health

Wednesday Wonders… 5 Ways We Are Changing For The Better From The Coronavirus…

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My past few posts have been a bit depressing so I thought for this one I’d write about the ways I am seeing the world change for the better, due to the pandemic at hand.

Sure, we could argue till we’re blue in the face about how this all started, how governments are responding, how people are acting, but seriously, what good would arguing do?

“Love is saying ‘I feel differently’ instead of ‘You’re wrong.’” – Unknown

And as someone who loves difference of opinions because it’s the best way to learn, I am going to ignore that noise and focus instead on some good things I’ve noticed come out of the #coronavirus and well, that’s something to shine a spotlight on, isn’t it?

5 Ways we are changing for the better

We’re so damn clean.
Anyone else notice how sanitized people and things are getting? I mean, how can that be a bad thing? Hand washing and covering your mouth when you sneeze and not breathing on top of people… all wonderful traits that are getting instilled in people as they become routine.

The pause leads to thought.
In a weird way, the world is pausing. The wheels have largely stopped and because of that, what was once the norm is now anything but. We’ve been forced to find a new norm with stay-at-home orders and loss of employment among other things. But with these new limitations, we are led right to an important aspect of our life. Our HOME. If it’s your temple, you’ll take comfort in your design. But if on the flip side, you don’t like what you find, well… isn’t that in itself a gift because now, you see it as it is and can do something about it? When one is busy, it’s way too easy to ignore important things.

We’re learning what’s essential.
By definition, essential means what is absolutely necessary. And we are learning what that is! In a world filled of an abundance of distraction, eye candy and material goods, this lesson is not one to be taken for granted. It’s a gift to be able to stop, see what one really needs, and then progress from there to form a healthier state of being. And isn’t it interesting to find out what you do really need, when all bling and glitz and distraction is removed?

Gaining awareness of what teacher’s do and how grossly underpaid they are.
Full disclosure, I have no children by choice. But I am seeing those who do have children, are getting a big taste of what teachers actually do and how incredibly challenging it is to teach children. Perhaps now people will think about where state money should go (not with words, but with actual action and legislation) as the importance of this position has been elevated and revealed for all to witness. Education does not have pharmaceutical lobbyists but imagine if it did….

Letting nature breathe.
Sadly, it had to be forced upon us by a global virus, but a ray of light through this storm is the fact nature has been allowed to do as she would without our massive intervention. The environment is not infinite, despite what the 1980s/90s thought. And allowing it a chance to reset, enjoy itself without our intrusion and just breathe a sigh of relief to be allowed to do so, is perhaps the very best gift this pandemic has given us. Has given the world. And well, that’s pretty damn good.

What positive observations have you observed? #coronavirus

 

Sunday Meditations… We have an opportunity here… #coronavirus

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First off, thank you to those who are working their assess off so the rest of us can remain healthy and safe. YOU – those in healthcare, emergency services, grocery and delivery – ARE the REAL HEROES in this scenario – not the government. THANK YOU SO MUCH

That said, I’ve been thinking about the opportunity that we as individuals, citizens of all nations, have been given because of this virus.

Yes, the virus is killing people but….

it’s allowed the world to breath.

THE WORLD.

Do you understand what that means? Because I can barely grasp the significance myself at first thought…

Animals are returning to their natural habit… smog is clearing and here in Los Angeles, it’s downright gorgeous (that’s where I live.. tell me about where you live please!) Dolphins are abundant here, before yes, but now so are whales, right by our pacific coastline.

And then priorities… how have they shifted? Family and loved ones are the top while careers are put on pause. It makes you think about how you spent your time before…

What will happen when the virus is vaccinated and people try to live on? The world will be different from here on out, no matter who or what you believe, but what’s important is how different YOU are when this is over… at least, that’s what I’m thinking for myself.

Because I’ve changed.

Already.

Have you?

And despite the understandable financial struggle, I’ve watched nature live without much interference by man and that has paid me plentiful.

And now, I wonder…

Can we can rise from this, better than ever before, knowing now what’s truly important….

Things or People?

Truth or Money?

#coronavirus #thechoiceisours

Tuesday Thinking… Where We Are At #Coronavirus

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I’ve been thinking a lot about where the world is at. Face masks. Self-Isolation. Quarantine. (there is a difference!) Social Distancing. Non-essential businesses closing to stop the spread. The spread of something that started with an animal in China. And what do we learn? So little… And what comes… the typical bashing of Trump (ignoring what Congress is doing,) being angry at China and going to the extremes based on emotion rather than logic.

Perhaps this will be controversial to say but someone has to say it:

The government is the problem.

Yes, it’s easy to say Trump should have done this, China should have done that… but if you study the past fifty or so years, the timeline builds to this. Capitalism never having a chance with corporate welfare and insane backhanded deals. Congress making loads off the people, not only through their insider knowledge (which they declared was okay to have… of course they did!) but with making sure their lobbyists and those with money were set BEFORE the people.

This is simply a consequence revealing itself in times of distress… Remember what happened when the banks/stock market screwed themselves? The government to the rescue! Man… it could have gone such another way in America.

Sigh.

But… I do believe the virus is targeting those who allowed this… think about it. Children are barely affected…. THANK GOD, BUDDHA, ALLAH, etc….

I know this is a time of pandemic. But one has to ask… if we truly had a government of the people, by the people, would we have come to this? And why is the wealth so concentrated among BIG BUSINESS and GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS? Will it take this devastation to return to our constitution…? To a government meant for the people, not the elites who declared themselves so?

And if that is the case, could that be the silver lining in all of this?

 

11 Things I Discovered While Staying Home #coronavirus

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It’s been weeks since we’ve all begun to “social distance” ourselves from one another and opt to stay home except for the bare necessities. And then came the orders to do so… FYI I’m in Los Angeles, one of the worst hit but we’re doing okay, relatively speaking, as we shut everything down early on…

During this time of being homebound, I’ve made some discoveries that I’m thinking I might not have, if this virus never came about…

Inspired by John Krasinski’s Some Good News, I thought I’d pass them on, not only to share but to commiserate and laugh as a whole. I’ll be ignoring the basics, like how fast a bottle of hand sanitizer can go or the fact toilet paper is a hotter commodity than food, and sticking with more, let’s say, odd ones…

11 Things I Discovered While Staying Home #coronavirus

1. There is in fact a limit on how much I can sleep a night when given the freedom of zero alarms – eleven hours!

2. Showers can become such little priority that, well, I won’t even write how long I went without noticing I hadn’t taken one… (hint: how many sides to a square?)

3. I love the hell out of my husband. He’s my best friend who makes me laugh from the gut. Now, I know. This should have been a given, not something I am just now discovering, BUT as someone who loves, loves, loves alone time, this could have gone two ways when forced to be together nearly 24 hours.

4. It pains me to say this but reality tv is insanely awesome to binge on. I can not get enough of Married At First Sight. 

5. I miss my job. Truly. And again, this could have gone one of two ways….

6. My OCD (yeah, I’ll admit, I’m clinically diagnosed) has finally served me well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of this COVID protection shit, I’ve been doing for years…

7. The Couch. All hail the Couch.

8. I’m a pack rat in the oddest sense. I throw most things out but adore hoarding free samples, receipts from every damn thing I’ve ever purchased over $50 dollars and office supplies. Clean out your stuff and trust me, you’ll learn a thing or two about yourself…

9. There is a BIG difference in having kids and not having kids. HUGE. MONUMENTAL.

10. Bad habits can be more dangerous than this flippin’ Covid-19.  B.E.W.A.R.E.

11. Nature always wins. So, why do we keep betting against it?

Monday Moments – Coronavirus

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This will be one of my free flowing posts – for those who are new to my blog, I sometimes write in stream of consciousness – as I attempt to capture what the heck is going on….

It started as a virus China was struggling to contain. soon though, it spread like a racehorse around the globe, catching many by surprise. toilet paper seemed to be the hot commodity for some unknown reason. shouldn’t it be food? schools began to close, jobs were lost (i was one of them.) warnings abound. social media blew up. why does everyone think they are experts when it’s clear they haven’t even researched what they’re arguing? this event gives an excuse to release anger. that is what scares me the most, more than getting this virus. we can battle back and forth about what should or shouldn’t be done but what good will that do unless you are in a position to do something? is anyone else thinking this is a wash and rinse cycle happening on a global scale? maybe mother nature saying a big F U to humanity. i mean, look at what we’ve done to her… is this payback? and if so, don’t we deserve it on some level? that said, i fear for the elder generations… their weak systems, yes, but more the way they are being treated. why must youth be so revered when it lacks in perspective and too often, wisdom and strength? being home isn’t so bad. it’s quite lovely when you love the one you’re with. i can’t imagine if you don’t. divorce will likely be a result… speaking of results, what will this world look like when we come out of this? that is THE question. to guess, many places will not reopen. unemployment will skyrocket and the government will provide handouts, sending us into TRILLIONS of debt. and that will be the next big F U… it isn’t sustainable. oh the humanity

 

Gym Observations

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Hi All!

Been a hot minute since I wrote about my weight loss journey. Still rocking the gym five to six days a week and though I am all about pizza and bread and wine still, I have employed moderation to maintain my weight, though still want to shed ten more pounds… (Don’t we all?)

Anywho, as someone who now goes to the gym more than she ever thought she would, I have a few observations about gyms and gym etiquette that I would love to share with my readers, so here goes!

7 Observations From A Gym-Goer

1. Sweat, while a natural body activity, is really disgusting when it’s left on shared equipment. Rule #1 – wipe up your sweat! Though most do, there are those who don’t and they give us germaphobes a run for our money.

2. Mirrors are helpful and hurtful. Yes, they help you eye your form and movement but damn if they are not a constant reminder of where you are versus where you want to be. So, I’ve begun to change the way I think of them to use them as motivation rather than a source of depression.

3. After making a gym visit part of my morning routine, it’s become more enjoyable. At first, I would go whenever I fit it in but I noticed that if I didn’t go before noon, chances were I wasn’t going to that day. For me, the gym is something I like, but not loved, and it takes a lot of energy, which I have most of in the morning. My husband, on the other hand, likes to go at the end of his day. It works for him. Point being, once you figure out what works best for you, the gym is less a nuisance in your day and more a part of it, at least from my experience.

4. I can take the grunters. I can take the full faces of makeup and perfume smells. I can even take the machine hoggers. But what I can’t stay quiet about are the gym-goers who watch stuff on their phones with the volume up. Come on! Of course, we all want to do it, but have some respect and either use ear plugs or simply don’t do it. No one should be forced to listen to your news program or children’s videos or the latest episode of the Kardashians (for the love of all that’s holy!)

5. Machines under the air conditioner are coveted and rightly so. They are the gems, at least for me whose body runs at 100 degrees at all times, and once you figure where these machines are, they will be the best thing to get you to stay at the gym and not leave mid-workout. Well, that and discipline, of course ;)

6. Women can be just as strong as men. I get that genetically, males and females have differences making it perhaps easier for men to gain strength, but let no one tell you men are inherently stronger. Just walk into a gym and you will see that is definitely not the case.

7. I am typically the only one wearing flip flops. I know it’s more dangerous but I don’t use free weights so is it really? the crew at my gym let me slide and I feel more comfortable. (For those who don’t know, I wear flip flops 365 days out of the year, whenever and wherever I possibly can. I even bought a “fancy” pair…)

Do you have any of your own gym observations? Please share!

And stay tuned, the holidays are approaching and I’m going to try to do the impossible – continue to lose weight and be healthy…

 

 

 

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 16

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Why oh why do I have to like bread so much? Question of MY LIFE.

So…. to catch up, my weight loss journey is moving along, I’ll be it, slowly. Being busy is one of the best ways to organically lose weight, in the sense that it happens naturally, but it’s also one of the best ways to indulge in bad habits. At least, this is what I’ve found to be the case.

I got down to the 130s when I did some traveling last month – Yay! – but my love of bread and wine is keeping it steady in the higher part of the 130s. Still, I’m happy to report I’ve lost well over ten pounds since I began my weightloss journey toward a healthy way of living and my body has changed from soft to toned, though I still have work to do.

I will get back to the 120s, which I hope to then maintain, but damn if it isn’t a tough road, especially when you’re myself and will not cut out carbs and sugars and alcohol, haha.

I want to be happy, yet healthy.

An example of what I mean by this is allowing myself treats but paying attention to the ingredients. Rather than opting for something with high fructose syrup (ugh, can’t we just get rid of that shit) I’ll select a sweet made with simple, natural ingredients. Like strawberries and a few dashes of simple syrup I made myself or slices of cheese instead of chips.

Anywho, thanks again for coming along. I genuinely feel better since I’ve begun working out (still going strong 5-6 days a week!) and I love the strength I feel. Also, clothes have never felt looser and people have begun to notice and I’ll admit, both put a smile on my face as affirmation that I’m successful because, let me tell you,  I’m working damn hard at it.

 

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 15

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hey all! I am due for a scale check but I’ve decided to forgo it at this point for several reasons…

The main one being I don’t want to lose focus on the progress I’ve made by paying attention to a number.

Right now, my life is moving fast. My insanely amazing readers are handing in their notes on my book – these are people who care so much about me they’ve taken time out of their life (we’re talking parents, full time jobs) to read my book and offer constructive criticism before I submit to agents – so I am really busy working a day job as I prep for my book published, all the while trying to get my body back in shape.

Point being – I need to stay focused.

Here’s the thing. I eat sandwiches a lot (LOVE THEM in fact) and I’m Italian so pasta and bread are just part of my weekly routine and I am not going to budge on that. I love wine (though i’ve cut back, yay!) and I will pretty much need chocolate when it’s my time of the month if you don’t want me to bite your arm off.

See, I want to be able to eat these things and while I understand I need to do so in moderation, I will never be the person who has a slice of pizza once a month. No. That’s just not acceptable to me.

So… I’ve learned I need to work hard (I go to the gym 5-6 times a week, no shit, ask Don!) to be able to incorporate carbs into my diet on the regular, with moderation of course.

Now, you may be wondering… why no scale?

I am finally feeling the effects of working hard to get my body in shape that I don’t want to disturb my momentum.

My husband telling me the soft is gone and the tone is back means more than a number. The strength I feel when lifting a heavy box means more than a number. Pants fitting looser means more than a number.

And the way I feel about myself…

Yeah. That means a hell of a lot more than a number.

See, I was one of those people who weighed a solid 104 pounds till I was 33 and I ate whatever I wanted, with no concern for freshness, processed-ness and/or chemicals.

I was thin but unhealthy.

Then, I became overweight and unhealthy.

I’ve now realized neither are ideal.

So, what is?

Feeling good in my skin, happy with what I see in the mirror (not anyone else) and a healthy body.

The number on the scale doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t at the end of the day.

I will let you know if I’m back in the 130s next time I write but for now, I’m going to take pride in the fact that I shed unnecessary fat by working hard on my body and when I look in the mirror, I smile.

That’s the important part.

I smile.

As always, thanks for joining me!

 

 

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 14

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Hi All!

I appreciate everyone who has kept me going by asking me about my health journey and keeping me accountable! I will now start to blog more as I seek an agent for my book  :)

But here’s where I’m at.

I’m averaging weight-loss of about one pound of week. Sigh.

It’s beyond frustrating BUT what Don, my ex-fitness trainer husband has told me – my body is transforming the fat it’s stored into muscles as I work out and exercise. So, I’ve been staying off the scale for now so I don’t get overly discouraged. I could boost things up by dropping all carbs, alcohol, etc… but no, I’m not at that point right now. I just need a little patience, moderation and healthier choices when it comes to my diet and not expect anything overnight. I am shedding weight and I have never felt stronger in my life. My thighs are tightening every day and when I sit, they no longer want to spread out!

But for now, I’ve been staying off the scale, but I am due for a weigh in next week and will keep you posted – good or bad!

Something I’ve noticed, however, that I want to write about today is the extra time it takes to prep my food. Drive thrus are a thing of my past (except for El Pollo Loco) and that leaves me little options when I leave work at 11pm.

But, it’s all about planning.

I have learned to make a bunch of chicken wings at the start of the week to bring with me to work to snack on before, during and after. Also, I keep them on hand for a quick protein boost. I’ve learned to cut up veggies so I can grab and go, leaving me no excuse not to have them rather than having a bag a of chips or even a high calorie protein bar. I’ve learned limiting wine is not only smart for losing weight but also for boosting my energy. I’ve learned my skin likes less carbs and my tummy appreciates green things that come from the earth. I’ve rediscovered my love for artichokes, Chinese broccoli, mushrooms and shredded lettuce. And I forgot how much I love steak salads and dill greek yogurt dressing. Also, I’ve fully embraced my love for chickpea flour and have substituted it whenever a recipe calls for flour of any kind. Sour cream has been replaced by greek yogurt and nuts are a better snack than processed crap, so I keep those on hand for when I feel snacky…

Do you have any healthy eating tips to share? I’d love to know!! Meal prep is half my battle of being healthy and losing weight.

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 13

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Phew! Okay… I need to get real.

First, I am back down to 140 after my crazy holiday weight period of 147.

But I need to tell you, my dear readers, that I have a new reason for my decrease in weight.

A couple weeks back, I had my yearly physical and my doctor informed me my blood-work showed I was a bit high in cholesterol and rather high in my glucose. She instructed me to make changes so as not to become diabetic in future years.

My doctor advised losing weight.

While I am on the low side of these numbers, it was still quite an eye-opening experience.

With age comes wisdom (hopefully) but also comes body decay (hopefully as little as possible.) We are mortal. Period.

However…

We continually grow in knowledge and power to guide our bodies and minds into living much longer than any generation before us.

It takes work though, if you want those years to be healthy ones.

Now, before I detail what I’ve done over the past two weeks to lose seven pounds safely, I want to address those who think talk of weight-loss is somehow body shaming, as though losing weight is a bad thing, as I’ve seen this idea take shape on social media lately…

I get that there are very real weight disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, but with those aside, I fail to understand how losing weight equals shaming other’s bodies?

Yes, the media likes to show an unhealthy version of beauty, but go after them, not your proud friend who just lost twenty pounds and showed off their pride on a social media page.

Look, if you’re overweight and as healthy as can be, more power to you, but one’s body weight typically has to do with one’s health and becoming healthier is something to celebrate. And then on the more superficial side, if you’re happy with how your body looks, more power to you – but this goes for both weight loss and weight gain. It’s not a one-way street for those who cry #bodyshaming. If one wants to lose weight to feel and look better, according to their own standards, how is that any different than those proud of their extra weight and beautiful look?

Can’t we all agree it’s about health and being comfortable in our skin, whatever that means to us?

Okay…

So, yes. I took what my doctor said very seriously and I also want to look in the mirror and be happy with what I see. I want to be happy.

I do. For me.

I don’t care about what other’s think, as I believe my extremely personal and revealing blog posts demonstrate…

So, back to my weight-loss journey…

I’ve shed seven pounds in two weeks not by doing some insane boot camp or waking at four in the morning to put in hours in at the gym. No. Instead, I stopped going through drive-thru’s. I no longer drink wine on weekdays. I go to the gym for a minimum of thirty minutes four to five times a week. And I no longer keep chips, cookies or carb-loaded bread items in my house.

Those are my changes.

And I feel good about them.

Thank you for coming along for the ride with me. I believe weight loss is very personal and I enjoy sharing it with you.

Stay tuned… I will get down to 117 again :)