The Heat is On in More Ways Than 1!

As much as I support and encourage near daily exercise, we also have to know when to say when.  Carol told me about her first hand experience with dehydration after a butt-kicking workout this past Sunday.  It’s not pleasant when one’s head starts pounding and they can’t cool down.  Often some disorientation comes with this and one has to act quickly downing water and replacing electrolytes.  This is a a great time for a drink such as Gatorade or simply adding some sugar and salt to water and drinking it down.  A lot of it.  As summer rapidly approaches we all need to heed the warning signs of lack of hydration.  Left untreated dehydration could lead to very, very serious outcomes.  Once, a student of mine landed herself in the hospital and then rehab to learn how to walk again!   That’s pretty serious.

Personally, I started swimming again this week and set a goal of 100 laps a week.  After swimming 15 laps on Monday and then 25 on Tuesday,  (on top of my regular fitness schedule) I mentioned to Mitch that I was surprised I didn’t feel any soreness.  So yesterday after 2 classes and a nice walk with big red, I hit the pool for another 25 laps.  It felt great and so did I, until I started folding laundry and all of a sudden every single muscle fiber in my body started hurting.   Apparently, I did too much.  It was nothing that a couple of Aleve, some rest and lots of fluids didn’t take care of in a couple of hours, but it was a big reminder that we all need to be aware that there is a thin line between enough and too much.  I knew better than to set such an aggressive goal for the first week back in the pool, I was just overly excited to get back in.  As with all fitness programs, gradually adding more each week is the safe and smart way to go.  Shame on me.  Lesson relearned!

It is Vegan Feast Thursday and I am committed to keeping things somewhat simple for the summer months.  Tonight we bring back the grilled veggie subs that always are a hit.  I’ll be grilling zucchini, eggplant, peppers and mushrooms and layering them on subs.  Since I’ll be making quite a few of them, I think I will add some Daiya vegan cheese to some of them.  I might make some stuffed mushrooms, too.   I  have been making stuffed portobellos for Mitch and I about once a week and they are a meal for me.  I just sautee up lots of kinds of chopped mushrooms with onions and garlic and then add some bread crumbs (usually home made from leftover whole grain bread) and put the whole mix on top of some already grilled portobellos.  Once stuffed I bake them in the over for about 20 minutes.  If I make them tonight, I will use smaller stuffing mushrooms to go a longer way.   Of course there will be a big salad and since my brownies always stick to the baking pan, I think I will try them again today, using parchment paper.  That should solve the problem!

I have become aware of the struggle some of you are having maintaining your tremendous weight losses, as several of you have contacted me directly.  Maintenance is always a much harder gig than weight loss, itself.  When we are on the journey of losing it is a novelty.  We are constantly rewarded with losses on the scale, fitting into smaller sizes and feeling the high.  Once the weight is off and the novelty wears off, it’s so easy to start to put those pounds back on.  THIS is exactly why diets don’t work unless you truly change your brain and your lifestyle.  Keeping certain trigger foods out of the house is one way to avoid binging.  If you have a food, be it pizza, cupcakes or ice cream that you MUST keep in your life,  plan for a cheat meal (better than a whole cheat day as the damage that can be done in one day can take 3 or 4 to take back off)  and GO OUT and get that food you crave…don’t have it in the house.  This is a suggestion that has worked well for many, so it’s worth sharing.  Don’t let your weight gain get too far ahead of you.  When you see the pounds creeping back, get back on track immediately.  Remember how good it felt to reach your goal and hold on to that feeling and keep the right foods in your fridge and pantry, avoiding the daily temptations.  Don’t ever feel defeated.  Jump back into the game and take control of your weight, your health and your life.  Now.

They can dribble, they can pass and they can definitely shoot.  Congrats to our Miami Heat as they celebrate their victory in their playoff series with the New York Knicks.  I can never watch a bball game without being in awe of the players arms and shoulders.  That dribbling, passing and shooting makes for some beautiful musculature.  Though I like tattoos I am not sure why they have to put so many on their arms.  (Exception…DWade)  Their incredible definition is enough art for me!  Just saying.

Very excited about Carole’s visit this weekend!!!  Can hardly wait.  Fly safely my first and longest friend.  We will see you in the morning.  Thanks for sharing some of your Santa Barbara simple solutions.

Thanks to all of you for stopping in and make it a great day.  As I do every Thursday,  I encourage you to give thought to your meals and try to make at least one a meatless meal.  Better yet, a meatless day.  It will benefit your health, your pocket, and the world around you.  It’s just one day….try it…you just might like the way you feel!