this is bad

ok, i seriously need to amp up the food consumption in both terms of health and amount. today all i had was coffee with raw sugar (way too much bc i can't seem to properly use the pouring mechanism) and a soy latte and an apple fritter from starbucks. that's it! and i am sitting in class wondering why i am tired? at least i drink a shit ton of water=/

whether or not i have school, i need to be conscious of eating. this has been a problem of mine: not having an appetite...but then i have to force myself to eat a spoonful of peanut butter or something small with protein. this keeps my energy up and i usually then get a normal appetite. i also have the other end of the spectrum: not realizing i am hungry and then gorging, to the point of feeling sick.

here are my immediate goals: EAT SOME REAL FOOD! small breakfast of fruit with grain or protein, nuts and other healthy snacks on my person, fruits and vegetables or juices throughout day, try to have normalish dinner even on school nights.

gradual

i haven't been eating great. i need to borrow someone's car and go shopping in one big trip, not mini ones.

i am back to black coffee with sugar in the raw. i think a lot of sugar. i can't seem to get the pouring down properly even when i try into a spoon first. oh well.

i have been walking.

also i've been doing periodic exerbiking. i should do that more. i've been doing arm stuff too.

the best i think is stretching every morning and using my feldekreis block for neck and shoulder stretches. and relaxing and using the heating pad. for overall health.

i think i mentioned that with school comes crappy eating habits, i am trying to curb that. hasn't worked out so well so far.

i also came to the realization that i put on this weight gradually so it's going to be a gradual loss, too. but health is my main goal, but losing weight is on top of that.

good luck to me.

new year...new me?

well, i have successfully quit smoking. haven't had one in like a week i think. and no huge cravings. done. done!

i haven't been eating that well. i have been trying to get in my food groups and snack on good things, but i have found that back to school for me = back to crappy, sporadic eating. boo! this weekend is going to be my big change over for this. slow and steady wins the race. also no good is i have lots of starbucks money. so i've gotten pastries twice. and i am craving one now. mmm. bad.

i've been stretching every morning and i like it. i've also been using my feldenkreis block for my neck and shoulder. i've been using my trigger point pro but not too much bc it works really deep and can leave too much pain if too much work is done. i learned the hard way. heating pads are my friends. i want to have less muscle tension - am working on it - wooot!

my cardio is down, i've been walking which is over a mile a day but essential walking, not exercise walking. and i was getting so good with the exerbike, i should re-visit.

that's my update! good health to me and you!

YaY health

the only thing i will comment in the negative is that i thought i had successfully quit smoking after a month back on the wagon after 5 years off and being a "social smoker", but i bought another pack yesterday :( i realized that it's if i see people smoking, even on tv such as on the sopranos where everyone is always smoking, that i crave one and although i try not to give into urges sometimes my will is not strong enough. THIS IS MY LAST PACK.

in good news, i've been stretching everyday and i used my exerbike an hour yesterday and an hour today. i also went for small walks in the snow. not so much today bc of extreme wind but i hope it'll be more mellow and i'll go out and play in the snow. well, walk up and down my block on both sides and have people that are outside think i am totally weird for a) my outfit of nice brown boots or blue rain boots, maroon sweats with white racing stripes and paint stains on them, my gray wool poncho and a carhartt hat, that's like 4 styles all meshed but whatever and b) for walking up and down the same street multiple times. but do i care?, hells to the no!

i need to get some fruit or juice, all i've had the past 2 days is fresh lemon juice, but not that much, but at least some is better than none. i made the most delicious dinner tonight: millet with black beans, spinach and cheese. it was simple, filling and did i mention, delicious? i hardly used any cheese and didn't notice it much, so next time i'll prolly keep it out. i have left over millet and beans, yummy. i am now out of spinach, but have broccoli and vegan split pea soup i can make so i still have some veggies if i can't make it to the store which i would really like to tomorrow. as long as the wind is acceptable, i will walk to the store in the snow, that'll be sure to kill some time!

here's to good health!

stayin on it

although i could've used my exerbike everyday whilst in my house bc of the snow, i didn't, but i did use it at least once, maybe more. today i walked at least 1.5 miles in the slush, so that added to the "workout".

i've been eating very well, i'm not keeping track of calories or fat or anything, but feel like i'm eating a balanced diet. here is what i ate today:

lots of water
fresh lemon juice and cayenne
coffee with cinnamon bun creamer (damn holiday creamers!)
banana
1 piece whole grain bread
1 egg fried with smartbalance oil
1 glass soy nog
steamed spinach with garlic and melted cheese
peppermint tea

that doesn't seem like that much, but i ate when i was hungry and felt full when i did eat. i ate veggies, fruit, soy and other protein and carbs. in other news, i am feeling very sore and am soon going to do some light stretching and use the heating pad.

trying new things

i have many friends who are super healthy and use all natural solutions for pretty much everything. my cousin is an herbalist and through her and that circle of friends, I have become more aware of the natural options out there. Instead of getting cold and flu medicine, i now use echinacea and goldenseal tinctures along with lots of vitamin c and fluids, which i had done in the past. I don't feel drugged out and I do feel as it helps. Congestion is still the worst issue for me, but I have been using salt-water for throat gargling and nasal irrigation which really helps.

I've decided to try this "lemon cleanse", which I had started somewhat when STone and i went shopping and she had me get lemons and do water and lemons only. I have stepped it up and am going to start tomorrow doing water, fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper. The "real" cleanse involves using maple syrup but i went to the store today and damn, that stuff is expensive. i did just read to get grade b or c syrup bc they are less refined and i was looking at the fancy grade a and aa stuff, so maybe the lower grade is cheaper.

i'll let you know how it goes.

i'm back!

i haven't posted to this blog in like 4 months. i also haven't been taking great care of my health. i still walk all the time going to the store and the bus stops and at school, but a lot of times that is with a bag and although i am working up a sweat, i also may be hurting myself a bit even though i try to carry things in the best manner and switch sides and what not.

i try to stretch everyday and the days i do it first thing, i feel the best. the days i do it in the afternoon or evening is still positive, but usually it is after i feel a kink or something. i would like to wake up and stretch everyday. also, i used my exerbike for an hour yesterday and it felt great! i think i am going to use it tonight as well depending on my school work progress and how late it gets, my only goal is to use it regularly for at least a half hour.

my weight is still way too high but that isn't my big goal, being healthy is. i've been eating OK, but didn't have much money for food so wasn't eating the best or meals really. i just got approved for the Oregon Trail card which allows me to just get food on it from a special account, i plan on going to the store tomorrow. yesterday and today i ate breakfast and it does make a difference. the thing about my weight is that i really haven't lost my figure, i just have a huge gut, where you gain weight from stress because cortisol, a major stress hormone, stays there.

that's what's going on now. i plan to update this much more as being as healthy as i can be is very important to me!