Hump Day Humor

Beachbody Coaching Opportunity Call

I am hosting our team's Beachbody Coaching Opportunity call again this Thursday! WOOT! It's everything that you've ever wanted to know about Beachbody coaching but were afraid to ask.

If you were unable to obtain a slot for last week's call, this is your chance to hear it again. Remember, this call is only open to the first 1000 people, so be sure to register to get your spot. I'll keep it to 30 min but fill it full of info.

It is completely a NO PRESSURE call...always.

Thu, Oct 1, 2009 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM EDT
Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/759636562

Dazed & Confused in the Grocery Store

So, I ventured into the grocery store this weekend on a mission. Armed with my Feingold book, I planned to spend some time going up and down the aisles to find what is acceptable. Two hours later, I was in a daze in aisle 10, shaking my head, and wondering who's idea it was to try this thing. Perhaps a crowded, Sunday afternoon was not the best time to shop.

I literally stood in each aisle looking at my book, looking at the foods, looking at my book, highlighting the items that I found to make next time easier. I should have packed snacks and my iPod to sustain me. ;-)

I can say this...I ended up with almost everything I needed. The cart was full...and full of preservative-free foods. I bought lots of stuff so my son wouldn't feel like he was being deprived: chocolate pudding, ice cream, White Cheetos, Pringles, pretzels. Yep, we can still eat the stuff...the only difference is that I chose brands that don't put "crap" in their products.

I can say this...it wasn't much more expensive than what I usually spend...maybe $30. I was shocked. I really expected it to be more than that.

My next venture is to our Whole Foods Market to find the items that I couldn't get: bread, jelly, toothpaste. It may take me a few days to gather my strength to tackle that one.

Hump Day Humor

My brother is doing great!

I haven't updated you on my brother's condition for a while. He is doing well. He finished his 5 1/2 week stint of radiation a few weeks ago with very little side effects. It's starting to hit him HARD now. He's very tired and gets a tad confused when tired. It's ok...he just needs to sleep. The radiation will continue to work for the next 3 months, then he is due for a repeat MRI.

Mom and I had to laugh...the cancer center (again although HIS tumor is NOT cancerous, but benign, he needed very specialized radiation) had to take an initial MRI prior to starting the treatments. The results said that the he has a "large" tumor. Ummmmm...it's HALF THE SIZE that it initially was before the 2 surgeries. To us, it's small. It's all in perspective, people.

Our family is very blessed.

...and the journey begins.

Soooooo...we went to the pediatrician on Friday. I was VERY impressed with our doc. I expected a 15 min max visit. Nope, she was with us an hour talking and teasing out pieces of info. It's amazing because I now see so many signs of the past several years that are fitting all together now.

Yes, she did diagnosis our boy with ADHD combined type. When you do this questionnaire thing, it gets "graded." If you get 6 out of 9 from the first 9 questions, it's ADD. He scored 8 out of 9. If you get 6 out of 9 from the next 9 questions, it's ADHD. He scored 6 out of 9. The other pieces from it, he didn't even score on...so no worries there. We made the decision together to try medication, in addition to the diet thing. ADHD is bio-chemical, so if our son needs medication, we are not going to deny him it. I do have to admit that I haven't started him on the one she prescribed. I'm still researching it and may ask for a different med.

We are also getting an occupational therapy referral. Again, these are the signs that started to fall into place that our son needs a lot of stimulation. He is ALWAYS with clay in his hands, sculpting. He is also an adrenaline junkie...a risk taker. He craves that feeling. He sometimes has feelings of being overwhelmed when in large chaotic environments. So we are going to get an eval to see if there is a sensory integration issue and the need for some occupational therapy.

We have also started him in karate. Karate is GREAT for teaching focus and concentration. We've actually seen improvements in his ability to pay attention!

I feel good about this. I'm pleased that he is homeschooled because, as a nurse AND his mom, I want to keep a close eye on side effects from this new medication.

Speaking of the school...wanna know a few interesting things?

1) Even though I sent 2 emails to the school last week and included his teacher on the email, I never heard directly from her...wishing us well or anything. THAT speaks volumes to me.

2) I did hear from the director, who in his email, told us that he had noticed our son had some difficulty socially with a group of kids during summer camp. Ummmmmmm...huh???? We were NEVER told!!!!!! Actually the first we had heard about it was when his teacher said that she was told there were some "difficulties" this summer...this was 5 days before we pulled him out! She didn't elaborate. We would have perhaps made a different decision had we known during the summer. Was this a money-driven choice? One wonders.

3) In the email, the director mentioned that he has witnessed some interactions between our son and the "boys" that were clearing instigated by our son. I asked him to please give me some specific examples. We have yet to hear back from him. Hmmmmmmm...again, a silence that speaks loud and clear and makes us question the validity of his statement. Last week my husband visited the school, called and left a message, and emailed...WITHOUT a response back. W-O-W!

In essence, we are left with a feeling that these people truly didn't care about our son...truly didn't care about him getting the help that he obviously needs. They cared about having a slot filled.

If you live in the Bronson, Archer, Gainesville FL area/outer area and are considering a private school, feel free to contact me for the name of this school. I will freely share our experience with you. The vision of what we thought it would be turned out to be NOTHING like what our actual time there was.

Price for a year of private school not used: $6,000+
Price for an ADHD eval with insurance: $12
Price for a year of karate: $1,000+
Price for having our son out of an unhealthy situation and getting the help he needs: PRICELESS!

******ADDENDUM****** To the school's credit, my hubby did receive an email from the director that a refund has been mailed. We do not know the amount. Our request for specific instances observed has gone unanswered.

Beat the 2-Day Binge: Your Weekend Diet Survival Guide

By Whitney Provost

If you've ever avoided your Monday-morning weigh-in because you blew your diet over the weekend, you're not alone. Most people, even those who are not dieting, tend to eat more on weekends than they do during the week. You don't have to be like the average person, however, if you follow a few simple steps. Here are 10 tips for surviving the weekend on a diet.

In a study published in the journal Obesity in 2008, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis followed 48 men and women for a year to determine how weekend eating affected their diets. Almost all of the participants, who ranged from healthy weight to nearly obese, lost weight during the week and gained it back on the weekends. Their physical activity didn't change much; the weight increase was caused by a higher calorie intake. Weekend overeating is so powerful, the researchers found, that it could lead the average person to gain 9 pounds over the course of a year.

Indulging on the weekends can cause you to make up any calorie deficit you created during the week, which means you won't lose weight. And who wants to diet without seeing results? Don't let your days off derail your hard work. Be a weekend diet warrior.

1. Eat within an hour of waking up. Starting your days with a healthy breakfast will give you energy and make you feel full longer. A healthy balance of protein and complex carbohydrates, such as an egg-white omelette with vegetables and whole-grain toast, plain yogurt sweetened with berries, or high-fiber cereal with low-fat milk, will stabilize your blood sugar and rev your metabolism, and it may help ward off hunger later in the day.

2. Stick to your meal plan. There's no reason to change your meal plan on the weekend. If you eat five times a day during the week, eat five times a day on the weekend. When you sleep in on Saturday and Sunday, just shift your meal schedule to accommodate the later start, but keep everything else exactly the same. If you know you're going out to dinner and will want to eat more, simply cut back on the number of calories you consume earlier in the day. But don't skip meals, or your hunger will overpower you at dinnertime.

3. Plan ahead. Weekends are busy with family activities, socializing with friends, and running errands. Part of creating a healthy lifestyle is learning how to adapt your diet and exercise routine to fit any schedule. Know ahead of time when you'll need to eat and plan for it. Bring nonperishable food such as dried fruit, nuts, and nut butters; make a sandwich; cut up some vegetables; throw a meal replacement bar in your bag; or pour some soup into a thermos and stash it in your car. You can also fill a cooler with food for you and your family when you're out all day. Added bonus: You'll all eat better and save money by not having to stop at a restaurant.

4. Lay off the liquor. You already know that alcohol's empty calories and high sugar content are major diet busters. Many people lose their food inhibitions when they drink alcohol, which means they're more likely to make unhealthy food choices after a cocktail or two. If you really want to drink on weekends, have one non-caloric drink such as club soda with lime (looks like a vodka tonic!) or water between every alcoholic drink. And stick to lower-calorie options such as light beer or wine rather than mixed drinks, which can have upwards of 500 calories each.

5. Be the first to order in a restaurant. Set the tone for the meal by ordering something healthy for yourself. Getting your order in first will make you less likely to be tempted by the unhealthy choices of your dining companions. And maybe your healthy selection will convince them to make better decisions about what they're eating.

6. Stay busy. Boredom and loneliness are two common diet hazards. Plan your weekends so they're full of activities, and you won't be tempted to eat mindlessly. Keep up with your P90X® , Slim in 6®, or INSANITY™, get outdoors, play sports, meet friends . . . Just get off the couch.

7. Reward yourself with something other than food. If you've been dieting all week, you may feel like you deserve to indulge on the weekend. But a little splurge can result in slower weight loss. Is it really worth it? Instead of rewarding yourself with food, try something else. See a movie, buy a book or DVD, get some new workout clothes, or have a massage. Find something that makes you feel good and doesn't involve food.

8. Get on the scale. Weighing yourself on a weekend morning can help you stick to your diet by reminding you of your goals. If you "think thin," you'll be more likely to maintain healthy habits throughout the weekend.

9. Treat yourself during the week. Any diet that makes you feel deprived is destined to fail. If you adhere to a strict eating plan Monday through Friday, you're more likely to give in to temptation over the weekend. But when you add in a treat or two during the week, it'll be easier to practice portion control on Saturday and Sunday. Just find a way to incorporate indulgences into your weekday calorie target.

10. If you do blow it, don't wait until Monday to start over. Nobody's perfect. If you have a blowout dinner or graze all day at a family party, simply get back on track with your next meal. This helps stop negative eating patterns that can carry over into the next week, and it minimizes the diet damage. No need to dwell on your splurge or feel guilty about it either; just forget about it and move on.

Allergy, Smalergy

I am now on a quest.

Tomorrow begins our official quest for a medical evaluation of our son. We are going to his pediatrician. Now, I'm a nurse...I know that it will be maybe a 15 min visit. That is NOT enough time to evaluate and diagnosis ADHD. However, I want a record of it and some info, so we are going. We do, on the other hand, have an appt next month for an in-depth evaluation at a large, well-known hospital. I understand that will take all day.

In the meantime, I'm out to learn all that I can. It's how my brain works. I need info. I need to DO something. Sitting still and waiting doesn't cut it for me.

There seems to be a major correlation between ADHD and food allergies.

Now, let's just get this piece out of the way...yes, I'm a RN and yes, I'm a Nutritional Consultant. Even so, I'm a harried mom like everyone else and often, oh so often, turn to convenience foods in addition to well-balanced meals. Do I pay much attention to preservatives, artificial flavors, etc? Nope, sure haven't. I'm just NOW willing to say ADHD, so that is a huge step itself.

A fellow homeschool mom told me about a diet that her family is on, and it's really helped her ADD child: The Feingold Diet. I checked it out last night and was VERY impressed. Immediately ordered. If anything, it will be a healthier way to eat for our ENTIRE family. I used expedited shipping and hope to have my hands on all the info by next week.

Game on!

Hump Day Humor

Gut Check

Have you ever had a little moment where your gut told you one thing, but you did the opposite? Well, I am sooooo guilty of this to the nth degree. Let me explain...

If you've been following my blog, you know that the last 2 years have been rough due to my brother's brain surgeries. Well, right before his second surgery, my son asked me if he could go to school vs be homeschooled. I was under stress, not thinking super clear, and agreed to give it a try. A few hours to myself wouldn't be a bad thing, I thought.

We were told about a local private school that was big on tolerance and diversity...allowed students to make choices. Cool! Sounds right up our alley. Our son spent a 1/2 day there, and they accepted him for the 09-10 school year. He went there for summer camp and enjoyed himself. Now understand...our boy has always had attention issues. They knew this.

Day one: teacher tells us she has "lots of concerns." My radar goes off.

Day three: I watch as my son sits next to a group of boys, only to have them move away deliberately (although a mom/teacher of one of the boys didn't think that was the case as told to her by her child.) Ding, ding, ding, says my gut. HOMESCHOOL flashes in my mind in bright neon color. I was going to pay for the school this day but choose not to. A few days later, I did pay several thousand dollars...against my better judgement.

Fast forward 2 weeks: a few things became VERY apparent...1) my son most definitely learns better in homeschool environment, 2) my son most definitely needs an ADHD eval, 3) this school of "tolerance" is only tolerant if you fit into their mold of tolerance.

During a very stressful time of trying to figure out how to best meet our son's academic needs, he endured teasing from some boys in his class for being "different." Teasing at a school that, again, totes tolerance and where it's actually against the rules to be mean. Hmmmmm...can we all say "disconnect?"

I'm thrilled to say that today we pulled him out of this school and began to homeschool again. His work was completed in less than half the time he would spend at school AND with perfect marks!

So, what's my point to all of this? Well, besides being simply cathartic, it's to tell you to LISTEN TO YOUR GUT, listen to your intuition. Now am I upset that we spent a lot of money? Truly, nope. It wasn't a waste to me. We learned that it's truly God's will to homeschool and that our son really does have some attention issues that must be addressed. Who cares that it cost some money to learn that. The lesson was invaluable.

So...my blog...it will now be about health and fitness, my brother's recovery from a brain tumor, my husband's deployment, and the journey we will take with our son through homeschooling and probable ADHD. Glad to have you aboard!

NEVER FORGET...

MY coach WON $10,000!!!!!

MY coach, Barbie Decker, transformed her body AT HOME using Beachbody workouts, submitted her pictures, and has now WON $10,000 as a result!!!! Seeeeeeee, people, these workouts ARE the real deal!

Hump Day Humor

http://www.GoFitCoach.com

Happy Labor Day!

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY, JACOB!!

10 Reasons Why Women Need to Lift Weights

By Whitney Provost

Many women believe that the only way to lose weight is to do cardiovascular (aerobic exercise). So they jog or take aerobics classes five times a week. Eventually, though, they notice that while their bodies are a little smaller, there are still a lot of flabby and jiggly bits. Sound familiar? Aerobic exercise is important for good health, but it's only half of the equation. Keep reading for the other half.

For optimal fitness, longevity, and a lean body, weight training is essential. If you avoid pumping iron because you're afraid of getting "bulky," then you're missing out on one of the best fat-burning methods around.

When you're weight training, you shouldn't rely exclusively on the scale to gauge your progress. You can use a body fat tester or a tape measure to track how many inches you're losing. The size of your body will shrink as you shed fat and build muscle, but your weight may not change as dramatically as you expect. Besides, what's more important, the number on the scale or how you look in your skinny jeans?

If you're still not convinced that you need to lift weights, here are 10 reasons why you should reconsider.

1. Burn more fat. Researchers at Tufts University found that when overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, they lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. The control group, women who dieted but didn't lift weights, lost only 9.2 pounds of fat and gained no muscle. When you do an intense weight-training program such as ChaLEAN Extreme®, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward. During regular cardio exercise, you stop burning fat shortly after the workout.

2. Change your body shape. You may think your genes determine how you look. That's not necessarily true. Weight training can slim you down, create new curves, and help avoid the "middle-age spread." Just look at the amazing body transformations of the women who've completed P90X®. Dropping only 3 percent of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. And no, you won't bulk up—women don't have enough muscle-building hormones to gain a lot of mass like men do. If you keep your diet clean and create a calorie deficit, you'll burn fat.

3. Boost your metabolism. The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. When you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25 percent of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you'll burn all day long.

4. Get stronger and more confident. Lifting weights increases functional fitness, which makes everyday tasks such as carrying children, lifting grocery bags, and picking up heavy suitcases much easier. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular weight training can make you 50 percent stronger in 6 months. Being strong is also empowering. Not only does it improve your physical activities, it builds emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence.

5. Build strong bones. It's been well documented that women need to do weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain bone mass, and prevent osteoporosis. Just as muscles get stronger and bigger with use, so do bones when they're made to bear weight. Stronger bones and increased muscle mass also lead to better flexibility and balance, which is especially important for women as they age.

6. Fight depression. You've probably heard that cardio and low-impact exercises such as yoga help alleviate depression, and weight lifting has the same effect. The endorphins that are released during aerobic activities are also present during resistance training. Many women find that regular strength training, in conjunction with psychological treatment, helps lessen their depression symptoms substantially.

7. Improve sports fitness. You don't have to be an athlete to get the sports benefit of weight training. Improved muscle mass and strength will help you in all physical activities, whether it's bicycling with the family, swimming, golfing, or skiing . . . whatever sport you enjoy.

8. Reduce injuries and arthritis. Weight lifting improves joint stability and builds stronger ligaments and tendons. Training safely and with proper form can help decrease the likelihood of injuries in your daily life. It can also improve physical function in people with arthritis. A study conducted at the University of Wales in Bangor, United Kingdom, found that mildly disabled participants who lifted weights for 12 weeks increased the frequency and intensity at which they could work, with less pain and increased range of movement.

9. Heart health. More than 480,000 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, making it the number-one killer of women over the age of 25. Most people don't realize that pumping iron can also keep your heart pumping. Lifting weights increases your "good" (HDL) cholesterol and decreases your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol. It also lowers your blood pressure. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that people who do 30 minutes of weight lifting each week have a 23 percent reduced risk of developing heart disease compared to those who don't lift weights.

10. Defend against diabetes. In addition to keeping your ticker strong, weight training can improve glucose utilization (the way your body processes sugar) by as much as 23 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 weeks of strength training can improve glucose metabolism in a way that is comparable to taking diabetes medication. The more lean mass you have, the more efficient your body is at removing glucose from the blood, which can reduce complications from diabetes or even help prevent type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Hump Day Humor