Keep Those Muscles Guessing

In the P90X program they teach you to change up your exercise routine often to shock your muscles and keep them from getting complacent. They do three weeks of one routine and then end the month with a week of recovery exercises that don't involve lifting weights. They continue to change it up each month. After my first round of P90X I was pumped and ready to move up to Insanity. Well, something came up and I ended up opting for a modified round 2 of P90X instead. No biggie. Just continuing on my path of fitness. I wasn't seeing the big changes in my body that I had in round 1 though. As much as I wanted to push it again to the next level, something came up again and forced me to opt for something else.

During my detox I have lost some strength. My body is busy healing. While I still want to exercise for body, mind and soul, I need to respect my body and listen to what it is telling me. So I decided to give the Power 90 program a try. It is less intense than P90X with shorter workouts. I still get a good sweat and can feel my body responding so I know it's making a difference. It may take a little longer to get where I want to be with my physique but I will get there a lot faster than if I gave up or risked injury. I'm going to stick with it for the full 90 days. Then see where my body wants to go. Do you change up your routine? Push yourself to the next level?

Life is About Change

If there is one thing that I have learned it is to be flexible in life. Things are going to change all around us and its easiest on us if we ebb and flow like the grass in the wind. If we are ridged we may break in these every changing times. There have been several times on my journey to better health that I have had to stop and make a correction/ improvement in what we were eating, drinking, supplementing and even thinking. In the beginning it was really hard for me. Over time I have been able to adjust.  I am grateful to be in touch with my body and notice when it requires a change. I have had to make two adjustments to my daily routine lately. A change in supplements and an added snack in the morning.

Recently, I began taking two new supplements to help with my infertility issues. I noticed a few things within a week. Once was that I was more thirsty and the other was that I became hungry during my workout to the point that I felt like I was starving. Well, most protein shakes have a lot of extra additives that I avoid so I had to find something that was not solid food but would tide me over until I was done working out and could eat breakfast. What came to mind was Chia. I tried a tablespoon in 16 oz of water. Guess what? It worked! Woo hoo! Nothing like being hungry during a workout and it only lasts long enough til I can finish my exercise and eat breakfast.

The other thing that happened was that we decided to stop taking a fish oil supplement we had been taking for awhile. I know it's hard to know what advice to listen to on what to take and what not to take. You just have to trust your own instincts sometimes. It had only been a short time since discontinuing the fish oil that I began to notice some joint pain that I had not had before. With vigorous workouts it can be painful. So, we did some research and asked around and were told a few things to try. We are giving flax oil a try first. I just added it to our smoothies and we will see how it goes. An update on this supplement change is that it seems to work great, yea!

Let Thy Body Heal Itself

I wanted to share my experience, strength and hope with all of you that have been diagnosed with health problems and told that not much could be done. I'm here to tell you to try an alternative approach. I am living proof that if you give your body good nutrition, good water, exercise and the right supplements your body can and will heal itself. No kidding! I also wanted to add that we have found a website that is very helpful called Cure Zone. When I want to do a search to read up on any ailment that myself or someone else is having and want to find a natural approach, I type in the ailment followed by Cure Zone and browse until I find one that seems to fit what I am looking for.

I was told years ago that I had Gingivitis. They said not much could be done, just lots of trips to the dentist and possible surgery for real problem areas. Well I researched it and found that Quercetin (a vitamin found in the cuticle of grapefruit skins), Vitamin E and CoQ10 along with regular cleanings would help to reverse if not cure this ailment. Low and behold, it did. My gums have healed.

For a long time I also suffered from cysts on my ovaries. One would grow so large it would cause my ovary to flip over on itself, very painful. They wanted to do surgery to remove it. I asked for a few months to see if I could heal it myself. Did some research on what supplements to take and did some castor oil hot packs on my abdomen. Guess what? Yep they shrank and went away on their own.

So now I am told that I am infertile due to blocked and inflamed fallopian tubes. Do you think I am going to lay down and take it? Hell no. I went to my local vitamin and herb lady and asked her. She said we can work on that. She recommended a couple of supplements and of course faith. I started them tonight. I'm not giving up until the fat lady of no more menstruation sings!

I decided to go for a stronger quicker approach for healing and went to see a doctor in Oriental Medicine. He feels that he can help me on my path to healing by taking some teas 5 days a week, 3 times a day. I have a good feeling that I am on the right path. The teas are a bit strong at first and the detoxing side effects are a little difficult at times but I must stay positive and be patient. My fiancee has helped me realize some benefits that are showing already; my scalp doesn't itch anymore, no allergy symptoms even in the heart of spring, and my breasts weren't sore this past cycle just to name a few. He says my skin is clearer too.

I also just recently watched some fabulous videos on FMTV(Food Matters Television) that point out that your belief and the way you think and feel play a huge part in your body's ability to heal naturally. Remarkable examples of people that have overcome all kinds of life threatening diseases with a strong will to live, a healthy diet, exercise and changing their outlook on life. Amazing. I'm on board, are you?

2014 Anti-biotic experience

The end of January I went in for a procedure recommended by my gynecologist. A test where they basically shoot dye into your reproductive tract to check the status of your fallopian tubes (the small information I got during the test didn't sound good but I will have to wait to talk with my doctor.) Anyways, I was required to begin taking anti-biotics the day of the procedure and continue on them for 10 days. Since starting a healthy diet back in 2008 I have rarely had food with anti-biotics in it much less needing prescriptions for them. To help my digestive track out I began taking pro-biotics as well. Well let me tell you, my body did not like this at all. Major stomach aches. FYI, I would never recommend taking one of each at the same time. I began to space them out more evenly through the day. I still had stomach problems and not enough energy to exercise. I began to feel better three days after starting them. Finally able to exercise after four. My regular appetite has not returned yet though and I have skipped one meal each day still. Hmm. On a side note however, my brother had either a stomach bug or food poisoning on the Monday before Wednesdays procedure. Could the tummy problems be from a bug we might have got from him or the clinic? Don't know. Anyone else have similar experiences with anti-biotics?

New Goals for 2014

Super busy end to this year. Thought we were going to have to move and got packed up before a surprise vacation to Hawaii last month. Got a new tattoo. Got to see one of my nephews after a 6 month absence. Grandma moved into an assisted living home. Robert and I have been being tested up the wazoo for fertility and now Christmas is just around the corner, whew.

Hawaii was amazing! Such a beautiful place to visit. I had made an appointment, before I was told of the trip, for a new tattoo, the day before we flew out. Needless to say I couldn't fully enjoy the sporting opportunities they had there but we had a nice time none the less. Got to see nearly the whole island of Kona. While we were there we found out we didn't have to move after all. Nice. We still haven't completely unpacked this time in case a pending move springs up.

The long awaited visit from my nephew couldn't have come at a better time. We have been struggling to get pregnant and being tested for everything is taxing. It helped to renew my spirit and to push on with whatever they need to test next. We so want to have children and my clock is ticking loud and clear. When we returned from Hawaii I had planned to be in a place to continue my toning efforts with the Insanity program. Since the move didn't happen, I have rethought my goals for 2014. I have decided to cut back on my efforts to 30-45 min exercise sessions instead of an 75-90 min sessions. I can effectively tone with weights, cardio and yoga without pushing myself so hard. No need for a washboard stomach when I want to fill it up with babies.

So while 2014 will still be filled with a healthy diet and exercise, I'm hoping it will be filled with a healthy pregnancy as well. Do what's right for you when setting your goals for the upcoming year. A little restructuring never hurt. What would you like more than anything next year? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all that read this blog. May peace and happiness be yours!

Supplements and Vitamins

In a much earlier post I touched on the topic of supplements and vitamins and that all are not created equal. We have learned through research that most contain an ingredient that in high quantities (taking several different ones a day) can be harmful. The ingredients is called Magnesium Stearate, I'm even skeptical when it comes to vegetable based forms. It is used in mass production to lube the machine so it can produce high quantities of pills. Doesn't sound healthy to digest this chemical to me. If you look hard enough you will find brands that don't contain this ingredients. Like with food, you should look on the ingredients list to find the best one you can for yourself, otherwise what is the point? I recently had a lot of blood work done for a annual physical and have found that my mineral intake is optimal. With plenty of healthy food and a few key supplements I'm doing pretty good these days. I forgot to note that I usually don't follow the supplements recommended dose. I only take one a day of each one I take. Being as my numbers were good, I guess my diet is so that I don't require a lot of extra supplements. A few of the brands that we like are pictured above.

Before and After

This is my before and after that I have posted on my Facebook page Size 18 to 8. I don't have a whole lot of pictures from when I was my heaviest. Like most over weight people I was behind the camera or hiding from who was taking pictures. I have yet to hit my goal of toning and losing the left over flab but for now this is me from size 18 to 8. Looking forward to posting a new before and after, maybe for the New Year. Good luck on your journey! Whether it be losing 10 or 100 lbs or maybe like me you lost the weight awhile ago and now are working on toning what's left. My hats off to you because I know the hard work and dedication it takes to get there.