Wednesday’s Word of the Day – Change
Believe it or not, this is a new WWotD video! Don’t expect a typical SBS video though, this one is different. More subdued, more introspective, more erratic than normal, yet the message is important.
Log My Loss
This isn't a diet, it is your life!
Day Fifty-Three
Well, I didn’t exercise this morning because it is raining. I am also sore this morning in both my chest and the front and sides of my stomach. I guess I pushed it more than normal on Wednesday. I thought about going ahead an walking and jumping rope anyhow, but I did not have that much willpower. I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing though. The body needs a rest occasionally. I am not sure how much I am going to do tomorrow either. I have an important meeting at work at 8:00 that I still need to do some preparation for. I really need to go in early tomorrow. I am at least going to do the push ups and the jumprope, but I am going to try and do the full routine.
I couldn’t resist this morning – I weighed. I know I shouldn’t do that, but I just wanted to see how my bad dieting this week had affected me. According to the scale I gained two pounds and the body fat analyzer shows I have gained 0.5% body fat. The only consolation in this is that I usually weight about 2.5 hours later in the morning, which has made a difference for me in the past. I am trying not to get hung up on this and will just try to do good the rest of the week. You will notice that I am not recording these on my weight and measurements tally because they were not taken at my regular weigh in time.
- Breakfast – Two small turkey sausages, one serving of steel cut oats, one medium tomato, one medium bell pepper, and a serving of ff, plain yogurt with sf, orange Jello powder mixed in.
- Mid-morning snack – An apple with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter.
- Lunch – A piece of grilled salmon and a double serving of steamed, buttered (Grrr!, the menu didn’t say this!) broccoli.
- Mid-afternoon snack – Two boiled eggs.
- Supper – A large serving of lean roast beef with an onion, a couple of pieces of celery, and a serving of green beans.
- Mid-evening snack – Nothing yet, but I will probably eat a couple of lf mozarella cheese sticks later.
I clicked on a link last night right before bed, but was too tired to report on it last night. It is a topic that really interests me though: 9 Secrets to a Healthier Heart. Although it seems to be targeted at women, it is a good read for anyone. I encourage you to check it out. The nine points made in the article are that we should:
- Get Milk – Apparently three servings or more a day of milk products can lower your systolic blood pressure (top number) by almost four points. This doesn’t sound like a great deal, but for those of us with high blood pressure every little bit counts. I think I will continue eating and drinking dairy products.
- Try New Moves – This is referring to tai chi, “a gentle Chinese martial art that includes sequences of slow, relaxing movements”. Research has found that 30 minutes of tai chi (a day?) for twelve weeks can lower your systolic blood pressure (top number again) by 16 points. Wow, that is impressive. I don’t think I have time for anything else in my program right now though.
- Go Fishing – While going fishing may be helpful, this is referring to eating fish. In particular, omega three fatty acids. Apparently five or more servings of fish per month was found to lower heart rates by an average of 3.2 beats per minute. This is just one more reason to consider eating fish or taking omega three supplements.
- Hit the Juice – This is referring to Pomegranate juice, which ”seems to stave off hardening of the arteries—and may even reverse it.” Really? That is amazing. I need to check and see if pomegranite juice is permitted on the South Beach Diet.
- Sprinkle on the Soy – This article states that dark soy sauce contains antioxindents and “can help fight the heart-damaging substances linked to smoking, obesity, or diabetes”.
- Laugh it Up – In summary, 15 minutes of laughter a day can help your blood flow - so go find some humor!
- Don’t Skimp on Sleep – According to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, women who get less than five hours per night of sleep have a higher risk of heart disease than those who get more than eight hours per night. I think that we all have to know our own bodies on this though. I used to need at least eight hours a night sleep, but now that I am exercising, I am waking up on my own after about 6 or 6.5. I think when you wake up on your own it is an indication you have had enough sleep.
- Breathe Deeper – “You can lower your blood pressure by taking 10 breaths per minute (instead of the usual 16 to 19) for 15 minutes a day over two months”. I didn’t realize this would have long term effects, but I have used it for short term lowering of blood pressure before.
- Feel the Beat – “A group of University of Oxford researchers found that slow, meditative musical rhythms can lead to a healthy drop in heart rate, while faster rhythms speed up breathing and circulation.” Time to play more jazz!
The South Beach Diet Message Board is back up for now. It sure is frustrating when it goes down. I guess that is part of the reason I like having this blog. At least I know my diet journal is going to be here.
I am realizing something about my blood pressure. If I take it before or right after I have taken my medicine in the morning it is 10 points or so higher than it is if I take my blood pressure later in the day. Considering where my blood pressure is at right now in the morning I am hoping this will mean my doctor will be able to lower my medicine when I go for my physical in November.
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