A Year Of Blogging - Time To Reflect

I wrote my first blog on April 17, 2010. A year has gone by so quickly.

I think at this point it only makes sense to step back and reflect on how successful I have been.

I guess I have to start by saying I am not as successful as I had hoped. I had hoped I would be living a perfect life of organic foods with only the occasional "meal out" as an indulgence.

In reality, I am not that much further forward than where I was.

Am I disappointed? Not really. It just re-emphasizes that this journey has no end. It is a life journey and success only really comes when one embraces that realization.

I have been FAR more successful than I would have been without this blog, and I have made so many good friends along the way. I have also strengthened my relationship with old friends.

The blog hasn't had the same emphasis in my life lately I must admit. I do enjoy doing it, but I don't set my alarm clock to do it anymore, and it is not an "everyday" blog anymore. I actually think that is a good thing. It is more balanced and less "forced". At least I hope it is.

From time to time I have contemplated whether or not to stop doing the blog. I even thought the one year mark would be a good time to finish it.

I am not going to stop. I need it. If nothing else I need it as a forum to keep my public commitments and post a damn picture of myself half naked every two months. That really helps to keep me in check.

More than needing "it" though....I need you. Your support always brings me back on track when I falter and I thank you for that.

So whether you like it or not...I'm not going away.

Be healthy!

Alan

I AM CHANGING!

The lyrics to "I am Changing" from Dream Girls are:

Look at me 
Look at me 

I am Changing 
Trying every way I can 
I am changing 
I'll be better than I am 
I'm trying 
To find a way 
to understand 
but I need you 
I need you 
I need a hand 

I am changing 
Seeing everything so clear 
I am changing 
I'm gonna start right now right here 
I'm hoping 
To work it out and I know that I can 

But I need you 

I need a hand 



I think Jennifer Hudson should use that song in some of her WW commercials too. Love the lyrics.  The song describes my overall feeling for this past year....and I am changing.


It is a long haul down this road and I often fall backwards down the hill but bit by bit I am unlearning all those old nasty habits that are seemingly ingrained in me.


I mentioned in my last blog that for two weeks I was going to get food delivery of freshly prepared organic foods from my friend Justine's new business "Fuel Nutrition". The website is http://fuel-nutrition.ca/ . 


I have to tell you the food is delicious and it is just the right amount. When I first saw it I thought "this is way too little food" but it is four separate smaller meals. 


You make your own, small, healthy breakfast and then eat these four meals about three hours apart. I feel "comfortable" all the time. Never full and never hungry, but most importantly I am already feeling more energetic.


I can't afford to do this long term but whenever I need a little "kick start" I will use this service. It is great!


I am thinking I may have it delivered on Wednesdays on a permanent basis if they will do that. 


Wednesday nights are "weigh-in nights" so Wednesdays can get pretty erratic. I try not to, but too often I eat too little before getting on the scale and then pig out afterward.


Having that day pre-prepared for me in a consistently healthy manner could be a very good thing.


I am feeling good!


Be healthy!


Alan

Getting A Little Help

OK I need help...at least for a little while, to get myself back on track.

I am going to get it in the form of prepared meals...but in the best way possible.

My good friend Justine has graduated from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition and has started her own business delivering healthy, portion sized, organic meals to your door on a daily basis.

Her new business is called Fuel Nutrition and the facebook page is at: Fuel Nutiriton . There is also a company website but I don't have that website handy. Will post it tomorrow :-)

The concept is that you prepare your own, healthy, breakfast, and then throughout the day you have four meals that were freshly prepared for you through the night and delivered to your doorstep by 7:30AM.

I don't think this is something I can afford to do long term, but my theory is that I will use it whenever I need to "kick" myself back into shape or whenever I know I will be hitting an excessively busy period.

I am really happy I can get organic food that is freshly prepared delivered to my doorstep while simultaneously supporting my friends new business.

I am going to go and try my first meal. Hope it's good!

Will let you know tomorrow.

Be healthy!

Alan

Not Pleased With Myself - Reveal Day

Well this is it. The day I have to keep my commitment.

The unfortunate thing is that a commitment is a commitment no matter what.

I committed a while ago that in my quest to become physically fit, I would post a picture of myself wearing shorts only every other month on the 12th of the month, along with a picture of myself on the day I made the commitment as well as the picture of myself I had posted two months prior.

The theory is that keeping this public commitment will keep me on track.

Well...I fell off track. That does not mean the commitment is not important. It is more important than ever now that I have "slipped". I have to post again on on June 12th and I want to look much better the next time around.

I actually have extra motivation for the next picture as June 11th is the date of our annual Martini Party and I always want to look good for that. I think I will take the next picture on the 11th...pre-Martini's :-)

So this is me, against my will, keeping my commitment.

Posted December 11, 2010

Posted Feb 12 2011
Some Improvement

April 12, 2011
Oops...We went backwards...sigh

I am not overly stressed. It could be worse. I think perhaps that is part of the problem though. If I was overly stressed about it I would be turning myself around faster.

Stay tuned for a whole new plan being announced tomorrow.

Be healthy!

Alan

Moderation Doesn't Work

Everyone always says that the key to weight loss is Moderation.

I think they are right. I also think they are wrong.

The problem with this statement is that like almost every blanket statement it doesn't work for everybody.

We are all different.

I have been trying to do a more relaxed, moderate, approach to weight loss for a couple of months now. Just trying to stay "balanced".

The problem, however, is that it is not who I am. It does not meld with my personality.

I like extremes and I like change. Consistency bores me and when I am bored...I eat.

I am not saying that extreme eating is ok...it is not...but I am saying that we have to do what works best for us as individuals.

I started trying to just be a "normal moderate eater" because I thought about the blogs I had written and how frequently I flipped from one perspective to another and how "out of control" my thought patterns seemed. I figured that my failure rested in my inability to just "settle down".

I am now thinking that, for me, I had it right in the first place. I need the extreme changes to stay motivated and if I don't stay motivated I gain and I gain and I gain.

Sadly, that is my state now. I think I have two shirts left I can still wear. It is time to go back to change change change.

To be honest I am not sure what is actually better for health. On a simplistic level a daily healthy diet seems like it would be best. There are, however, many who believe that your body needs constant change. When you constantly change your exercise routines you get better results because you trick the body. Many believe that when you constantly "trick" your body by changing the foods you eat, your immune system is stronger because it is always "on guard". The rotation diet is based on this principal. I tend to agree with this theory. It makes sense to me.

So I am going back to lots of change. It is who I am...and I need it now more than ever.

Today I am going to have breakfast and then I am going to fast for a full 24 hours.

It is a start.

Be healthy!

Alan

Turnaround...every now and then I fall apart...

Ever get a song in your head and it just keeps playing over and over again?

I have had one ever since this morning. The day didn't start good. Someone broke the gate at the front of our house, I managed to drop my coffee on the floor at the gym (yes..I'm still drinking coffee) and then I managed to smack the locker room door at the gym right into my head. I am still not quite sure how I did that...but it was loud and embarrassing.

I decided I needed to turn the day around and that was when "Total Eclipse of The Heart" started running through my head. You know how it goes: "Turn around, bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart...Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild...turn around, every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by..."

I probably got the lyrics all out of order...but you get the picture.

"Turn around" seems to be my fate in life. I am always turning around...and I do dream of something wild (last Saturday night I lived it a bit) and get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by.

The reality is though...I don't think they have. There is something to be said for age, and there is something to be said for feeling better...and healthier...about yourself.

If I am being honest I never really enjoyed the younger years. I was always way too insecure...and I felt fat.

I am reaching a point where I am enjoying life...and accepting, to a certain extent, my imperfections. If someone doesn't like me...I don't think I really care that much anymore.

There is also a sense of relief that comes with "not" thinking about what you are going to be when you grow up.

There is a huge amount to be said for feeling like you are coming into your prime as you head into the last third (hopefully more) of your life story.

I am turning things around. The only problem is I am turning too fast and a 360 degree turn sometimes places you at what may feel like the beginning all over again.

That, I guess, is life.

I would, however,  rather age as someone spinning around and around and around then as someone rocking back and forth in a rocking chair. Life is so much more interesting.

So I am sending a big cheer out to turning around and around and around. It keeps the world interesting.

Maybe I should take spinning classes?

Be healthy,

Alan

P.S. I felt a bit like Charlie Sheen writing this. Rambling on and on with no idea if it really made any sense at all but I am going to post is anyway...please feel free to boo me offstage :-)

There's Got To Be A Morning After....

Went out on the town last night...had a blast. I don't do the bar thing much anymore. I think it has been about a year since I last did it.

I do go out and socialize, but it is usually dinner and drinks with friends as opposed to a night out at the clubs.

We hit four different bars and I danced my ass off...I don't dance. I think alcohol just MIGHT have been playing a role.

The really cool thing is I got hit on...by two young, good-looking twinks. At one point I had one dancing pressed against my front and the other dancing pressed against my back. I felt loved :-)

Don't worry, I was good and came home to the hubby...but no matter how "married" we are I think we all want to feel that, if we weren't, someone out there might actually be interested. It's nice to think that at 47 I haven't completely "lost it".

Still...I am real glad it is no longer my life...and once a year is just about enough. I'm too old for all this fun! LOL

With the partying, however, comes the morning after. It's not as bad as it should be but I am feeling the effect a bit.

The goal today is not to overdose on carbs. Alcohol makes me crave the carbs (to soak it up I think) so I have to be aware...and be strong.

Carbs leads to more carbs...I know that and knowledge is half the battle.

I am strong...I am invincible...I am....never mind :-)

Be healthy!

Alan

I RAN A FULL MARATHON!

I did it!

My friend who runs marathons told me that there was no way I could do it...so yesterday I did it. It took me 12 hours but I did it!

I am sooooooo proud of myself! My friend is in shock.

I also made another significant change. We looked at how much money we spend eating out and figured out that it would cost about the same to have someone prepare all our meals for us.

So now we have a personal chef!

 I am so happy. It will be almost impossible for me to fail now!

Be healthy!

Alan

P.S. This blog is total BS. Happy April Fool's Day :-)