6-30-08 Closing Statement
Hi Blog Readers,
I have decided to stop my blogging at this time. I feel that sharing my innermost thoughts and feelings is very personal. I have been willing to do this, in the hopes, that by sharing my experiences, I could help someone else who might find themselves with similar struggles and concerns. And, for myself, it has been helpful to reflect on my activities and behaviors in order to learn how to change those behaviors that are detrimental to my health.
Being accepted to be a participant in the Forum Fitness Challenge has been one of the most beneficial activities I have enjoyed. I remain grateful to those who developed the idea and those who had direct contact with me. Having put forth a truely honest effort, I feel I have fulfilled my committment to the program. I am satisfied with the progress I have made in the area of increasing exercise, and I continue to work-out at different activities 2-3 times per week. Improving my dietary choices will continue to be a challenge. 12 weeks is only the beginning to changing a lifetime of poor habits. I am maintaining some changes and setting goals to improve more over time. Sometimes forward, sometimes backwards.
Disappointing to me, has been the reader response to my blogging. I had hoped for more discussion regarding my efforts and more participation by those who wanted to work on similar health goals. Thank you to those who wrote words of encouragement and offered suggestions from their own experience. I wanted my personal sharing to be reciprocated by others experiencing frustration with wanting to be healthy but not quite making it over some of the hurdles, as well as those who have found ways of implimenting difficult changes. Perhaps I expected too much from those readers who were just curious enough to read my blogging. While I did not expect to gather a "fan club" of followers, I did hope for more feedback.
The Forum will be doing an update on the 3 of us in the Challenge at the end of the Summer, to see how we have managed on our own. And, maybe again after one year to see if we have maintained our changes towards a healthy life style. There might even be another type of challenge created. Perhaps you will find that interesting.
I leave you with words probably many times quoted. "If you keep doing the things you've always done, you will keep getting what you've always gotten." "If nothing changes, nothing changes." Or as Dr. Phil asks, "How's that working for you?" I wish you wellness.
Sincerely, Lida
Posted by: Lida Deutsch on 6/30/2008 at 5:00 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
6-13-08 My Fellow Challenge Mates
Hello,
Yesterday, I got together with Randy and Summer, the 2 other Fitness participants, Erin, the Forum writer, and Jennifer, our Meritcare Dietitan. It was nice to see everyone and we shared how things are going for us since the Challenge officially ended. We are all still working at various aspects of our own goals. Randy is involve in a challenge through his work and Summer is in a group weight loss contest at her office. It served as a little PEP talk for us.
I am mainly trying to get back into the full swing of the exercise program I was doing so well with during the Challenge. I had been up to 3-4 sessions per week with 45-60 min. of cardio/weights. Now, I am working back up from a current 2 day a week, 30-45 min cardio plus almost no weights. (Without my Trainer, getting the weights going has been harder) My husband wants to play racket-ball at the Y and I just don't think I want that. I have agreed to meet a friend on Monday to do water aerobics and another friend said I might like the Group Weights Session. And I got in 2 miles onthe treadmill yesterday. "Keep it up".
I miss the overall feeling of, feeling better, with the more consistant workouts. After a workout, I have never thought, "Gee, I wish I had not done that". But when I go a whole day without getting some formal exercise done, I do have regrets. I know that this is a very subjective thing to measure and there are likely, many, factors that interact, but, I am trying to accept the fact, that the exercise DOES make a difference in my sense of well being.
Now, I just really need to get back on the track of the better nutrition program. I have managed to keep some of my changes in place, but I mainly need to get off the frequent snacking program. Knowing that the Forum will be doing a report on us at the end of the Summer, will help with motivation.
Later, Folks
Posted by: Lida Deutsch on 6/13/2008 at 1:22 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
6-10-08 Who are my readers?
Hello,
I cannot help but wonder from time to time who is interested enough in my personal fitness challenges, to check in and read this Blog. I am sure some of you are friends and family who just peek in to see what I am up to. That's fine. But, who are the rest of you? What is it that you find interesting or helpful? What would you like to see more of and what should I skip? Sometimes I write more as a journal to myself, of my thoughts and feelings, without thinking so much about what readers are finding. But, I can do that without public blogging. I am just asking/
By the way, having rhubard in my back yard has lead, over the years to much experimenting with the sweet desserts that can be made with it. Now, I do not love rhubarb, as I really got too much of it served too me as a kid on the farm. So making recipes that basically hide the rhubarb amongst the sugar, crusts, puddings, whipped cream and what not, has just occured to me as a stupid idea. This is because I made a rhubarb dessert, did not share it with enough other people and have had a piece for just about every meal and snack during the past 2 days. Yuk. Definitely overkill. I just do not think it is worth it. Anybody want a couple of rhubarb plants?
Lida
Posted by: Lida Deutsch on 6/10/2008 at 3:19 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
6-9-08 Another Monday
Greetings All Curious Blog Readers,
Ready. Set. Go. Working on the weeks schedule. Cappaccino and strawberries with pudding for breakfast. Appointments to show houses to a Client this afernoon. Turkey sandwich for lunch. Yorgurt along for snack. Workout/walk this evening. Laundry, dishes, and get some things ready for a garage sale at a friends place. Modest goals to be done well :) Later, Lida
Posted by: Lida Deutsch on 6/09/2008 at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
6-08-08 Wondering
My husband and I worked out at the Y yesterday morning. Today, my exercise was painting a stair well. Admittedly, a modest effort, at best, of expending energy. But, hey, what have you done lately?
One thing about changing habits and making lifestyle changes, the next hour, morning, day, always brings another chance to improve, learn, and grow. A diet can be gone on and gone off. Eating better can be improved on every day, in some way. Small ways, small changes. This is most effective way to make habit changes. Make a decision to make a small change, decide how to do it and then, do it every day. As long as there is another day given to us to live, we can use it for some good.
Sometimes we hear about someone who has had a large life event. Maybe a near brush with death or the near death of a loved one. We might even experience, ourselves, something huge that knocks us off our feet or in some way gets our attention enough to have a chance to realize in a very personal, meaningful way, that our life is finite. No one can take for granted that we will have another day to live or that our loved one will be with us at the end of a day. Such realizations will sometimes provoke a truely meaningful change in our attitude and behavior. Sometimes, it will even last over time. But, for most of us, the ordinariness of daily living wears away at our resolve to change ourselves in ways that are truely life shattering. The repetitive nature of of daily human existance, can dull our senses to the passage of time. Only in the small ways, can most of us, over time, make a difference in the long run. So, as long a we keep our goals in front of us, and don't stand still we can get closer to them each day.
In what small way, will you choose to change your life for the better tomorrow? If you do not make time for what truely matters, time will pass anyway. At this time tomorrow, will you feel you have made a difference in your life or in the life of someone else?
Lida
Posted by: Lida Deutsch on 6/08/2008 at 8:16 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink