Interesting Email

             

   I got this interesting email this morning and thought I would share it because it is so true.  It is from the founder of Femail Creations .

http://www.femailcreations.com/shopping/index.html

 

  Dear Femails,

The other day I was searching for a photo for a new picture frame I'd just bought. I sorted through dozens of snapshots—the ones I keep telling myself I will some day put in adorable scrapbooks—but for now they sit in shoe boxes.

As I poured over the pictures I had a few good laughs going down memory lane. The good times, the bad times, and the what-were-you-thinking outfits and haircuts.

Then I found the unthinkable—an old picture of me in a bikini! My husband had managed to snap a shot of me on the beach with my kids. I was instantly transported back to that day almost 15 years ago. I vividly remembered changing swimming suits three or four times that morning trying to find one that I could bring myself to wear.

As I thought back about the morning, and how self-conscious I felt about wearing a swimsuit, I felt really stupid. Because you know what—I didn't look half bad back then. And yet I wasted precious energy and time stressing out over my not perfect body. What an idiot!

Fifteen years later I would love to have that body back. That very same body I anguished over back then! It was a real ah-ha moment for me. Fifteen years from now I will most likely wish I had the body back that I have today.

The reality is even the women we think have perfect bodies aren't content. The other day I was telling my friend Paula about finding the picture and my light bulb moment. Paula is in better shape than anyone I know. She is a Pilates instructor with the rock hard body we would all love to have—and even she could relate!

We are all spending way too much time on if-only. If only I didn't have these stretch marks. If only I wasn't sagging here or there. If only I didn't have these love handles.

The moral of the story is... love the body you have RIGHT NOW.

Learning to accept ourselves just the way we are is one of the hardest things to do. And one of the most important.

Think of all the energy we waste worrying about wrinkles, saddle bags, cellulite, belly pouch and gray hair. Does it really matter? NO. Never was that more clear than when I stared at that photo from fifteen years ago and lamented over the time and energy lost worrying about nothing. I vowed right then and there to spend my time appreciating health and well being instead of berating myself over silly things like stretch marks.

Don't waste another minute of your precious time worrying about cellulite! That is what self-tanner is for. Ha!

Let's start today loving and accepting ourselves, lumps and all.

I challenge you to give yourself the gift of perspective. Go get out an old photo of yourself. Remember what you worried about back then... Not so bad, huh. So be gentler with the body you have today.

With swimsuit season just around the corner let's all try to love the body we are with instead of the one we wish we had.

You are beautiful just the way you are!

Dreaming Big,

Lisa Hammond
Founder of Femail Creations

    Don't you agree this is a good lesson. 

   

Meal planning

    We went to the store so I could get supper supplies.  I have decide I want Rick to grill some chicken.  I am marinating it right now in balsamic dressing.  I bought some squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoe, and mushrooms and will make veggie Kabobs.

    While sitting in the parking lot we were watching people going in and out of the store.  It was really shocking.  So many truly obese people these day.  250 to 300 and they were almost outnumbering the thin.  I hear it is an epidemic and I have to admit it is so common at least in this part of the country.  Is it more common in states that have long winters?  It wasn't long ago I was in that 250 range.  I will never go back there or even in the 200 range ever again.  I look in their carts and cases of pop, frozen foods, little Debbies, chips, dips you name it.  I look at my cart, bananas, peppers, tomatoes, squash, spinach, rye bread, fresh chicken, and my beloved Slim Fast for a quick meal.  My whole way of shopping has changed.

   This thinking about doing the bike ride has been great for my resolve.  I feel strong again about losing my added weight plus more as I know that will make the ride easier.  For lunch I am having a raspberry banana smoothie.  No sugar, just low fat yogurt, raspberries and a banana.  Tastes great.  I am bugging Rick about getting the bikes ready to go as I want to ride.  I am planning on going to Riverside twice from point to point.  That should get me my 20 miles.  No hills though.  I know I should do them but my legs are really cramping up.  Tomorrow though we are doing the gym plus maybe a short bike ride.

   Anyway thats the plans for the rest of the day.  I always feel good when I have the meal plan out of the way.

Bikes

  Deciding on a bike is a personal thing, what type of riding you do, the area you live in, your age and fitness level.   The first bike I rode was an autobike.  I bought it for my husband and he didn't care for it.  I started riding it because I was intimidated by all the gears and shifting on regular bikes.  The autobike shifts by itself.  I liked the autobike because it got me into riding.  It is heavy and more expensive then it needs to be though and I don't recommend it.  Shifting is easy when you get the hang of it.

    Also physical condition plays a role in picking out a bike.  I have alot of fused bones in my back.  Bending over a bike frame is painful and difficult.  I have carpel tunnel so the rounded handlebars aggrevated my condition.  I needed a comfortable bike or I wouldn't ride.  Thus the comfort bike I decided on.  Comfort bikes or Hybred bikes have larger seats, you sit upright, and handlebars are straight, and the tires are wider so you feel safer which was important to me since I ride on the streets in traffic at times.  I don't want to fall into a car.  Price was also important since I couldn't afford the type of money on a bike like my son spends.  The trek Navigator I bought, see link, http://journals.aol.com/midwestvintage/JulieLosesitMyWeightLossJourney/entries/1389  is perfect for me but I have seen simular bikes made by Eddie Fischer, Specialized, Cannondale plus others.Wheelworks_Bicycles_HYBRID and COMFORT 

    Another thing that stopped me from riding originally was I felt silly being a large woman on a bike.  Who was I kidding!  Now that my self image is better I don't give a hoot what anyone thinks.  When I am zooming along with the wind in my face and the birds singing, the smell of flowers in the air I feel like singing it is so much fun.  Of course the hills suck, but that will get better.  And I see all age groups and size groups on the trails.

   So Mary I guess the best thing to do is go to a bike shop and try on some bikes for fun or if your in a larger town rent on and see how you like it first. Make sure it is adjusted to fit you as that is very important for comfort.  The 2nd bike ride will be easier then the first and the 3rd easier then the 2nd.  In no time 10 miles will zip by and you'll be looking for longer and longer trails.  Then come to Iowa and do the Bike ride across Iowa with me.Welcome to RAGBRAI.org

Cloudy Weather

                                                 

              Well we planned on getting up early and riding again but that fell through.  We will go see his relatives off this morning and ride this evening if it isn't raining.  That should be fine since my son bought a new bike last night and wants to try it out.  We can't keep up with him but he can always double back to check up on the old folks.  

   I had charlie horses all night last night from the ride yesterday.  My left calf and my right thigh of all places.  I can't understand why I get so many when I eat so healthy these days.  I take vitamins also.  I didn't however take a banana.  Made for a restless night sleep though as every time I turned over the 2 legs spasmed up in unison and I would wake up and have to walk around.

    We had an interesting day yesterday showing the relatives around.  At the Lewis and Clark center we met a couple and their daughter, the Nunes, who are bicycling from Florida to Washington on a 3 person bike.  They are doing it to raise funds for China's orphans as their daughter is adopted from China.  What an amazing thing to do with a 6 year old and the bike was fantastic.  Check out their journal and bike."You can do anything": Introduction:   They were very nice people and it made the trip to the center much more interesting running across them and visiting.   Their daughter was shy and cute but did finally talked when we talked about Harry Potter.  Love the books.  The family looked fit and healthy.  MaybeI should do that.  Cross country trip on my biketo visit people in J-land and get skinny and fit.

    I always though doing something like that would be so great and have read every book about people walking or riding across the country I could find.  Always wished I had the courage and the money to take time off and do it.  The great thing about books is doing it in the 3rd person.

   Since we aren't riding until later I am going to have cereal for breakfast.  I ate at my MIL's last night so there wasn't anything diet except the salad dressing, but I kept my portion control under control and it wasn't bad.  I am extremely determined to get this gained weight off as it went straight to my waist and feels terrible there.  My smaller pants feel snug and they were getting loose.

   Looking outside it looks like it will rain any second.  If it does all day I guess I will just go to the gym.  Not as much fun as riding.  My lung doctor wants me to do water aerobics next week to see if the medicine is working.  That would be great if it does.  I miss those classes.  The inhaler worked great yesterday  for quick relief.  Took about a minute and I could take a deep breath again. 

    I still don't know why I have this all of a sudden after all these years.  I just keep thinking it will go away.  I wonder if it will but probably not.  What triggers you to become asthmatic after all this time, allergies developing?  Whatever it is I wish it would go away as I am not thrilled with having to take an inhaled steroid with my bone problems and edema problems.  I am trying to strengthen my bones, not make them worse.  As a nurse though I know how dangerous asthma can be left untreated as people die from it yearly.

Oof Da what a ride!

   OMG, I am in such terrible shape.  We did 16.9 miles, didn't make my goal  14.9 was just fine, no problems and a beautiful day.  Downhill or flat and the weather was in the high 60's when we left.  Last 2 miles all up hill and the weather was now in the 80's.  Made it up the first hill with difficulty, the 2nd small slope OK.  The 3rd hill had to stop and use my inhaler and wait until I could breath.  4th hill walked up half and then rode the rest of the way home.   SSSSOOOOO Glad to see the house.  The hills aren't even half as high as they will be on RAGBRAI.  I have to either give up now or ride everyday farther and farther and tackle more hills.  Boy do I feel fat and old right now I tell ya.

  Well, Just thought I would check in and let you know how the ride went.  Shower time.

    Well my shower is over and I am feeling better.  Yes I didn't make 20 miles but before this the furthest I had gone was 14 miles so we did increase it and it was the first time I went from the house and back.  It will get better.  Tomorrow will be better.  I need to get some cooler riding clothes though.

Good Morning

     '

 

           I got the neat graphic from XXXRoxiXXX.  Thanks Roxi!

It is 6 am and I am sitting here sipping my coffee and getting ready for a morning bike ride.  Since we have company in town I want to do the ride early so we can devote the rest of the day to them.  My goal is 20 miles today.  I plan on leaving from our house instead of taking the bikes somewhere to ride so we will have all the hills to go up on the way back.  Hope I can make it.  If I ride every day and add 10 miles more a day I should be ready by July for RAGBRAI. 

   I have always wanted to do RAGBRAI, but always felt in way to bad a shape to tackle it.  Since I have lost some weight and have been working out so much I think I can do it, at least some of it.  It has been my personal goal. I had planned on going next year but decided to maybe try this year.

    3 nurses from work are going also.  One of the nurse had gastric bypass surgery and has lost around 130 pounds.  She rode one day in RAGBRAI last year and plans on doing it this year for at least 2 days.

   My son did RAGBRAI 3 years ago.  It was one of the hilliest rides they ever had and the wind was so bad they had to pedal even downhill.  He rode the entire ride plus the bonus 100 miles.  When he got home his calf muscles were huge but he lost around 10 pounds off his skinny frame.  He told us how hard it was and all the horrible wind etc....  I said, Gee you'll never do that again and he said, oh yes, I loved it!  All age groups take the ride and all types of bikes.  I hope the trek will make it.

   For breakfast this morning I think just slim fast.  I don't want anything heavy on my stomach for the ride.  It is cool which will be a bonus.  So I will sign off now and see how it goes.  Who knows, this might be the last day I plan to do it if I can't get up the hills to get back home.

               Caution Old Lady Biking! 

Off Off Off work, Happy Happy Joy Jou

     Well now I start my long stretch off.  Joy Joy.   I slept from 8:30 until 12:30 because I had a Dr. appointment with my lung doctor today.  He says yes I still have asthma, I am having trouble believing it even though I have had wheezing for the past 2 days, and I am trying another cheaper inhaler called QVar.  It is still a steroid but he doesn't sound as it has as many problems as Advair. 

                          

                             

       About a hour after I took it I felt numb all over, even my tongue,  I called the pharmacy and they said that could happen and should get better once I get used to the med.  He also gave me Albuterol inhaler for quick relief.  I only need to take that as needed.  In 2 weeks I am suppose to try my water aerobics again and see it I have an attack.  Hopefully I won't and can start my classes again.

   Bad news.  I am up 4 pounds!  I will not put up with this so am really going to cut back for awhile.  We have decided to try RAGBRAI this year, Welcome to RAGBRAI.org   I don't think I will make the entire trip but one or 2 days would be great.  To do it I have to really start training on my bike.  We are going to start riding daily until we can easily do 40 to 60 miles a day even on hills.  It is in July so we will know by then if we are up to it.  Can a 51 year old lady who is more then 40 pounds overweight do this?  I think so.  I hope so!  Every year at least one person dies from a heart attack and a few get mowed over by cars.  It is a great way to see Iowa.

    Well, it is time for me to go to bed.  Rick has relatives in town so we have a busy day tomorrow.  I want to get up early and do a bike ride before we all get together.  Night all.