Weekly Review - April 28, 2008

Overall, last week went pretty well until the end of the week. I have been walking 6 miles every other day, but last week it seems I put too much strain on my right knee and it started to hurt. I had to stop walking and decided to let it rest. I went to the doctor today and he told me he thinks I sprained my knee. He ordered an x-ray to make sure it isn’t anything worse. I am going to continue to rest until he releases me to do more walking. I am frustrated because my body has started to react to the pain and I have gained 3 lbs since Wednesday, which might not sound like much, but it means I will not achieve my super goal. However, if all goes well, I should be able to achieve my first goal of 250 lbs, as long as my body doesn’t continue to gain. I hope when I start taking the anti-inflammatory pain medications my body will return to normal and I can start walking and losing again. I have also decided to give myself a break this week and not count all my calories. I hope ya’ll are doing better than me; stay focused on your goals!

~Think Positive and Stay Healthy~

Weekly Review - April 21, 2008

I only have two more weeks before I go back to my doctor and I think I will finally meet my goal. I am actually looking forward to the visit this time because I know I will do well. Especially, if I keep having weeks like this one in which my meals were great and I got my exercise completed (thank-you again to the person who helped motivate me!). Listed below are my total calories for each day. Sorry this post is so short, but I have to go out of town for several days and need to leave soon. I hope I can stay on course, but we will find out next week. Also, check out the tip for this week that I received at work. Have a great week!

Monday (453 calories)
Tuesday (570 calories)
Wednesday (831 calories)
Thursday (674 calories)
Friday (754 calories)
Saturday (540 calories)
Sunday (514 calories)

Calm Mind, Healthy Body
Experts now agree: Your mental and emotional health are directly connected to your physical well-being. People often forget that caring for their mental well-being is essential to overall good health.

Know the Signs
Chronic physical symptoms can result from worry, anxiety or depression. These signs may include back or neck ache, appetite changes, diarrhea or constipation, general aches and pains, headache, sleep problems, fatigue, dry mouth, chest pain, or heart palpitations. (Note: Pain or physical discomforts that come on suddenly or are severe warrant a call to your health care provider.)

Make the Connection
You may find it difficult to talk to people about your emotions. But talking about whatever might be bothering you, no matter how small or silly it seems, is a good first step toward feeling better. You might want to start with your health care provider, especially if physical symptoms have been affecting your daily life for several weeks. Other people you should to talk to include your family, close friends, a pastor or minister, a counselor or someone from your workplace employee assistance program.

Make Some Changes
Realize that improving your mental health can lead to feeling better physically. Instead of just taking pain medicine for your headache or putting a heating pad on your aching back, pay attention to how your thoughts and feelings might be at the root of your pain.

Try to focus on the positive. Keep a journal of everything that goes right each day. Find time to do things that make you happy.

Let yourself relax. Meditating, praying, visualizing a positive scene or simply breathing deeply for a few minutes can help calm your mind. The key is to practice these techniques every day.

Finally, practice good health habits. Regular exercise, a healthy diet and adequate sleep are important to help both your mind and body stay in tip-top shape.

~Think Positive and Stay Healthy~

Weekly Review - April 14, 2008

I think this week has gone well for me. There were a few days where I wanted to eat something bad, but I kept to my meal plan. I was even able to get in the three days of exercise as my doctor requested.
I keep thinking I gained weight, but I know that is not possible given what I am eating. I think I am just going through a mental process. I return to the doctor on May 14th and I truly believe I will reach my goal this time. The Saturday following my doctor visit I will be seeing one of my best friends that I grow up with. She has not seen me for two years, so it will be quite the surprise because she does not know that I had surgery.

This weekend I decided to go shopping. As you know, there is not a lot out there for big people, but since I have lost weight I have a lot more options. However, I am not sure what I like, what is in style and what looks good on me because I still see the fat guy. I am not sure what I will do in the future, but this time I settled for some new shorts. I will have to figure these questions out as I lose more weight.

As for my weekly food plan, I decided not to waste space by posting it unless you want it. I have decided to only post my total calories for each day.

Monday (797 calories)
Tuesday (899 calories)
Wednesday (681 calories)
Thursday (768 calories)
Friday (963 calories)
Saturday (491 calories)
Sunday (515 calories)

Calorie Facts: If you're watching your calories, here's a quick explanation of some common food product terms: "Calorie-free" - the product has fewer than 5 calories per serving. "Low-calorie" - each serving contains 40 calories or less. "Reduced" or "fewer" calories - the product has at least 25 percent fewer calories than the standard version. "Light" or "lite" the product contains at least one-third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat than the standard version.

~Think Positive and Stay Healthy~