A Dose of Health

In 2006 I had my first confrontation with hot flashes. At first I didn’t know what the heck was going on. It couldn’t have been hot flashes, I was way too young (or so I thought).

After coming to the shocking realization that I was actually having hot flashes, I started doing some research on how to fight the dreaded condition. My research brought me to the wonderful green drink Green Vibrance. For the past 10 years Green Vibrance and I have been enjoying an on again off again relationship. It’s on when I remember to drink it and off when I forget.

All it takes is a couple of hot flashes to remind me that I’ve not taken my Green Vibrance in the past week or so.

Hot Flash Round 2

Now, years later, I’ve gotten very lax in a number of areas in my life. Not only have I been forgetting to drink my Green Vibrance, I’ve taken to eating really, really bad foods. I noticed that more and more processed foods have crept into my diet; a little pasta here, a slice of cake there.

In addition to my dietary slip ups, I’ve been spending too much time in front of the computer and not getting any exercise. Although I still fit in my clothes, I usually have to slather a generous portion of lotions and oils in order to slide into them. Apparel with buttons and zippers are a thing of the past, everything has elastic waists and pull over tops (no sense in inadvertently injuring someone with a high velocity button flying off of my shirt).

To top it all off, I felt horrible. For the first time in my life I looked at my hubby and said, “I feel old.” My knees hurt, my back hurt, I felt out of shape and just plain bad (probably because I hadn’t been to the chiropractor in months).

Breeding Ground for Flashes

My decline into ill health is all those pesky little hot flashes needed to grab a hold of me again. One night when I least suspected it, I was rudely awakened. I thought the thermostat for the furnace was malfunctioning. I was awakened by intense heat only to realize that it was my internal furnace that was in overdrive. Of course, to compensate for the extreme heat, my body let the floodgates of sweat flow. I was hot and drenched! Not a pretty sight.

After enduring these beastly hot flashes every hour on the hour for a day or so I realized that I had to take control again. It’s now 10 years later, I’m in the worst shape of my life. To top it off, I’ve got to find the strength to put up a good fight if I want to beat these hot flashes.

Strategy for Fighting Hot Flashes

Immediately, I went to the health store and purchased my beloved Green Vibrance. I started taking it twice a day instead of the recommended one time a day.

Expecting to feel the results in the usual 4 to 5 days, imagine my surprise when all I did was reduce the frequency (and the intensity), but they didn’t stop.

Round 2:

Now I had to up the ante. I cut out the processed stuff. If the food was not grown from the ground or if it didn’t have a Mom and Dad, then I wasn’t eating it. I know for a fact that a Twinkie doesn’t have a Mom or a Dad and sure as shootin’ wasn’t grown from the ground.

I was back to eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken. It’s amazing how within the first week of modifying my diet, I lost a few pounds. Losing the initial weight is just what I needed to make my knees stop hurting. I think they were angry because they had additional weight to carry.

Round 3

With my knees no longer angry, I was able to begin an exercise program; nothing too strenuous (at first), just walking a few miles a day. The winter storms did much to create a homemade gym. Between cutting tree branches, raking and cleaning up the debris, I was getting a very productive workout.

Turning Down the Thermostat

By making the above changes, I’ve noticed a drastic decrease in my hot flashes. As a matter of fact, its only 3 weeks into my dietary/exercise changes and the flashes have not only reduced in frequency (maybe one a day), but the intensity has also decreased. No longer do I get those warning tingles before the furnace dials itself to the max.

At this point in the game, the hot flashes are infrequent and mild. I’m sticking with my program until they’re totally gone (and I know they will be gone). After all, I went several years without having to suffer with them, why start now.

Hot flashes, when you stop to think of it, are really my friend. They’re my not so subtle reminder that it’s time to get back into health.

This is really a rhetorical question. Gyms are a great place to workout, socialize, get motivated, increase physical fitness and, if you’re not careful waste a ton of money.

I’ve probably done all of the above when it comes to joining a gym. I get suckered in by all of the great equipment, the fun aerobic classes, the Olympic sized swimming pool and the loud pulsating music of the spinning classes. I’m all gung ho for a few weeks, even a month and a half and then something happens. Whether it’s a cold/flue, an injury, an out of state wedding, vacation or a child’s stubbed toe, something always happens and I stop going. Once I stop, it’s hard to get back into the rhythm again.

Unfortunately, the monthly membership fee doesn’t stop when I do. Each month I look at the monthly fee vowing to return to the gym and I never do.

Gym Precursor

I think I’ve finally found the solution to the wasted gym membership. The answer is a gym precursor. A gym precursor is all about engaging in a fun activity that requires some sort of physical movement. For example, join a learn to roller blade class or take a belly dancing class. In my case it’s a learn to row class.

By doing something you truly love to do, you’ll take the time to develop the muscles and gain the flexibility necessary to become proficient at the activity. Personally, I find that rowing requires endurance, so as a result of rowing, I started running again on my non rowing days. I don’t like running, but if it makes me a better rower, so be it.

My Gym Epiphany

My mistake, I now realize, when it comes to gym membership is that the gym is not my be all and end all. When I thought about physical fitness and getting in shape I thought of spending time at the gym whipping my body into shape. Instead, I now understand that the gym is a necessary means to an end. It helps me to be better at what I’m passionate about.

I now think of going to the gym and using the necessary equipment as a means to improve my rowing. Let’s face it football players play football but utilize the gym to become better football players. The same goes for swimmers, dancers, ice skaters, baseball players and so on.

Back to the Beginning

Are gyms really necessary? No, they’re not absolutely necessary. However, their equipment sure comes in handy when it comes to developing the necessary skills to perform well at a particular sport.

I don’t understand why the idea of eating whatever you want and still lose weight is such a hard one for us to understand. It’s basic science. If we burn off more calories than se take in, then we’ll lose weight. If we want to eat a lot, then we have to burn a lot. It’s really simple.

Don’t take my word for it. Check out Michael Phelps.  He has to consume 8,000 to 10,000 calories a day:

Fuel for Phelps –

Improper Focus

We tend to focus on the wrong part of the weight loss equation. When faced with losing weight most people begin by cutting back food intake or eliminating certain food groups entirely. If we would only increase our activity level, we wouldn’t have to make such severe dietary changes.

The Choice is Yours

I can hear complaints already about how hard it is to exercise and how you don’t have the time to exercise. All I can say is that if you really want to lose weight and eat whatever you want, you have to move a lot. The choice is yours.