Weight Loss Ads

So, I decided to put some Google Ads back on my blog.

But, I've noticed that each ad is about weight loss.

Come on, how does Google know I need to lose weight? I've hardly written about it.

And, now that I am, the ad is sure to pop up below this post.

I am trying and weight is slowly coming off, but if I were to show you a before and after picture you'd be searching to see what looked different and so I may go down to the Goodwill and find some really large pants to provide a demonstration.

For now, you'll just have to look at the picture of the ad that appears - which ironically doesn't show any before or after pictures.

P.S. Haaaa. So, I posted this post and the ad that came up was for the Salt Lake City temple. Well, at least Google knows that I am Mormon and that I need to lose weight. Perhaps this will become my daily fortune cookie.

38 minutes

I would like to announce that I am the premier recipient of the "I ran 38 minutes without stopping" award.

This award was just created by me, in honor of me, and as a motivation for me. Very selfish, by design.

I've never run 38 minutes straight in my life!

I can out walk anyone you've ever met. In fact, I should probably raise money (I'd like to say for a cause, but could I do so to pay off personal debt?) by walking across the country. I absolutely love walking for sure pleasure, exercise and deep thinking.

However, running is strangely invigorating (and sweaty) as well.

I haven't lost a pound through my efforts. However, I can assure you that I am solid muscle, with two inches of a protective muscle layer lining that is a little flabby. You may call it "big boned," but it's just a protective layer and I'm actually medium boned. I have no genes to blame, only companies that make really good cookies.

Anyway, here's hoping I can get up to 40 minutes of sheer running.

Oh, and keep track of your exercise and buy yourself a medal at the appropriate intervals at http://presidentschallenge.org .

Knees

My knees are hurting a little bit today and it reminded me of an email that my Dad sent out to the family a week or so ago.
__________

The other night I found myself in a very reflective mood, to the point of a few tears. And what, you might wonder, brought me to this point. Well, it's pretty simple -- my aching knees.
Since my trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico to watch Brett play in the U. S. Collegiate Rugby semi-finals. During my trip I read the "South Beach Diet" book and was basically struck with the fact that I needed to do something about weight, and thus about what I eat. At the same time Rebecca was reporting her success in reducing her cookie & cracker intake, so I began to think more seriously about the issues of diet, weight and food intake. And then I heard of Chris' success in reducing his weight & size too. So, after thinking more about the book, and what its basic message is, I decided to try something I had never done before -- diet!

The first step was to realize that the enemy of weight loss can easily be summarized as "5 C's":
Cookies, Cake, Candy, Crackers, Cream (ice)....

There are other culprits too but that is a long list. -- bread and pasta -- are also atop the list. Other key elements of such a program are exercise, portion control, eating regularly, etc......there are others, but you can probably list them all.

I won't ramble more with a poorly organized speech, but you get the idea here --------- IF you, any of you, are over-weight I URGE YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO LOSE WEIGHT. If you don't your knees will KILL you when you reach 55, or 60, or 64. I don't know what your age will be, but -- the extra weight you carry today will ruin your knees tomorrow. Take it from a living testimony -- me. Part of the reason for my sobering experience the other night was my imagination running a bit wild with the possibilities for my future. If I have bad knees, how will I finish my temple service? Will I be able to go on a mission? Will I have to use a cane? How about artificial knees? Wheelchair? How am I going to work through the debilitation in my knees that I am suddenly beginning to feel more intensely? etc...
So, that's it ---- for the sake of your mobility and the ease of your future years, P L E A S E do whatever it takes to get your weight under control. It doesn't matter what reason you use in your private mind to justify yourself.

By the way, this is for everyone to think about.....I hope.
This message could probably be better written with more thought, but I need to tell you this before we leave tomorrow morning. Think seriously about it.
Love, Dad

Hypnosis - first week or so

When I lived over by GMU a few years ago there was a brick office complex nestled right next to our apartment building. Sometimes I would take a short cut through the office parking lot to get to class and I would notice a sign announcing services for hypnosis in regards to weight loss and overcoming smoking addiction. It always intrigued me, but I never had the guts to go in and check it out.

At that time I was doing the virtual Weight Watchers thing were I kept track of what I ate each day, the number of glasses of water I drank and how many minutes I exercised. When I was serious about it...the plan worked great. I just didn't like having to pay a fee every month for the rest of my life. In hindsight it would probably have been worth it to stick to it.

This year I really do need to lose weight. So, I conducted an Internet search and decided to buy some hypnosis CDs.

Part of me has always associated hypnosis with Las Vegas, crystal balls, dark rooms and weird gypsy type women that work out of little old houses on the side of main roads in every major US city. I always wonder how those ladies pay for their lease. After all, has anyone seen anyone walk into those places?

Anyway, it is obviously nothing like that. You lay down on a chair or the floor and you are taken through a half hour session of relaxation techniques, number counting and positive reinforcements given to you while you are fighting hard not to fall asleep.

It's fairly interesting. I've been doing it for about two weeks (a big break in between for Memorial Day weekend), but I have lost 5 pounds. The interesting thing is that I sometimes get this weird lump in my throat when I'm eating food that I know is bad for me. I end up eating less.

There are four CDs and they say to do one a day each day until you get to your desired weight loss. I have a feeling that I will have to keep doing this every day long after I lose the weight. After all, like Prozac, one must not stop doing what was done to help prevent the addiction, sadness or whatever it is.

I'll have to keep track of my progress on the blog. If it really works, I'll share the source. Until then, it does not deserve mentioning. After all, the five pounds could be a fluke. At my height and size, I can go up and down that much easily every day.

Random Thoughts - from other people

Isn't it interesting how different people make a comment here and there and you end up having a certain emotion, insight action or feeling based on what they've said? This pretty much happens everyday, but I don't stop and think about it too much.

Like just today, someone I know said that they didn't know what they would do if they hadn't discovered "Google Reader" to organize their search of the internet. So I of course looked it up and am going to start using it.

Or, I was talking to my sister-in-law Jessica about ADD and eating and I thought maybe I'm not aware of how much I eat. For some reason the thought stayed in my mind and I came home and ordered some CDs that are supposed to hypnotize me into food consumption control. Ha. Well, I figured it was worth a try! I lived by a place in Fairfax (Harrison and Ann may remember) that had a sign offering hypnosis for smoking or food addiction and I was always tempted to go see if it was effective. Those places should have concealed entrances ...just as should weight loss centers, spas, laser treatment places and tanning salons. It seems they are all wide open with huge windows for everyone to see people going in and out.

A guy stopped in my office the other day and started to talk about "The Last Lecture" a professor gave after he found out he had a terminal illness. I came home and watched it and found that it , along with other feelings and experiences I've had over the last month, helped me get back into writing notes and taking more time for people.

My boyfriend planted the thought that I should go to graduate school when I was content to move along in jobs that were ok, but not in my real areas of interest. I applied, was accepted, and finished before I realized what I had gotten myself into. I even earned a 4.0 to my own surprised because I had been more concerned with finishing the projects properly than what grade I would receive.

Some of the kids I teach on Sunday pipe up with comments on how I should discipline them, what they think of the lesson, and with interesting ideas that I often incorporate in my next lesson with them.

It's amazing how our daily interactions, whether virtual or physical, have an impact on us in some way. Sometimes the littlest comment or observation can make pivotal changes in our lives. Hopefully the comments that come from my mouth help and don't hurt. Yes, I know that sometimes they hurt and later I always regret what I've said.

Perhaps this quote should always be above the desk, the tv, the fridge, and the door:

"Sticks an stones can break your bones, but words will break your heart." I might add that it should have another half that includes "but words will heal your heart" or "but words will inspire your heart" or "but words will change your heart."