More Than Just a Number

I'm one of those people who "sweats" everything.  I think and I over analyze, and I think some more.  I'm a quick decision maker, usually, but I worry about almost every single interaction I have with everyone in my life.  I wonder if that made him mad.  I wonder if I hurt her feelings.  Does she like me?  Does she hate me now?  This probably stems from some deep rooted insecurity or self-esteem issues I have, due to alopecia and how it's affected my emotional well being.  At least, that's was a psychologist would say.  People are people though, and they all act differently and think differently, and over think differently, or don't think at all.  I'd take over thinking over not thinking at all any day.

Over the last couple of years, I've been thinking about health and weight.  I've been over thinking it and analyzing every last bit of food I've put into my mouth.  When I have a splurge day--despite telling YOU it's OK--I usually beat myself up!  I'm really good at beating myself up and being hard on myself.  It's one of my greatest flaws: perfectionism.

I read this article on Shine yesterday, and I absolutely LOVED it, and I needed to share it with all of you who have struggled with your weight your whole life and seem to not be getting anywhere.  I'll sum it up for those of you who are too lazy to click on the link.

Basically the article is called, "Can you be Fat but Fit?"  The consensus through new studies is YES!!!  If you work out and eat relatively right, but don't lose weight then YES, you can be fit.  The key is working out and eating right.  That's always been the key to being healthy: reducing caloric intake and increasing caloric output.

My favorite party of this article was the fact that moderately obese people live 3.1 years longer than normal-weight people.  Now, I don't know how much of this is actually TRUE, because I read this on Yahoo!, and I didn't go looking for statistics to back it up, but I like this idea.  I like the idea, and I think I've always tended to agree with it, that if you are doing the right things, like eating and exercise, then you are prolonging your years and your life.  The number on the scale just doesn't mean a thing, even though we all have a psychological need to see it go down.  We've been fed bull crap about ideal weight our whole life, and we've been fed unrealistic images of men and women whose life is to EXERCISE every day.  These actors and actresses in magazines have personal trainers who basically kick their asses for a living.  Regular old people simply don't have the time or the need to want to exercise 8 hours a day.  We don't live in front of a camera.  We live our lives, and we need to make sure we're healthy to be their for our kids and to get the most out of life: to fulfill our purpose, if you will.

http://www.runwriterace.com/2013/01/scales-cant-tell-you-everything.html

Don't sweat the small stuff and hem and haw when that number on the scale doesn't go down.  Live your life in a healthy way by doing the following:

• Moderate Exercise for 30 minutes a Day.  This can include walking.
• Eat Right, but don't monitor EVERY BITE
• Stop looking at the Scale
• Know in how you feel how fit you are.  Everyone can tell when they start a new exercise plan.  Their breathing improves, they can walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded, and generally they become more active.  You can sense your body feeling and looking stronger.
• Annual Physicals: Keeping an eye on your cholesterol and blood pressure is a better indicator of total health than the weight on the scale.  If these things are in check, then most likely you're doing fine.
• Addressing Your Mental Health: Mental Health Issues can take away your drive, from exercise and eating weight.  If you're depressed then deal with it in a productive way.  Seek help from a counselor or a psychologist.  Talk to family and friends.  Figure out how to get out of your funk so you can live a healthy life. 

Keep Moving!  Never Give Up!  Live a Health Life. 

 

 

 

Purpose Driven Happiness

Today I was thinking about happiness, or the lack thereof.  For most of our lives we’re told by our parents, our teachers, our peers, “I just want you to be happy.”  But what is real happiness?  Real happiness is a positive state of mind and the ability to gleam the good from just about any situation.

It is true that people who smile more tend to be happier than those who don’t.  You can, in essence, make yourself happy by pretending to be happy.  You know, like the old adage: fake it until you make it.  That’s pretty true about happiness…most of the time.   

But sometimes it can be hard to find happiness.  You have to want to be happy in order to be happy.  You have to strive for happiness.  So many people I know say having faith in God provides them happiness.  They put their trust in a superior being, and it lifts the unhappiness from them.  That doesn’t work for me.    

For me happiness is defined by a sum of its parts.  Way back last year or two years ago, when I started this blog I was unhappy.  I look back at that time, and I think it’s because I had no direction.  I was content in feeling “blah,” only I wasn’t really content.  I was seriously unhappy.  I had no purpose—no direction.  I was sitting around feeling intensely sad, and I wasn’t doing anything about it.  Wallowing in your sorrow will only make you more sorrowful.  It won’t help dig you out of it.

I decided, with the help of friends and family, to find a purpose.  I think a lot of people find that purpose in God, but not me.  I prefer to find a purpose in something solid, some goal I can attain, something I can strive to achieve.  For me, I found that purpose in writing.  I started writing every day.  I started making changes in my lifestyle: losing weight, exercising, writing.  All of these things, once I realized how achievable they were, seemed to give me a purpose for my existence. 

I started realizing the more I was happy, the more other people in my life were happy.  The more happiness I felt, the better off the kids.  Now, looking back, I can’t believe I spent so many years on the couch wallowing in my own misery.  I wasted a lot of time doing nothing, when I could have been doing something.  But, you know, hindsight is like foresight without a future.  There’s no point in looking back at things that cannot be changed.  There’s no point in wishing something could be that cannot be.  There’s only a point in setting a goal for the future, driving yourself with a purpose, and achieving that purpose so you can find happiness and fulfillment.  At least, that’s what works for me.    

 

 

Floss Makes Everything Better

Yesterday I had an overwhelming day.  The morning was fine.  I did my normal routine and went to work.  Had a meeting all morning until almost 11, then ate lunch, then worked hard and I stopped PROCRASTINATING.  I fielded about ten replies on Teacher Treat Day for Number One’s school.  I dealt with people who told me they could watch a class so the teachers could partake, and then telling me last minute they couldn’t.  I gave up caring somewhere in the middle of it all.  I want the teachers to enjoy their day, but I don’t really need any more emails or phone calls regarding excuses in someone else’s life.  I get it.  I’m super busy.  I work full time; I have three kids, their activities, my activities, and a house to clean.  I’m the epitome of busy.  If I can offer my time, then so can you.  And if you can’t, or think there is a remote possibility you won’t be able to make it, then don’t commit in the first place.

Okay, I know I’m going to show up today and people are going to be spilling out of the woodwork to help at school.  This is the other problem with our modern society.  No one knows how to RSVP!  I don’t get it.  You have a phone, which means you most likely have email capability at your finger tips; just tell me you’re going to be there!  The other problem I think with this particular situation is that there are too many cooks in the kitchen so to speak.  Too many people have asked to be responded too, so no one really knows who is coming. I will step off my ranting podium now…

At 2, I had a dentist appointment.  I have dreaded going to the dentist ever since 2001 when I had the root canal from hell.  Seriously, it was probably one of the most horrible experiences in my life.  It was much worse than giving birth.  But, yesterday my experience was okay.  You see, flossing DOES work.  The dentist didn’t just make it up!  After having SIX in between the teeth cavities I finally decided to listen to my hygienist and my dentist and give flossing another try.  Well, my teeth did not hurt AT ALL when I left the dentist yesterday and I had no cavities.  Floss; it’s good for you!

Not procrastinating can be so liberating, and I had a great day at work actually completing work.  When I left, the run around began.  My Mom dropped Darling Daughter off at gymnastics with me.  She was watching the boys, because Hubby had soccer last night.  The boys cried, because they couldn’t stay with me.  They are a mess at gymnastics, and Number Two busted his lip there, so it was a blessing my Mom could keep them. 

Darling Daughter and I attempted baby gym, aka “scream fest 2012!”  She definitely does not have asthma.  She threw herself down on the floor in a crying temper tantrum when her gymnastics’ instructor looked at her, and I have no idea why because this man seriously is God’s gift to women!  All the Moms look at him adoringly, but he’s getting married next week so he’ll be off the market!  I think I got more exercise than Darling Daughter, doing the stretches and bouncing through the tubes, all while holding her on my hip.  It’s a shame that Hubby’s soccer class conflicts with Babygym, because she does so much better when she’s with him.  She is way less clingy to him.

Then I dropped Darling Daughter off at my Mom’s, kissed the boys, waved “hi” and went to kisado.  By the time I arrived there, all the stress had built up from the day.  A Mom called about Teacher Treat Day and seriously would not get off the phone with me, just talking and talking.  I was doing stretches in the dojang, with the phone on my ear.  I finally said, “Listen, I’m about to take a workout class, I have to go.”  Then I ranted to my poor TKD friends about how I HATE Teacher Treat Day, and I realized last night that I have to stop overextending myself.  The stress is not worth it.  After kisado, I felt better but it was 8:20 and I had not eaten.

I made myself two eggs, and then I baked black bottom cupcakes for Teacher Treat Day.  I finally sat down around 9:15 PM.  Sitting in the chair felt good.  The day was productive, even if it was stressful, and I believe I dealt with the stress better than I have before.  Poor Hubby did have to run out to buy cupcake holders at 9 PM though, because we had the wrong size. 

This post has become as long as my day seemed yesterday, and so I’m drawing it to an end.  Today will be much less challenging, and I’m excited the weekend is coming soon so I can have some much needed relaxation.