Archive for January, 2010

A Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich?

on January 26th, 2010 by Rob

So, I am in Tupelo tonight. Home of the King… birthplace of the King…. should I capitalize that. Yeah… he was THE KING OF ROCK N’ ROLL!!! And I am pretty sure that he was the King purveyor of jelly-doughnuts!! So… it only seems reasonable that I am struggling with my diet in Tupelo. BTW- What is up with the word doughnuts… I mean, I always have to sick the spell checker on that one- I want to spell it DO-NUTS. Of course, you can see that vernacular on about every OTHER neon in Mississippi. Ah… the King. You know he died on the toilet… it’s true….. well, that’s what I heard.

O.K.- I am off point here… back to Tupelo. So, I have to be up here for work. I end up calling my sister, who is also here for work… different work, and she suggests that we go to the Taste of Tupelo Chamber of Commerce function. This is a COLOSSALLY bad idea. All I need is to STAND around in a room full of folks that I don’t know and be fed all I want from like 35 different restaurants.

But.. I guess it could be worse… It did give me fodder for the blog tonight.

The reason that this was such a bad idea is that, I don’t know what the deal is with this, but I can get off track- quick- when I am standing around eating. Not even to mention the fact that I can eat all I want. I need to just say no when I get asked to things like this. Kinda like Pizza Hut…. just can’t do it.

I guess it goes back to the deal about needing to eat slow and listening to my body tell me when I am full. For whatever reason, I can’t seem to do that as well when standing up… or in Tupelo for that matter.

Got to get back on track. Oh, BTW (By the way for you non-blogger types)- good article in the Clarion-Ledger today about diabetes and how to control it.

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We’re gonna need a bigger boat!!

on January 25th, 2010 by Rob

“Don’t you think we should go back to shore and get a bigger boat?” Chiefy said this at least twice while they were trying to catch Jaws.

Well, this is a little how I feel today… just not real motivated… and I just feel like I am getting bigger. A little like a whale. I sent a text to Clark a few days ago and told him that I felt fat. He sent one back that said “I AM fat”- meaning him, of course…. he is not going to call me fat.

I guess I am staying about the same… but I just don’t feel very motivated. I would like to loose about 20lbs. Well, as soon as I get on a roll and do really well for a few days…. wham!!!! Something trips me up. I just feel a little blah.

I think that I will start again tomorrow… pass the cheeseburgers! That would be very easy for me to do today. But this is the old “stinkin’ thinkin’” as alcoholics talk about it. I just have to persevere. O.K.- that’s it… having a salad at lunch and going to run this afternoon.

On a personal note… Beth got a real good report from the doctor this morning. About 3 months ago she was diagnosed with Lupus. The doc told us this morning that the drug she has been taking seems to be working well… and she reported to him that she seems to feel better. Well, thanks for all small favors… but this was a big one. Big load off of my mind and I am sure an even bigger one off of hers. Thanks for thinking about us!!!

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File under- Need to know

on January 22nd, 2010 by Rob

O.K.- I know that everyone is going to think that I sit around and read strange medical journals on the Internet… o.k.- I kinda do- but I swear its not that bad… I’m not THAT weird.

O.K.- Here goes. This months issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism reports that eating slower makes you feel fuller longer. It seems that they got a bunch of guys together and fed them ice cream. Some guys ate it in 5 mins and some ate it in 30 mins (I have no idea how the 30 min guys did it). It seems though, that 3.5 hours later, the 30 min guys had much higher concentrations of certain hormones that make (or at least contribute) you feel full.

I have to tell you that this one rings true with me. I can not tell you how many times I have sat down and eaten something real fast and then been sorry I did it. This is not a testament to my feeling remorseful or having a food addiction as much as it is to my observation that I can get a whole lot more in me if I do it fast. I mean, look at that Japanese guy that can eat 75 hot-dogs every 4th of July. Do you think he could do that if he spread it out over a half hour…. I don’t think he could.

My whole point here is that if you will listen to your body… you will realize that you are full and stop!

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God will help you!!!

on January 20th, 2010 by Rob

This is actually a post that I put up back over the summer… before some of you were reading. I read it this morning and it deserves to be posted again. Here it is:

My wife came up with this one, so I have to give her all the credit- Here it is:
“Your thought for today, can become your mantra tomorrow, and a plan for the rest of your life. To get something you have never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, he is not punishing you. He is merely opening your hand to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.”

I have heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So, the above is true… we have to do different things to try to change—- loose weight. This thought coincides with the thought that God is not going to give us anything that we can’t handle- with His help.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and and our shield.”- Psalms 33:20

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I can’t BELEIVE this!!! Shocking!

on January 19th, 2010 by Rob

According to a new study by the Annals of Behavioral Medicine… People who lost weight, and KEPT it off (the tricky part) for at least 5 years- had fewer TV sets in their homes than overweight people. The study found that people with fewer TVs also had more exercise equipment in these same homes!

Additionally, the study found that people with the fewer TVs, ate less junk food.

Well, all I can say about this is that I used to watch a whole lot more TV than I do now. Of course, this is coming from someone that just got a new 46” flat-screen for Christmas… but, frankly, I haven’t watched it that much. Beth, my wife, gets on to me about watching too much football and baseball is coming right up… but I have gotten to where I just don’t sit down and watch like I used to. I kinda feel like I don’t have time.

Side-note to all of this: It has come to my attention that if I am eating, and my eyes are focused on something across from me… like my wife or a child, instead of a TV… then I am not going to lose focus and end up eating too much. I don’t know what that is all about, but when I get into Law and Order… I just keep stuffing my hand into that bag of chips or whatever I have in front of me. Just not a good thing. Besides… I like to talk to my 4 year old!!! It’s better than seeing who is going to get voted off of the island!!!

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You are going to need some help!!

on January 18th, 2010 by Rob

One of the things that has become VERY apparent to me when it comes to loosing weight is that you are going to need some help. Well, as far as I am concerned… you are going to need to get it from a couple of different sources.

When I was going through the People Magazine Weight Loss Challenge, my wife was instrumental in helping me with all of the diet stuff that I needed to do and know about. That is not to say that if you are not married you might as well give up… not the case at all… it is just that you are going to need help from other sources.

I have written on this blog many times about the help that I got from other people in my fitness class. They were VERY helpful in keeping me motivated to do the things that I needed to do… show up for workouts, keep on track with my diet, stay active on the days that I was not working out.

Additionally, I asked for, and received a lot of help from God. I prayed a lot and he took care of me. Once again, its not that you should give up if you are not ready to ask for God’s help but I think it might be much easier. If you ask for God’s help, he will help you. Matthew 6:25-26 says: “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for you life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barnes, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”  The point being God will bless you and take care of you if you ask.

Lastly, surround yourself with people that will help you. Co-workers, friends, family members. Mark Twain once said, “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you fell that you, too, can become great.”

How about that- God and Mark Twain quoted in the same post.

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Watch the Salads!!

on January 17th, 2010 by Rob

Everybody!!!! Check out this link:

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/worst-salads-america-2009?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2010_01_18-_-HTML-_-2

This is a link to an article about the worst salads in America. It is essential that we watch this. It is so easy, particularly at a resterante to go in and think that you are going to eat a salad and this is going to automatically be healthy. Well, you can see from the article… this is NOT the case.

It is not surprising though that the worst salad in America is a Taco salad from On The Boarder…

Watch out!!!

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Benefits to weight loss- not just features!

on January 9th, 2010 by Rob

You know, I was reading the other day about sales presentations. I know… this is just one step up from watching paint dry and going to insurance seminars… but I was. Anyway, I was reading this thing and there was a very simple yet profound truth stated. It was, “People don’t buy features, they buy benefits.” It’s true… think about it. The last time you bought a car… it did not make any difference, really, if it had anti-lock brakes- this is a feature of the car. However, the real benefit to having anti-lock brakes is that you don’t make a star in the windshield with your skull the next time you get behind some blue hair, in a monsoon,  in the parking lot at Walmart. The point is, you don’t really care about something till it helps you… till it benefits you. (BTW- insurance is the ultimate in this department- there are no features… just benefits)

So, I want to explore some of the BENEFITS of loosing weight… maybe you can be sold on the idea.

1. Even minimal weight loss will help with several underlying health issues. Loosing 10-15% of your body weight (Say from 256-236) can lead to decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol.

2. This same minimal amount of weight loss will increase your ability to regulate blood sugar… thus decreasing your risk for diabetes.

3. Improve your breathing and mobility. Now, a lot of folks may not be as big as I was… I was getting close to 300lbs… but I have noticed that it is A LOT EASIER to tie my shoes since I lost all this weight.

4. It has helped me sleep better. I was using a CPAP machine (that was the worst, most God-Awful thing ever invented) before the weight loss challenge began with People Magazine. Actually, I was still using it a few months in… then I was able to stop. My sleep apnia was caused by the fat around my neck… it was closing off my windpipe and waking me up at night… sometimes 40 or 50 times an hour. This is one of the big things that keeps me on the right track… the thought of having to use this machine again. Also, when I started working out… I slept a lot better because I was so tired.

These are just some of the things that are real benefits to taking charge. Hope these help sell you on the idea.

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Millsaps 8K Race

on January 9th, 2010 by Rob

Had a request for this information to be put on the site.

Come out and support the Millsaps Track Team at this race. The team coach is my old roommate Andy Till.

Race is Saturday, Jan 31 @ 8am. Go to the following link for registration:

http://www.msracetiming.com/

Thanks!

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Tips for great health

on January 9th, 2010 by Rob

When I first started the People Magazine Weight Loss Challenge there were some things that I came up with that I was going to change. These were things that I was going to change, not only in my diet, but also in my life in general…. These are the things that I came up with.

1. Don’t skip meals- breakfast in particular. It is so important to eat breakfast. Study after study has shown that people that eat breakfast have a much easier time loosing weight and maintaining weight. Besides… and I have said this before…. sometimes its the only real good reason to get up. Also, if you eat breakfast, eat something with a lot of fiber… this will slow the passage of food through you… alas- you will feel fuller longer! Bonus! Also, if you don’t skip meals, you won’t be so hungry for the next one that you eat everything in sight.

2. Forget about the diet. I have said this one before too… I DO NOT want to be on a diet. I want to find some things that I like to eat that are better for you than pizza and beer. So now I eat pistachios and beer. See… I compromised!!

3. Take your vitamins- The main thing that I did here was start taking a multivitamin and 1000 mgs of fish oil each day. These take care of the bulk of the things I need. I got the fish oil idea from Dr. Oz… you know, the guy on Oprah… good info. As a matter of fact, I recommend his book You: On a Diet. This is a great read about the real medical information about dieting.

4. Exercise- this means to LIFT WEIGHTS along with cardio exercises. Muscle tissue burns more calories… even at rest. This means that even when I am not doing anything, I will burn more calories because I have more muscle tissue… the best way to get more is to build it by pumping iron. Hans and Franz will be proud of you!!!

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