Am I Crazy To Begin A Weight Loss Program Over The Holidays?

The “W” word. The one word my husband is never allowed to mention to me. Not only because he’s been the same weight for his entire adult life, but also because he knows nothing about weight gain or the need to diet. I think if he ever tells me I’m overweight I might be forced to begin divorce proceedings.

I, on the other hand, have struggled with weight issues my whole adult life. I’ve gone up and down and all around the scale.

I clearly remember my first job in Manhattan when I competed daily in a fierce battle (think “The Devil Wears Prada”) with other young women vying to be noticed by executives. We all starved ourselves to stay as thin as we could.

Vacationing in Acapulco the year I began working in Manhattan, 1981.

Madison Avenue is a jungle.

After perimenopause, I lost control over pounds creeping up on me, and what gravity did with them after their invasion.

It’s such an ugly process.

But after reading my friend Lois Alter Mark’s blog, Midlife at the Oasis, and learning about her success story on the Jenny Craig program, I decided I’d try to take weight matters into my own hands by signing up with Jenny.

It was an Aha moment.

After all, Jenny Craig was the one weight loss program I haven’t tried, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.

I scheduled my first appointment, and before that day arrived I received not one but two phone calls from a Jenny employee. They wanted to offer me words of encouragement.

I was thankful but, admittedly, a little nervous.

My Jenny Craig Manager, Jennifer, greeted me with a big smile. She was encouraging and lovely.

When I first walked through their door they made me feel like a rock star. Four smiling faces greeted me, including Jennifer, the lovely Manager. She gave me a tour of the place and introduced me to my personal consultant.

After taking my (agh!) measurements and then (ugh!) stepping onto the scale, I sat down with my consultant to discuss the entire Jenny Craig program. I learned about their wide variety of health conscious food choices, the fruits, vegetables, heart healthy fats and reduced-fat dairy I would be adding to my meal plan, and the importance of scheduling in some daily exercise.

I talked about my love-hate relationship with food and weight, and she listened intently as I discussed my goals and anxieties about success with weight loss.

This is only a small portion of my weekly Jenny menu. Honestly, I haven't felt hungry yet!

When we finished our discussion, we decided on my meal plan for the week. They were more than happy to substitute meals when necessary (I don’t eat beef), and offered suggestions on how to stay on track while attending various holiday events.

Could I have picked a more difficult time to begin a new weight loss program? Probably not. But I had to start sometime, and I’d rather jump in now rather than gaining five more pounds by the time New Year’s Day rolls around.

So I’m off to a fresh start, with the help of Jenny Craig. I’ve already enjoyed my first days of delicious Jenny entrees, and feel good I’m taking some time to do something positive and healthy for myself.

I’ll keep you posted on how I’m doing. Wish me luck!

*I received a free month on the Jenny Craig program and food products. There was no compensation. All opinions are solely my own. NOTE: Members following the Jenny Craig program lose, on average, 1 -2 lbs. per week.

Healthy Living: How A Movie And A Juicer Started My Journey

"I'm up in the spotlight, oh does it feel right
The altitude seems to really get to me.
I'm up on the tightwire linked by life and the funeral pyre
Putting on a show for you to see." ~Leon Russell

The life of a blogger is a bit like walking a tightrope. You can choose to balance your steps toward safety, or you can take a leap of faith and blindly jump off the rope while praying you land safely.

I’ve decided to throw caution to the wind by jumping off the rope. I hope I land safely on my feet after writing about the one subject I never discuss: my weight.

I’ve never been thin or obese, yet I’ve never been comfortable with the way I look, whether I weighed 125 or 175 pounds. It's a matter of my perception; how I view myself and not necessarily how others view me.

I'm not looking to be on the cover of MORE magazine. I don't need to look like Christie Brinkley or Marisa Tomei. I'm enjoying the new career I've cultivated during the Second Chapter of my life. I simply want to be comfortable with how I look and feel.

I’ve always had a hate-hate relationship with dieting. I love all kinds of food; dieting has always meant the need to cut back on the love.

"The biggest seller is cookbooks and the second is diet books—how not to eat what you've just learned how to cook." ~Andy Rooney

Today I’m not looking for a diet. I’m looking for a new way of life.

My family’s genetics scares the hell out of me. That fear is the driving force behind waging an all-out war against gaining weight. It’s an uphill battle, and I’m determined to win the war.

Today I stand before you at 54 years old, going through menopause and living with Multiple Sclerosis. These two factors are enormous obstacles in my quest for better health.

"When we lose twenty pounds..we may be losing the twenty best pounds we have! We may be losing the pounds that contain our genius, our humanity, our love and honesty." ~Woody Allen

Recently, a Facebook friend told me to watch “”Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”, a documentary chronicling the life of Joe Cross, a 310 pound man on a mission to get healthy. We follow his journey across America, with his juicer and camera in tow, drinking only fruits and vegetables for 60 days. His hope was to lose weight while allowing his body to heal itself from a diagnosed autoimmune disease.

I highly recommend this movie. It’s educational and uplifting.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Photo: www.drfuhrman.com

After watching the documentary I ordered the same Breville juicer Joe used. I then took a hard look at myself by asking, “Do I want to continue sailing through life not liking the way I look and feel?"

I decided to face my fear head-on by broaching my taboo subject during dinner. Out of nowhere I proclaimed, “I want to get healthier and lose weight.” I thought my husband and son would fall off of their chairs. I braced myself and waited for it. Nothing happened, except total silence.

Photo:www.comicbookmovie.com

What did happen was what I should have expected.

My husband quietly asked, “How can I help you?”

We spent time talking about healthy eating, exercises I enjoy doing and where could we buy organic fruits and vegetables in bulk. We already follow a healthy diet at home (much like Dr. Andrew Weil’s book “Eating Well for Optimal Health”), yet I need to create my own eating plan (a/k/a portion control) according to my personal goals.

Photo:www.xpter.infoI

I reached out to a Facebook friend, Amanda, who I knew possessed a wealth of knowledge on healthy living. She was so inspirational (and profound) that I’d like to share her wisdom with you:

“Find things you really love to do, and just do them. Don't feel you have to do "such and such" to be fit. If you love to take walks, take walks, but don't get stuck thinking just because you can't do other things, it's useless. I think the main thing is to feel good about whatever you can do.

Then there's food. That is something you can control. So eat healthy. Consider yourself like an expensive car that only takes the best gas. Remember to tell yourself how great you are. Imagine you are an Olympic superstar, and tell yourself you can do anything. You can do anything. You can do anything.

You have to say it, read it, actually see the words. "I can do this. I can do this."

Powerful words.

I’m ready to take the next step toward creating a healthier lifestyle, while facing my personal weight demons. Like all of you, I want to live a life of quality in my fifties, sixties and many years beyond that.

Today really IS the first day of the rest of my life. Wish me luck!

I will close by offering you the advice of Dr. Christiane Northrup from her book “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”:

“Nourishing yourself fully also involves understanding that your body’s metabolic processes are profoundly influenced by the following eight factors:

Emotional state
Genetic heritage
Cultural and family heritage
Macronutrient intake (proteins, fats, carbohydrates)
Micronutrient intake (vitamins and minerals)
Environment and relationships
Exercise habits
Food chi

Nourishing yourself optimally means paying attention to each of these areas.”

What healthy habits do you follow to feel and look good?

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DISCLAIMER: Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained and my posts are of a journalistic nature and not in lieu of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from the use of this blog or any data or links provided.

Spring Has Sprung: Time To Get Back To Healthy Living

"After thirty, a body has a mind of its own." ~Bette Midler

Spring is here. Looking outside my window, I see snow on the ground, a gray sky, and the leaves of our rhododendrons tightly closed. I can say spring has not yet arrived in the Northeast.

I feel relieved. Why? The colder temperature gives me more time. Warmer weather would mean packing up sweaters and heavy coats. It also means uncovering arms and legs without the benefit of long, woolly, layered outfits. No more turtlenecks to hide any turkey twaddle, and no more long sleeves to cover any jiggle.

In other words, the forty-degree temperature allows me more time to get into shape.

With each passing year, losing weight and getting into shape gets harder and harder. I have a chronic illness that makes playing sports impossible, and menopause has reared its ugly head by redesigning my body to look like a cubist painting by Picasso.

I also curse Isaac Newton for introducing the world to the concept of gravity.

Why, oh why, couldn’t I have been born with the genes of Christie Brinkley? But, alas, even she works out like a good little soldier. Take a look at her Infomercials with Chuck Norris. Seeing those two boomers dressed in clingy workout clothes makes you want to jump off the couch to order a Total Gym.

We all need to maintain a good weight and a healthy lifestyle. Some of us must find an eating program that best suits our needs. What program will help us lose weight and feel better by the summer? My head is spinning with information about new cleanses and detox programs, all claiming to help us regain control over our bodies.

Thirty years ago, the decision was more straightforward. There were only a few popular diet programs to choose from. Weight Watchers, The Scarsdale Diet, The Stillman Diet, The Atkins Diet, or The Ayds Diet were the go-to programs.

"After trying Atkins and doing Nutrisystem a few times, now I'm just focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle rather than dieting." ~Miranda Lambert

Today consumers have become wiser about diet and exercise. We’ve learned that eating too many carbohydrates and consuming too much fat and sodium may lead to obesity, high blood pressure, or heart disease. We need to stay away from hydrogenated and trans fat oils, and too much sugar may lead to a whole host of diseases.

I’ve cut out white flour and sugar from my diet. I don’t eat red meat and have oily fish at least three times a week. I use olive and grapeseed oils, and I use them sparingly. I eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Dairy products are limited to low-fat yogurt, soymilk, and soy creamer. Sweets are consumed only on special occasions, and I drink water, coffee, or tea.

So why are these pounds creeping up on me?

The culprit might be I’m not getting enough exercise. Dieting alone is not enough to lose weight. Exercise helps to control our weight by using excess calories that would be stored as fat, as well as boosting our metabolism and lowering insulin levels. As for menopause, the American Council on Exercise states, “The good news is that a regular physical activity program can help manage many of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.”

Making better food choices and exercising more often is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves in our Second Chapter. This positive step will sustain us for the rest of our lives.

"I want to get old gracefully. I want to have good posture; I want to be healthy and be an example to my children." ~Sting

I recently had lunch with a new friend I met through my fabulous blogging group. Her website, The Recipe Renovator, illustrates her love of food, taking everyday recipes and turning them into healthy ones. Take a moment to check out Stephanie Weaver’s fascinating website.

She also introduced me to the “Hungry for Change” website, which looks at the relationship between food, health, and emotional well-being. I watched one of their videos and signed up for their “free take action videos and detox recipes and live Q&A” offer. The first video included Dr. Christiane Northrup, a proponent of women’s health and wellness (I’ve read several of her books). It opened my eyes to a new way of looking at eating.

Do you need the benefit of a structured diet program? Has menopause and/or physical issues affected your ability to lose weight and get into better shape? Please share your stories. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

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Feel free to share this post with others. Click the REPLY button to leave a COMMENT. SUBSCRIBE by clicking on the SUBSCRIBE button.

DISCLAIMER: Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained, and my posts are journalistic and not instead of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from using this blog or any data or links provided.

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