Determined To Succeed

I don’t know what it is these days. I just can’t seem to get out of bed. I fully admit there are times my sleep is thrown off because I am stupid (OK, maybe not stupid), like when I fall asleep for a couple of hours in front of the TV after eating. But mostly it’s because bed feels good and warm and I don’t wanna crawl out of it (wow, did that sound whiny or what?!). So, after convincing myself that the cinnamon and brown sugar oatmeal was a great reason to get out of bed, I finally did it and am now planted firmly in front my computer.

Yawn…

I can usually operate on a few hours sleep. Remember me telling you about my year of hell (working three jobs and getting four hours sleep a night for a year)? While those days are long gone I do find that getting good sleep does help. It doesn’t have to be 8-10 hours but it does. The interesting thing is that sleep is also important in losing weight…and lack of it might make you gain weight.

Think about it: If you’re feeling sleepy at work and are running on low energy, you may be tempted to reach for a cup of coffee (or several cups or really big ones like me – extra crunchy with sugar) and a doughnut (mmmmmmm, doughnuts)  for a quick shot of energy. Later you may skip the gym and pick up takeout on your way home because you are too tired and/or have no time to cook. When you finally find yourself back in your bed, you are too wound up to sleep.

What does this all mean? You may be able to fight off sleepiness, particularly at work, however the ultimate result is unwanted pounds from poor food choices coupled with lack of exercise. This sets the stage for obesity and further sleep loss. Think about it more: Sleep debt is like credit card debt. If you keep accumulating credit card debt, you will pay high interest rates or your account will be shut down until you pay it all off. If you accumulate too much sleep debt, your body will crash.

Exactly how lack of sleep affects our ability to lose weight has a lot to do with our nightly hormones.

The two hormones that are key in this process are ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is the “go” hormone that tells you when to eat. When you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin. Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating. So when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin. In other words, more ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain. You are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived.

Yawn…stretch….

So what can you do about sleep deprivation?

For starters, avoid any caffeine in the afternoon because it will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep — which are associated with poor sleep — at night.  Exercise also helps improve sleep quality (which is awesome for me since today is martial arts training – yea!). Watch what you eat before bedtime and don’t eat a big meal too close to bed time. Heavy, rich meals before bed can also increase risk of heartburn (which will certainly keep you up all night – remember the “IN-DE-GESSSSSSSTION commercials).

Ah, now I am awake. I know I’m gonna have more cool stories about today’s martial arts lesson (and the soreness I will surely feel) but it’s all good. I have eaten my oatmeal to jumpstart my metabolism. I will be working out today. It’s a good day, indeed.

Now if only I could do all this waking up and being energized earlier…

Remember Saturday morning cartoons? I know, I know. They’re still on the air and Saturday mornings are probably still cool for kids. However I’ve noticed the shows and commercials on the “Big Three” networks are far louder, outrageous and more bombastic than the shows and commercials I grew up with, probably because they now have to compete with the glut of competition from cable.

Anywho, I bring this up because, for me, staples of Saturday morning cartoons were cereal commercials. Oh yes, you’d have Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Honeycomb (my personal favorite), Cheerios, Frosted Flakes and Tony The Tiger saying “they’re greeeeeeeeat!” And no matter which one you liked they all had the following line: “…part of a nutritious breakfast.” You’d see a nice glass of milk, a small glass of juice, a couple slices of toast and select fruit either on or next to the sugary goodness that was the cereal.

While it always struck me as funny that the phrase didn’t necessarily mean that the cereal itself was nutritious the concept of starting the day with breakfast was. Throughout my weight gain years I know I was not good at all about eating breakfast. I skipped thinking it would save calories, but all it did was make me eat the bulk of my calories later, especially at night, and made me snack on unhealthy crap.

These days we barely glance at the kitchen in the morning (guilty). Fixing breakfast takes up precious time that’s in short supply. But there’s tons of evidence (pun intended) that the simple act of eating breakfast is a big part of losing weight.

“People skip breakfast thinking they’re cutting calories, but by mid-morning and lunch, that person is starved,” says Milton Stokes, RD, MPH, chief dietitian for St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City. “Breakfast skippers replace calories throughoutcream cheese, the day with mindless snacking. They set themselves up for failure.”

Two studies in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association backed up this finding. A group of researchers analyzed data from a study that followed more than 2,000 young girls from ages 9 to 19. They found that regular cereal eaters had fewer weight problems than infrequent cereal eaters. Those who ate cereal occasionally had a 13% higher risk of being overweight compared to the regular cereal eaters.

Another research group analyzed government data on 4,200 adults. They found that regular breakfast eaters were more likely to exercise regularly. And women who ate breakfast regularly tended to eat fewer calories overall during the day. Those men and women who ate breakfast cereal had lower overall fat intake compared to those who ate other breakfast foods.

It makes TOTAL sense (get it? TOTAL?! A cereal reference?! Ah, never mind). Eating early in the day keeps us from “starvation eating” later on. It also jump-starts our metabolism, says Elisabetta Politi, RD, MPH, nutrition manager for the Duke Diet & Fitness Center at Duke University Medical School. “When you don’t eat breakfast, you’re actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you’re not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight.”

But before you go filling up a bowl with Cocoa Puffs or fruity-patooties (or whatever passes for cereal these days with kids and their new-fangled rock and roll) listen up. Breakfast is the best time to make wise food choices. That’s where fruits, vegetables, and whole grains come into the picture. Because these are high-fiber foods, they fill you up – yet they bring less fat to the table, says Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, the Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University in Pittsburgh.

These high-fiber foods allow you to eat more food yet get fewer calories. It’s a concept called “energy density” – the number of calories in a specified amount of food, Rolls explains. “Some foods – especially fats – are very energy dense, which means they have a lot of calories packed into a small size,” Rolls says. “However, foods that contain lots of water have very low energy density. Water itself has an energy density of zero. High-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains have low energy density.”

Translation: If you eat foods with high energy density, such as bagels, you rack up calories quickly. If you eat high-fiber, low-energy-density foods – such as oatmeal, strawberries, walnuts, and low-fat yogurt – you can eat more and get fewer calories.

For example: A breakfast made up of 1 cup of oatmeal, 1/2lf cup of low-fat milk, 1 cup of sliced strawberries, and 1 tablespoon of walnuts has only approximately 307 calories total. Two multi-grain waffles, with 1 cup of blueberries, 3 tablespoons of light syrup, and 1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt have about 450 calories total. That’s almost equal to the standard bagel-and-cream-cheese breakfast – yet it’s much more food, and much lower in fat.

So what are some healthier breakfast suggestions? I’m so glad you asked that ’cause I just happen to have a few right here:

* Banana with peanut butter
* Banana sliced into yogurt
* Oatmeal with fruit — like apples, blueberries, or peaches (what I just had for breakfast)
* Small tortilla with a few tablespoons of peanut butter and chopped strawberries. Roll it up, slice it. It works for kids and adults.
* Breakfast smoothies — berries, ice, and milk or yogurt.

As for the much-beloved bagel – sadly, it’s the calorie equivalent of five slices of bread so just eat half. Better yet, go for smaller bagels, the little ones that are like hockey pucks. Spread some peanut butter on it instead of cream cheese. If you must have cream cheese, buy low-fat. Honestly there is no difference in taste. Add a little bit of jam, some sliced strawberries and you are good to go.

If on-the-run fast food breakfast sandwiches are your food of choice indulge them in a healthy way: whole-grain English muffins, a cooked egg, low-fat cheese melted on top – ham or Canadian bacon optional. It’s portable. You can drive with that. It’s got a good beat and I can dance to it. I give it an 87.

So, my friends. You can now see how important breakfast is and have some suggestions for what to eat. As for the sugary cereals we were fed as kids, some breakfast is better than no breakfast. The last thing anyone should do is skip breakfast. Otherwise, you’ll be eating something even worse later on – candy bars and potato chips – because you’re starving. But if you have time for that cereal take sweetened cereal and mix it with unsweetened cereal, or take unsweetened cereal and mix it with something a little sugary – like yogurt.

That may not please Count Chocula or the little dude from Lucky Charms but who cares. This is about you not them and losing weight is ultimately what is “magically delicious.”

P.S. – Always remember one simple rule especially at night: IF YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY FOR CEREAL THEN YOU’RE NOT REALLY HUNGRY.

Hopefully, you guys are used to my cravings by now. You know I crave good movies and TV shows. My current TV craving is enjoying HBO’s new season of “True Blood.” As for food, you know I crave a good Milky Way bar or an ice-cold Coca-Cola every now and then (even though I have tried to seriously curtail both lately and am making some progress). But every year or so I get an extra weird food craving. Even though I am not pregnant (although that would be a medical miracle) I guess you could say it is my pickles and ice-cream. My craving yesterday was for a tomato juice.

I don’t know why that was, either. I think because I started that once-a-year craving on a plane a long time ago and saw lots of planes recently and the craving was activated. Maybe it was because there was a new episode of “True Blood” on last night and I wanted to join in? I don’t know. I know it sounds weird and it is. But, true to myself and true to my craving I had me a can of “True bl…”, er, I mean tomato juice.

Usually, I go for a can of V8. It has a few more spices and tastes better than regular ol’ tomato juice but I thought I heard once how bad V8 was in its sodium content so I went with a can of regular Mott’s Tomato Juice. Turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Before I delved into the nutritional info (which I should have done before drinking the stuff) I tried it in my usual way – with ice. Turns out my taste buds have changed and I prefered it warm. Almost like drinking a can of totato soup. That plus a grilled cheese would have been perfect. Maybe I am turining into a vampire from Bon Temps. Anyway…

While I had a good portion of my daily need for carbs, vitamins A and C, in addition to calcium, iron and protein, one can of Mott’s Tomato Juice has – get this – a whopping 980 mg of sodium and 12 g of sugar! I kid you not. That’s horrible. So I looked up V8 100% vegetable juice and it was way better. One serving has only 8 g of sugar (not great but better than the Mott’s) and about 1/2 the sodium of the Mott’s (480 mg). V8 also has way more daily allotment of vitamin C (120% of your recommended daily helping).

Wow! What a huge difference that is, and a surprising one., Whodathunk a can of 100% tomato juice was worse for you. Well, consider me educated nmow and chalk it up to me taking one for the team, I guess. And now I also get why vampires don’t like to drink “True Blood” cold. It goes down smoother when it’s warm.

I don’t think I need to worry about this craving anymore, though. I should be done with my tomato/veggie jusice craving for at least a year now. That is, until next Sunday night when the vampires in Bon Temps come out to play.

If I get another craving for a warm red drink then you and I can officially start to worry. Although, my name is Bill…

It’s Sunday morning, it’s early, I’m groggy and I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of the movie logic in the movie I watched last night – “Hot Tub Time Machine.” Did you guys see that one? It’s the story of four guys who get transported back to 1986 thanks to a really nifty (and wet) time machine and the accidental spill of a modern-day energy drink.

Following me so far? The hi-jinks ensue when our band of best friends (well, three best friends and one kid who will ultimately find out his origins) realize they can’t screw with too much in the space-time continuum or else the future will altered BUT (and there wouldn’t be a movie without a but) they want some things to change because in the future none of their lives turn out the way they wanted them to.

If I could turn back time and go back to 1986, what would I change? I’d be in high school. Assuming it’s summer I’d be wrapping up my sophomore year. “Top Gun” was in theaters. I was only 15. I’d change my future by “inventing” lots of stuff. Laptops, iPods and Google chief among them. I’d also “create” such wonderful, high-grossing movies like “Die Hard,” “The Lion King,” “Forrest Gump,” “Titanic,” “The Matrix,” “True Lies,” “Predator” and so many more. I mean, who wouldn’t create a better life for themselves in the future by changing something critical in the past. Sure, it might mean the rest of the world is irrevocably changed (ala the Butterfly Effect) but who cares I’d be changed and for the better.

But this wouldn’t be Bill’s Weight Loss Blog if I also didn’t cop to the fact I’d change the physical me, too. I’d stop eating all the bad foods I ate back then. I’d start exercising regularly (doing 20 tummy crunches a day might have made me get a set of 6-pack abs of steel instead of my 24-case of flabs of steels). Of course I would do this, too, because I realize what 24 years of extra time would mean to my body. I would never have achieved 400 pounds. I would never have had high blood pressure. I would have been much healthier much sooner and able to enjoy every bit of those 24 extra years (especially thanking God for extra time with my mom, JoAnn – I love you, Ma) of healthier, stronger Bill.

Someone very wise once told me that, while you can reconcile and make peace with the past, it is just that – the past. The not-so-smart choices you made back then are done. All you can do now is make much smarter ones moving forward. That just happens to be the driving principle behind one of my cardinal rules of weight loss – forgiving yourself the weight you gained up to now and not letting that weigh you down as you begin a weight loss journey. Sure you are the weight you are, but instead of being sad about how that happened, concentrate on what you’re gonna do about it now and every day after today.

My friends, we may not be able to turn back time like they do in the movies but we don’t need a time machine to start altering our lives so that our future selves benefit from our actions today. In other words, do not lament 24 years ago, project 24 years into the future. For me, I’ll be 63 and a damn-sight healthier and stronger than I would have been had I not started this journey. Why? Because I am in this moment of time telling me to change what could possibly be my unhealthy, obese and self-destructive future. And what could have easily been a one-way ticket to an early death – 400 pounds ain’t healthy for no one – is now a great chance to create a better life for me in 2034 by changing that something critical in the past…today…in 2010.

So think about that stuff the next time you curl up with a movie on a Saturday night. Sure, the movie itself may be just O.K. (“Hot Tub Time Machine” did have its moments) but one of the true gifts of the movies is that they all make us think about possibility.

So now that you are here in the present, what are you going to do today? Me? I think I’ll start with 20 tricep dips and, hmmmmm, maybe 20 or so tummy crunches…

Oh and P.S. – Thanks to writing this blog today I now have Cher’s song “If I Could Turn Back Time” running through my head. Thanks a lot, me. I’ll be spending all day with a fork in my eyeball trying to get that song out of my head.

Happy Saturday, my friends.

Man, these martial arts workouts are kicking my butt. And here I thought it would be the other way around. I never thought I’d be Bill-Claude Van Damme or anything like that but wow, these workouts are killer…and awesome.

I was talking with my sensei, Doug Shaffer, yesterday at the end of class and wondered out loud exactly how many drops blood, beads of sweat and oceans of tears had been shed upon the mat on which I now train. What stories would that mat have? He told me that the night before he had a full-contact sparring match going on and I could only imagine the sound of the impacts as the opponents fought. He also told me about the little girl who, just a few nights ago, achieved her black belt in karate (a photo of whom sits on his desk, very much the same way a proud father would). In other words…a lot.

I was floored, not by the exhaustion I was feeling (and believe me I was soooo feeling that) but by the feeling that I was adding my own sweat to something great. If that mat could talk it would talk about how this guy who used to be 400 pounds is still striving to be in better physical shape than he ever has been by sweating like a pig two times a week on that very same mat. Sure I feel pain today. Who wouldn’t? I am working out muscles I didn’t even know I had. But I am also doing things I never thought I could do before because of my weight. But that is just as cool as a full-contact match or a girl getting her black belt in kicking my butt. All are awesome accomplishments.

There is a certain amount of faith that’s involved in weight loss (well, any journey, really) and it calls on us to believe in something we can’t yet see with our own eyes. Moreover, that faith may be stretched thin at times. Loved ones are away or gone (and those subsequent anniversaries), you have a tough week, you started a new job, you feel alone. But the faith that you have is buoyed by the realities that have happened and have yet to happen. The reminders of accomplishments, remembering – well – memories and taking new strides toward new goals. But that faith is there, backed up by the hard work we all do on a daily basis to get through those tough times to make that faith real.

My sweat may not be all that great on that mat. It may be, literally and figuratively, a drop in the bucket compared to what others have done and continue to do (like awesome girl Van Damme) but it is something. It is good, positive and most of all true. And that is what that mat would say about me. That is my story. I am trying, I am human, I will not quit and I have faith that I will get to my goals one day. Each and every one of them.

Good morning, everyone, and T.G.I.F.!

Excuse me for a moment while I streeeeeeeeeeeetch…

Ah, that first stretch (especially combined with a yaaaaaaaawn) always feels so good in the morning. Actually, there are so many times when stretching feels so good throughout the course of the day – like when you enjoy a great get up/stretch after sitting in your office chair for too long working on a project or before and after a great workout in the gym (like I do with my martial arts training).

Stretching is awesome yet stretching is so often neglected at the end of a training session because you’re too tired to do anything else. Or you rush through each stretch not getting the full benefit of each one. I have found stretching to be key in my workouts. Like I enjoy the steam room after a visit to my gym, I enjoy stretching. That has become my new steam room. It allows the muscles in my pudgy legs and arms to warm up, fending off strain, cramping, soreness, and other dangers that can occur when cold muscles are worked too quickly. Stretching also increases the blood and nutrient supply to muscles and cartilage, thereby also reducing muscle soreness after training (which is absolutely true. I’d hate to feel how sore I’d be if I didn’t stretch after my training sessions).

I did a bit more research. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Stretching your muscles helps you maximize the range of motion of your joints. This allows you to fully contract your muscles. Stretching can also prevent little tears in a muscle or tendon that occur when you force a joint to go through its full range of motion when the tissues are too tight.”

However, stretching itself can be dangerous if not performed properly.

Stretching without a small warm up can be dangerous as you could injure your muscles if stretching them when they are cold. At least 3 to 5 minutes of cardiovascular activity is recommended to warm up the muscles sufficiently. For example, a quick, easy, light-footed walk is sufficient to warm up the legs. Moving the arms in a slightly exaggerated motion during this walk will warm up the arms as well. Swaying slowly or shifting weight from side to side also eases the body into a stretch. If muscles have been at rest for a while, they are cold and harder to flex. Trying to stretch out a colder muscle is sometimes painful, feels too tight, and can lead to tearing, pulling, or straining.

Static stretches are the most beneficial stretches. These stretches isolate specific muscles for a few breaths. Each major muscle group should be stretched slowly and with control, holding each stretch for 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 60 seconds. Hold each stretch at the point of mild tension or tightness, not to the point of pain.  Static stretches work to lengthen muscles and lead to flexibility. When stretches are held, the involuntary reflex most likely will not be engaged.

Bouncing during stretching, called ballistic stretching, can be detrimental and does not lead to more permanent stretching. Instead of holding the muscle in a stretch position, the body bounces, stretching the muscle further with every bounce. This activity can be dangerous because it causes stress on the joints and can lead to hyper-extending a muscle by not being able to judge just how far a stretch is possible. It also may engage the natural reflex of the golgi tendon which takes over the bouncing and does not offer any benefits to flexibility.

He, he. I said golgi…it’s not often you get to work in a word like golgi in anything (but I digress).

The areas of the body more prone to injury are joints like the knees and the rotator cuff (shoulder). Sudden movements or twisting can cause tears in tendons or ligaments that take months to heal. Therefore, during a stretching session, focus on different stretches at each joint. Try stretching the arm across the chest and then behind the head to stretch out different muscles in and around the shoulder. Also, stretch the calves, hamstrings, and quads in the legs to support the knee joint.

When not to Stretch (heads up, my friends):

·         Following muscle strains or ligament sprains

·         When joints or muscles are infected, inflamed or hurt

·         After a recent fracture

·         When sharp pains are felt in the joints or muscles.

People with poor coordination are more likely to be injured because they may lose balance or not be able to stand in the proper position for a stretch. Also, people who do not lead active lifestyles or beginners are more likely to injure themselves than those familiar with physical fitness routines. Tight people are likely to injure muscles. Tight people are people whose muscle is tight all the time because of weight training. Finally, age plays a factor. Typically, an increased age equals an increased risk for injury simply because the body ages (ugh, so that’s another thing to look forward to in life. Great!).

As I said yesterday, to ensure safety, anyone(!) who wants to begin a fitness program should consult with a doctor. Then ask a medical or fitness professional for the best exercise regimen for you. I can’t say that enough.

So, as we begin the weekend just remember the importance of a good stretch. No matter what exercise you can/choose to do, a good streeeeeeeeeeeeetch is important to increase safety and overall flexibility…

…not to mention it feels damn good before and after.

Today is Thursday, it’s about 9:19 a.m. and I am just getting my nearly 40-year-old motor going for the day.  Part of that is due to yet another amazing martial arts workout from my sensei, martial arts and self-defense expert Doug Shaffer. I wonder sometimes if I would be better at this stuff if I were younger. Then it hits me, “nah. I just need to get my fat butt moving.”

So yesterday we did mainly mat work and leg work. I did lunging kicks, roundhouse kicks, exercises that can help get an attacker/opponent off you, a reverse push-up kick move and more. Plus we did my favorite exercise – those sweet but deadly reverse push-ups (actually, I think they’re called tricep dips). I swear to you guys I love these because they are great to do in your home – and I do.

While I was doing all these things I kept thinking to myself “I can do this. I just need to get my fat butt moving.” And I did. And while it’s not easy taking a body that used to be 400 pounds (with all of its still-persistent extra skin and flab) and make it faster and more coordinated, but I am doing my best and that is what matters. I sweat like a pig, but that’s good. I am tired as hell after, but that’s good. I roll out of bed today (late) with aches, but that’s good. I am getting my fat butt moving, and that’s good.

Today, I am going to do at least 20 of those reverse push-ups/tricep dips, if not more, to keep in practice. Also, have to practice other moves, too. Also, I am going to be working on cardio today with a good long walk or on the elliptical in the gym. Why, because I know I will be working hard tomorrow again. And even though this is only the second week I am already seeing results in my arms and I could swear (SWEAR) my love handles are looking a tad bit smaller. That may be my imagination but I like it.

So what are you guys going to do today to get your butts moving? I know it’s hard sometimes to either find the motivation, time or place but it can be done. Remember, you can do many types of exercises both at work or at home with minimal space/time requirements. You can always do some tummy crunches in your chairs (especially at work or while watching TV). You can always take a walk around your office or around the block at lunch.

As always I recommend you talk to your doctor before you try to do any exercise for the first time just to make sure you are able to do so, especially if you are starting from scratch and are of size. But I tell you, once you can get into a nifty exercise routine it’s like a drug. You will want to do it more, like my martial arts class, even if that regimen is just talking a regular walk around the block. You are working for you and making that time for you.

And to do a tricep dip you will need a chair that doesn’t have wheels on it, or another stationary surface higher than the ground. Stairs, for example. Position yourself with your back facing that chair or stairs. Grasp the front of the chair’s seat with your hands and fingers facing forward.  You can either plant your feet with your knees bent (as in this diagram) or extend your legs/hips forward with your heels supporting the lower body. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your torso and butt so they are a few inches off the floor/ground. Then, push back up by slowly straightening your arms.

And while it may kick your butt, it gets your butt moving and that is how we are in this fight and losing weight together.

Earth. Look at it. When we take a step back she is beautiful (that is when we aren’t completely killing her with oil spills, wars and deforestation – all blogs for another day). All of us have been taught how over 70% percent of the earth’s surface (71% to be more exact) is covered by water and how absolutely essential water is to maintain life on this fragile big blue marble spinning out in space.

Coming back a little closer to home today is Wednesday and you know what that means…mixed martial arts. As you know I’ve started taking mixed martial arts as a way to improve my overall fitness, tone up and hopefully lose the rest of the weight I need to get back to my original goal weight of 225 pounds. However, as I get my inner Daniel-san on, I am reminded of something extremely critical in any exercise regimen…the need for water. Today’s temperatures are going to exceed 95-degrees (yikes). With that in mind I thought it important to remind us all how important this amazing liquid is.

Even if today’s temps weren’t reaching surface-of-the-sun hot water is the most essential ingredient to a healthy life. Water has many important functions for the body including:

• Transportation of nutrients / elimination of waste products.
• Lubricating joints and tissues.
• Temperature regulation through sweating.
• Facilitating digestion.

Proper hydration is especially important during exercise and is essential to your comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids. Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue and even heat illnesses including heat exhaustion (the body’s response to dehydration and an excessive loss of water and salt through sweat which typically occurs after long periods of heat exposure) and heat stroke (a serious medical emergency in which the body’s cooling systems stop working and the core temperature can rise to dangerous levels. Symptoms of heat stroke include hot, dry skin, lack of sweating, a very fast pulse, confusion and perhaps seizures or coma. If untreated, heat stroke can be fatal).

There are several main causes of dehydration:

• Inadequate fluid intake
• Excessive sweating
• Failure to replace fluid losses during and after exercise
• Exercising in dry, hot weather
• Drinking only when thirsty

Because there is wide variability in the individual length and intensity of exercise, sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids people should consume while working out. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:

1. Monitoring urine volume output and color. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.
2. Weighing yourself before and after exercise. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.

Also, while specific fluid recommendations aren’t possible due to each individual’s variability, most people can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.

Hydration Before Exercise

• Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
• Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise

• Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
• If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 – 30 minutes.

Hydration After Exercise

• Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
• Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.
• Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein within 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.

And class, just so we have it all straight and know what to look for, here is a list of the early symptoms and most common signs of heat exhaustion:

• nausea
• dizziness
• weakness
• headache
• pale, cool and moist skin
• fast and weak pulse
• disorientation.
• paleness
• muscle cramps
• tiredness
• fainting

If heat exhaustion is left untreated, it may lead to heat stroke. The key difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion is the presence of confusion and other mental status changes during heat stroke. During heat stroke, the neurological system is affected and can cause odd behavior, delusions, hallucinations, and eventually seizures or a coma.

IMPORTANT:  At the first signs of heat exhaustion, you should stop activity and cool the body by seeking shade, shelter or a cool room, and drinking cold fluids.

MOST IMPORTANT: Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe.

Ok, my friends, there you have today’s lesson on the importance of water. As we all get ready for an incredibly hot day, no matter whether exercising or not, make sure you get plenty of water. Not only is it the best way to keep your body healthy, it’s also nature’s original soft drink.

I am so sorry this is so late today. I had an appointment this morning out of the office (O.K. actually away from the nook in my apartment from which I write this daily weight loss bloggy blog) so I was unable to post before I left. I am doubly sorry because it ended up that the meeting I went to was a waste of my time and was the most expensive cup of coffee I’ve ever had.

I paid $16 for one small cup of coffee.

The meeting I had was one of those first-thing-in-the-morning meetings where you know you will have to get ready and leave early because you don’t want to hit rush hour and be late. You also hope and pray at least coffee would be served. Thank God it was. I soooooo needed a cup.I was also getting a bit hungry. And not only was coffee being served but they had a very nice spread of soft drinks, water, bagels and muffins. It was actually fairly nice for something I knew wasn’t going to last all-day.

Well, I do not know about you guys but food at meetings is like a magnet that draws me in. The yummy breads are the flames to which my hungry wings are drawn. I most times wouldn’t even care what kinds of muffins they were, either (they looked like lemon and blueberry). I would just lay waste to them licking my chops afterward.

But something happened today which was awesome. The most and more the meeting pissed me off the less and less hungry I got. I sat silently as I looked at the three people with whom I was meeting (the third coming in with only about ten minutes left so what’s the point) and wondered to myself “what the hell am I doing here?!”

So it didn’t matter that I was hungry and the muffins looked fresh and good. I didn’t want them. I didn’t want to waste my calories on not just a breakfast I would regret later, calorie wise, but one provided from people who seemed more scattered than they should have been, especially since they were leading the meeting.

In the end, I did what was required. I shook hands and wished everyone a good day. However the taste left over in my mouth was not that of a sweet lemon muffin (which at the beginning I really wanted). It was a bitter taste, the taste of a waste of my early morning.  I walked out the door holding my slightly-more caffeinated head high and got to the parking garage.

When I approached the “pay me here” kiosk I handed over  my ticket and the young dude, who was far more interested in texting someone than working, came back and said “$16.” I nearly crapped myself. You have to be S%#@@*&g me! $16 for no more than an hour-and-a-half? Damn! Having no choice I handed over my plastic and drove out as fast as I could.

So there you have it. The tale of my morning and my day so far, and the most expensive cup of coffee I’ve ever had. However, I am so glad I didn’t give in to the food temptations at the meeting. They looked yummy, yes. They looked fresh, yes. They were available, yes. But that didn’t mean I should have them, no. That meeting may have been a waste but I am so glad I didn’t waste calories on top of my time.

I may not get my $16 recouped for the meeting but I made smart food choices this morning. And that, my dear friends, is priceless no matter what time of day it is.

P.S. – the soft drinks were Pepsi and you know I was having none of that.

Happy Monday, everyone.

I might have mentioned to you guys once or twice before how much I love movies. I know it’s hard to tell, what with all my movie references and all but this past weekend got me thinking about one particular movie, the remake of “The Italian Job,” and one of it’s lines as it pertains to weight loss.

There is a big deal in the movie made about responding to the question “how do you feel” with the answer “fine.” You see, in the movie Donald Sutherland explains to Mark Wahlberg that “fine” is an acronym that stands for being:

freaked-out

insecure

neurotic

emotional

In weight loss it is so easy to get caught up in definitions of things. Heavy, light, good, bad…you know the standards. But today I want to tell you how fine “fine” really is, for you see “fine” can have at least three definitions but one of them is really O.K.

What brought all this up? Well, over the weekend I met a person who was pretty down about their weight. You could tell it in their demeanor and how they talked about themselves and others, and all I wanted to do was reach across the table and say how cool and groovy they were. I wanted to say how absolutely wonderful they were and not to be injured by the slings and arrows of others words and put-downs, especially their own. I wanted to say how the weight will be gone one day and that they were awesome no matter what their weight is and worth it enough to begin the journey.

What came out of my mouth was “you look fine.”

I reflected about that a bit yesterday because of “The Italian Job.” Believe me, I know what it’s like going through life feeling “F.I.N.E.” because I was heavier. I was always freaked out about things like my health, my escalating high blood pressure, arthritis, etc. I was always insecure because of how I knew I looked. Hell, I even made not one but two (TWO!) chairs buckle under my weight. It was awful. I was neurotic because I was always oversensitive going into situations, especially social ones, where I knew my size would work against me. Most of all, I was always emotional because being overweight always (ALWAYS) makes you emotional. I was always reminded how uncomfortable I was doing things (seats are small to begin with at a ballpark but damn, at 400 lbs they’re impossible). I was always angry and sad I was going down this road not knowing how to stop.  I was, in a word, “F.I.N.E.”

But, over these years of weight loss and maintenance I have come to realize that definition of “fine” is only one definition of fine. There are at least two more – one not-so-great and the other one awesome.

The not-so-great fine is the fine you get/feel when you think on the scale of 1-through-10 you are a 5. Nothing special. Just O.K. Like the old jokes go, never tell a spouse they look “fine.” I get it, I totally do, and I can understand how when you are “F.I.N.E.” hearing you look fine really can be a total bummer. But that’s only the not-so-great version of fine.

The fine I embrace is the fine that says I am just as good as everyone else. It is the fine that says I am doing well today. It is the fine that makes me feel worthy. It has no emotion behind it other than I am an equal and that feels good. In my weight loss journey I longed to be this kind of fine because this kind of fine represented me being just like other people and not defined by my size, food choices or breaking chairs. I “fit in,” literally and figuratively. I was seen as a person, a flesh-and-blood human regardless of weight and in those moments it was bliss to finally feel fine.

Being a writer I sometimes choose my words very carefully (sometimes I have the tact of a gladiator using a broad sword in an operating room) especially when speaking to someone I know is sensitive about weight. You sometimes have nanoseconds to choose the words you are going to say and when I say them they are as correct as I can make them at the time. So if you ever run into me and you are of-size, don’t worry if I tell you “you look fine” or “you are fine.” I know your pain, discomfort, awkwardness, emotions and longing. And when I say the word “fine” in reference to you take it not the way you think about it but the way it is truly and deeply intended…

…to let you know how cool you are, that you are just as awesome a human being as everyone else, thin or not, and that you are far, far more than the number on your scale. So sit down, chat a while and know, finally, that you really are (and have always been) one of the cool kids at the cool table.