I am still learning.

Raise Metabolism

1. Build muscle. Since fat is burned in your muscle, you want to activate as many muscle fibers as possible. Weight training increases lean muscle mass, which raises the amount of calories your body uses, even when you're at rest. What's more, since there's less fat in your body (and your muscles), blood moves better so you have more energy -- without eating more food. So if you haven't been incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, now is the time to start!

2. Start eating! "Your body is a 'refuel as it goes machine,' which simply means it needs to be consistently fed to provide energy to live," explains Mark MacDonald, author of the bestselling book Body Confidence. "This type of consistent feeding stabilizes your blood sugar levels and creates internal hormonal balance" -- and that keeps you from packing on the pounds. His advice: Eat within an hour of waking to kick-start your metabolism. Then keep eating every three to four hours ending an hour before bedtime.

3. Nosh on protein at every meal and snack. Protein has a greater metabolic boost than fat or carbohydrates. Biting, chewing, swallowing and digesting food takes energy -- it's known as the thermic effect of food and it can burn up to 30 percent of the calories on your plate. The more complex the food (think steak, legumes and fibrous vegetables), the more calories you burn as it travels through the digestive tract. Protein also contains leucine, an amino acid that prevents muscle loss when you're dieting. A simple strategy: For a quick and easy snack, keep peanuts in your pocketbook, trail mix in your desk drawer and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.

4. Get moving. Interval training with bursts of high intensity cardio will stoke your metabolic rate and keep it humming for hours. So instead of logging in your regular half-hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or hit the road and take advantage of changes in the terrain. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace. And squeeze in extra calorie burning whenever you get the chance, advises Gerbstadt.

5. Drink water. Studies show that people who drink 8-ounce glasses of water eight to 12 times a day have higher metabolic rates than those who drink four. Want to lose an extra 6.6 pounds a year? Drink half a liter of water before breakfast. According to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., people who downed water before their first meal of the day consumed an average of 75 fewer calories at breakfast than those who didn't drink up first.

I have decided that this is a good list of things to do if possible. Unfortunately, I am one of those who copies things like this from the Health segment on MSN and then doesn't do all that I can to follow the guidelines. I have always been a water drinker. But you know, I'm realizing that just because I have a large glass of water around doesn't mean I drank it. I don't pay attention to how much is actually going in.

I also have started to move around more. I am so sedentary that my picture could be in the dictionary under the word. I am doing physical therapy and that is a big change from just sitting but it isn't nearly enough to have an aerobic benefit and to build muscle. I began in the pool. And I love the pool stuff. But now I am working on some non-water machines and they are much harder. I am pushing myself a little to try and build. But I'm aware there is a lot to do to build muscle.

The eating thing isn't as easy as it sounds. Just eating won't do. Eating things that are good for me. I'm exploring that with my daughter the chef who has lost 60 pounds. And yes, she is a real chef. Anyway I am learning from her. It helps and I'll share things I find with you.


I love steak. Well cooked on the grill. And I love low fat hamburger meat. And I am looking for a good recipe to share with you guys. Soon!

I went from too little to too much

I keep thinking there must be a happy medium in life. I have decided to quit looking for it however, because it is taking too much effort. My physical therapy at the Results Therapy Center has been a true life saver for me. I was looking at becoming a cripple in that I had a terrible time moving about. The knee had healed badly and my spine was the worst it has ever been. Constant misery. But I am happy to say that the trips to the therapy center and the work I have been doing is a huge help for me. I am moving about much more easily and am even more willing to get out and do things. I used to love to shop. But that was many years ago. Since I got a computer I had begun to shop almost totally online. But you know what happens then? No walking. No feeling items to see if they are what I really want. No trying anything on. And the shopping has resulted in a mound of money spent on things I really can't use.

Now I am getting out for short shopping trips. A run to the grocery store is a short shopping trip. But I am not ready for the after Thanksgiving madhouse. Now I am doing some stuff outside in spite of the really and truly hot weather we've had. Now instead of laying around, I'm sitting around. I am amazed at how the apathy and lack of stamina snuck up on me. My mother used to tell me that she had emphysema and I didn't believe her. Sure she had smoked for 54 years. But she was short of breath just walking to the kitchen. Now I've discovered that I was at least partially correct. I am short of breath after climbing the steps to the upstairs in my home. I find myself putting off trips up the stairs because of that. But it's good for me to go up stairs. I need to do more of it, not less. Or at least work toward a happy medium.

The problem of too little to too much is coming into play. I have a dental appointment today. Tues, Wed, and Fri I will go to the Physical Therapy sessions. All of these things are happening in the middle of my day. My energy levels are not such that I could put in a full day of activity yet. So when do I do the things I need to do? At home? Both inside and outside the house? The happy medium would be nice if I could just get there.

The true me

This pic of me is probably the most like what I am right now. You can smile for the camera. And you can put on make-up and nice clothes. You can do your hair. You can look your best. But sometimes behind the smile and the other stuff is an exhaustion and a depression, a feeling of failure and loss. So you can then continue to spiral downward. I was drowning in self-pity at one point in my recovery from surgery.

Then I started doing something I have spent most of my life trying not to do. I certainly don't think of this as a surprise to anyone else. My physical therapy has broken the barrier for me. Before when I thought of exercise I thought to myself-- this is too hard. I am so out of shape I'll never be able to do it. Then I walked into the therapy center and saw the pool. I am a water lover from way back. A Cancerian-but not crabby(well maybe crabby). My children swam competitively and I love a good Chlorine smell in the morning. But, I was so out of shape. So very flabby. Then I started the water exercise program. And over the last 3 weeks things have begun to change. I look forward to going to the therapy sessions and getting into that water. I no longer care that my body looks awful. I no longer feel overwhelmed by the whole exercise process. I have discovered my way out of the doldrums. Water. I know this is not the answer for everyone. But I feel so much better now I couldn't go back. I also know that I lose interest in things easily. But I've been blogging fairly regularly for a while now. Who knows? Maybe this is a turning point for me.

I've also discovered a difference in this attempt at exercise for another reason. I'm not trying to get a good body. I've abused and misused what I had for many years. I think there is a statute of limitations on getting better looking through exercise. My goal at this point is to feel good and be able to do things without feeling worn out. In other words, to have the energy to enjoy life. And I can tell it's coming. I woke up smiling a couple of days ago. And I've started listening to music again. Before, any noise bothered me. Too tired to deal.....

I think now the most important thing is happening. I have hope again. If there is a problem and there is no hope of finding an answer, depression follows. But I have hope. That smile in the pic above is both tired from before and hopeful for now. I am not trying to hurry the process I'm in but I plan to enjoy it. I guess, for me, that's the important thing.

Just an example

The time since my surgery has played havoc with my mind. I'm in pain a lot but that isn't the only problem. The meds for the pain make me tired. The pain makes me tired. The -----pounds of fat I'm carrying make me tired. So instead of looking like the top witch I look more like the bottom one. I went to the therapy center today and the pool is actually a life saver. I'm a water child anyway. I feel better in water than anywhere else. So the pool at the therapy center has become a haven for me. I did more exercise today than I have for a long time. Of course I was tired afterward. And in some pain. But after a rest at home, I'm able to say I am feeling a lot better.

I didn't understand why I was feeling so depressed. I never factored in the results on no movement and hurting on my chemical balance. I think I should begin to look at my body as a whole thing, not just a knee or a back. I know there are people out there, even young ones, who understand about the mind and body connection. I didn't connect it till today. I'd been hearing about yoga to help women relax enough to become pregnant. And I had neglected to look at the connection between stress and physical pain and depression. Categorizing isn't  helping me much. So after putting in some good workout today and now feeling better, my mind is more clearly defining what I need to do. I have had a membership at a gym for a while. I do believe I will start to use it since they have a pool similar to the one at the Results Therapy Center. That way I can do more and get more result. Yes I do know not to overdo.  Maybe my improved state of mind is partly because I feel as if I actually did something today. Whatever the cause, I am happy for it.

It's not a joke

I'm sure you recognize Frankenstein's monster. Well, that has been my nickname for the last month. I found out that my kneecap had migrated west. Not where it's supposed to be. So I went to the Physical Therapist. I had not intended to do that because the last therapist I went to didn't do much. This one, however, told me about the knee thing, taped it up in a really wierd way, and it is on the mend. So the monster walk will soon be better. He is giving me exercises in the pool and out to work on the knee and on the back problem. And it is already working though I just started.

I have, therefore, been not growing old, and definitely not gracefully.

Cholesterol darnit

Here, here! Let's hear it for a diet which can help manage cholesterol. And let's hear it for shellfish, avocados, and marinara sauce. Those things and several others have been tested as part of a cholesterol control diet, according to Men's Health magazine. It's a good thing I now have the list because my honey has high cholesterol. He has started to try to eat more healthy things. Above are 2 things on the list which are also on his list of faves. Especially avocado and raw oysters. Also on the list are low fat beef, and baked potatoes.
The article doesn't say anything about women so I'll go with the men's diet for now. Especially since almost everything on it is a favorite of mine.

Back from the Brink

I almost gave up on Spring, on feeling good, on being well and happy. But I can look at yellow this year and grin, big.

I went to the knee Doctor and I am doing great. The surgery was a week ago. I'm happy.

There have been some personal issues regarding my emotional health and happiness that I had been eating to solve. I used the last few days of convalescence to try to find out solutions and I have made progress. I had a talk with my sig other and made my feelings known. He listened. Wow.

I got out some of the summer boxes today and found that some things I really wanted I got last year and didn't use. Yippee!!!

I really believe that I can change my life by just being more aware and not trying to cover my feelings.

I need to go now to plan some meals. G'day