remember, hey.....one step at a time.  I'm eating so, so much better now than one year ago and there's lots ahead of me - growing my own, cooking, juicing (that sounds great if I didn't have to clean the juicer) and more. 

I'm writing @ this because I'm going to take my first step!  One of my birthday gifts is the Topsy Turvy!  How funny and cool is that.  I'm finally home this weekend and its a good time to start it off.  I'm a "read the directions" kind of person" so.......I hope its simple :-).    If you have experience with this and/or can offer any suggestions, drop me a note. 

I'm hoping my plant looks like this................

Thank you Nikki & Chase for inspiring me to next steps!

52 years young....

I'm thankful, grateful, blessed and more!!!  It's going to be a great year. 

French fries

DINNER...........

That look?

Yesterday I was travelling to NYC again and over and over strangers stopped me with questions.  In the Atlanta airport, I was stopped twice and asked for directions/explanations of the concourses.  OK, that happens sometimes. Then I'm walking on the streets of NYC and again twice I was stopped and asked for directions.  One time, I really thought I was on candid camera.  I was uptown and a woman who spoke very little english stopped me to ask "where is the Bowery?"  We were so far from the Bowery, I pointed south and said "a long way away" (in NYC terms long way).  She just looked at me and then asked "how I get there?"  Hmmm, how do you explain in english to someone who doesn't speak english to take a bus (no clue which one), a subway (no clue which one) or a taxi (ahhh, the easiest but most expensive answer).  Well I tried my best and used the international method of communication - hand gestures.  I hope she made it.

So what's in a look, my look or is it simply that everyone is stopped by strangers?  I hope they all made it safely to their destinations.  I did and am having a blast!!!!  Bad eating day yesterday; travel does that to me sometimes but today's another chance to MAKE GOOD CHOICES. 

BTW, the ultimate stop occurred to me several years ago at the Atlanta airport.  I was checking in for a flight to Tel Aviv (layover in NY).  A guy came up to me and asked if I'd get his mom (who spoke NO english) to Tel Aviv OK and call him when she got there.  We both made it fine. 

Eat to lose....

I'm back in the weight loss game.  I'm maintaining my loss pretty well but I stopped journaling a couple weeks ago and picked up 5 lbs and it's not coming back off so fast.  It never did the first time so why should I be surprised I guess.  Not surprised but disappointed & today a little frustrated. 

I've been able to take off 1 1/2 from the 5 but haven't been able to break past it yet.  I'm back to journaling every day, eating right/making good choices and regular exercise but no go.  Nada!  Not happening for me just yet.  I'm not giving up...never.  It's just the way it is. 

Its funny when I mention my gain to friends, they sort of dismiss me - "you got this," "5 lbs is no biggy," "you've done this before" and on go the comments.  Yeah, I've done it before, many times in fact but frankly it doesn't get any easier.  I'll turn one year older in a couple days and I think its gettin harder!  But I'm never going back so this is just the way it is for me. 

I guess this is my very own game of cops and robbers - good guys/days and bad guys/day.  The game I will play for the rest of my life.  It's my lifestyle now.  I got that and am much happier because of it yet there still are those days (like today) when its frustrating.....The great news is today's a new day and I'll take it one day at a time.  Relaxing @ a goal is not my strongest point but I'll work on it........

Gadgets and data.......oh me!

For the last 12 or so years, I've been crazed by all the techno gadgets.  I partly have my business partner to thank.  He had a MacIntosh computer on his desk in the early 90's (nope, they didn't call it "Apple" back then) and was always into tech stuff.  Starting with the PalmPilot; I had to have every new version.  I had one of those electronic notepads that you write on and then download to your computer.  Great concept but it never worked.  The SmartBoard - had that.  Then I moved to the BlackBerry which first started out looking like a pager and progressed thru many versions.  Now to the iPhone and who knows what's next.  I'm not gettin the new iPhone that's for sure.  I really want the iPad but how can I justify that?!  Please someone give me one good reason!!!!

Now enter exercise and fitness.  Once Dan, my coach, said "monitor your heart rate"....you can probably guess what ensued.  We drove all over Atlanta; me driving, him looking for the right HR monitor for me.  That led us to our Internet search.  My first heart rate monitor was a Suunto.  I didn't keep it long; couldn't really see the #s that well and way too complex for me. 

Next a very basic Polar that gave me my HR and the time of day.  Hmmmm....I wanted more information because if you don't know already, I'm a data junky.  I've tracked my workouts since I started in February 2009 and I have journaled my eating every day since then as well.  For me, journaling keeps me on track and is a key. 

My next and current is the Polar RS300x combined with the Foot Pod (pedometer) and the Flowlink (allows me to download to My Personal Polar account).  LOVE THIS.  From this, I get my HR, time, pace, distance and I don't use all the functionality either.  I then download the info and can track my activity by day/week/month.  Crazy!

Awww but it doesn't really stop there.  Enter the Gruve.  I wear the Gruve everyday to track calorie burn.  It's a cool tool and the concept is to ensure I'm movin alot!  It projects colors and the goal is green.  Not easy but a good challenge. 

More importantly is WHY do I use, do all this?  I'm a competitive, goal oriented and data driven person.  Put that all together and I use my journal, my HR, my time, my distance, my calorie burn to encourage & inspire me to keep going, to celebrate progress or a great day, to recognize a not so great day and get with it the next day.  It's my own personal formula.  As in everything, it's not one size fits all so each person should find what works for them and then go for it with gusto!

Board meetings......quality living....

I just came from an annual board meeting of one of our private day schools.  It was the annual meeting to recap the year, install new board members (ME for one) and welcome the new Headmaster.  The school is 25 years old and for the past 16 years had the same Headmaster.  He moved and the new one takes over shortly.

We heard the traditional presentations, all very impressive for what's been accomplished over the last year and equally as impressive as to what is ahead of us.  We're moving in the right direction. 

As I, the newcomer of the group, sat listening and making some private notes, I was especially drawn to how the new Headmaster described his predecessor - all the stuff you'd expect and his "trademark warmth."  His "trademark warmth!"  I was touched by this description.  Wow, what a spectacular quality  or gift to possess.  How do you get that?  Born with it?  Learn it from your parents?  siblings?  teachers?  What a rich life to have the opportunity to touch people in this way.  Maybe because I know this man, I can summons up the feeling when I've been around him - sweet, gentle, kind, caring.  His trademark warmth will forever have touched me too. 

We did it!

Wounded Warrior 5K!  Man there are some hills in Marietta!!!

A cup of java..........

 ....to start my day.  I love the Starbuck's Region blend.  Verona is a fav too!

Today's the Wounded Warrior Run.  We are meeting shortly and heading to the run together.  This is all so new to me.  My 2nd "run."  The 1st time w/friends.  I read all the time how much people love running w/friends although every now and then you read @ the person who's really a single, lone runner.  I'm not sure which I'll be.........today is the beginning of something new. 

It's going to be a great day.  Finally a weekend at home.  I love to go away but there's no place like home and my own bed & am coffee.  (yeah, gotta have the morning Joe).  I'm pretty much booked with errands although I hope to get to Amy's son's book signing - This is not profanity.  He has Tourette's and wrote a book.  He also just graduated from Emerson so she must be beaming today!!! 

I took a quick glance at the newspaper.  The oil spill is unreal, out of control.  The wildlife - poor birds and now washing on the beaches of the Panhandle.  Tourism?  Lives & Jobs affected?  ugh! 

I'm not a sports fan but know enough that Wooden's death is a big one.  So sorry to hear that.  May he rest in peace. 

The flotilla's going to Gaza.  Israel, do what you have to do to protect yourself.  I'll be there soon!

And locally, as of 7/1/10, no more texting while driving in GA.  Long overdue law for sure.  I'll start practicing today! 

"THE GREATEST CASUALTY IS BEING FORGOTTEN"

Tomorrow, I'm doing the Run for Wounded Warriors with my two co-workers.  You've seen them pictured on my blog.  The run options are 10K, 5K and 1 mile.  We are going for the 5K. 

This is an important run for so many reasons. 

• A great cause - Run for Wounded Warriors, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to host a 10K and 5K race to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project.
• The 2nd time I've run a 5K and not since the blogging conference.  Really the 2nd time I've run in a group. 
• The 1st time our office team will run an organized run together. 

I am excited and nervous at the same time.  I'm not accustomed to running with a group so this will be great practice for me.  I'm used to running by myself or with 1-2 others.  I'll work on my mental strength between now and tomorrow morning.  I'm really excited to run with my co-workers.  We run just about every morning and this will be a highlight for us for sure.  We're all goal oriented so FINISHING alone will be great. 

Here we come..........

HFCS makes the news........Consumption is coming down folks!

Corn syrup producers see sales decline - Campaign against sweetener leads to drop in consumption

Check out this article on High Fructose Corn Syrup but more importantly........stay away from the stuff.  Limit refined & processed foods and stay on the perimeter of the supermarket.  Now we're talking.........

This is one controverisal product - many on both sides.  Is it a contributor to the increase in obesity, illnesses in the US?  This is a highly processed, engineered product.  How can that alone be good for you?

Whether it's consumer pressure or they know how bad it is for us, you have to take heed when a number of companies (who are out for profits and positive PR) have stopped using corn syrup in some or all products; Hunt's ketchup, Snapple, Gatorade and Starbucks' baked goods.  Another great reason to keep buying Starbucks. 

So research it yourself.  Beware:  The Corn Refiners Association has launched an aggressive and highly visable "advertising blitz" to promote the stuff.  You may have seen the TV commercials.  On the opposite side, read just about any article on nutrition, healthy eating/lifestyles and you'll hear plenty of con's. 

National Running Day - 6.2.10

I going to run with my team from work. 

What do you have planned?