If It Makes You Happy

    What have I been up to? Plenty of things. You ever do so many different things that you start to feel run down? Well that's what happens to me when I stop moving. Lately I have been trying to do my walking early in the morning. I love walking. I strap on a backpack with my work clothes inside, throw on some workout clothes and hop on the bus. Then I get off thirty to fourty blocks away from the office. Walking is truly a great form of exercise. It's free.

the start line;Bob, Pete, Cindy, Tam, me, Josh and Steve

1st destination

Jake watching the sailboats

Josh, Jake and me in front of Alice in Wonderland

Pete and Cindy

Tam

      The week before last was our monthly social 5K. This is when a group of my WW homies and my two sons (as long as there is no school the next day) walk around the great city of New York taking in the sites. My friend Tam planned this month's walk in Central Park. I love Central Park. Walking around checking out landmarks, people watching and sometimes hiking. You can lose your self for a whole day. We had to meet at Fifth Avenue and East 72nd Street. That happens to be more than thirty blocks away from my office. I chose to walk up to meet up with my friends. Once I arrived, I did not feel tired. Instead I fely energetic and ready to walk some more. I got to see parts of the park I never saw before , like the Alice in Wonderland statue. Of course I took plenty of pictures.

Jake and Tam

Tam, me and Cindy

Bob, Cindy, Jake , Tam and Pete

walking down a hill

        Last week's meeting topic was about getting in the "good health guidelines" These are things that you shold try to achieve everyday in order to set you on the right path for your weight loss journey. When you're planning a trip you use a map. Well when planning to live healthy for the rest of your life you use the tools that will hep you get there.
1) Liquids. Do not fool yourself. This means water. You should try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. That is what I do. I have coffee with my breakfast and then I drink water for the rest of the day. I try to knock out at least fourty to fifty ounces in the early part of the day by 3pm. I drink water with my lunch and for dinner I drink a bottle of water with a flavor packet like Crystal Light ( Wild Strawberry is my favorite). After dinner I keep a bottle of water on my nightstand so that I reach for that before anything else.
2)Eat at least five servings of fruit and veggies every day. This may not be easy for everyone but it is a no brainer for me. I grew up having a vegetable at dinner every night. With breakfast I have two pieces of fruit. With lunch I have veggies and fruit. For example, you can have a sandwich for lunch. A sandwich is a prime opportunity to add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onions and green peppers. It's a salad on a sandwich. Sometimes I save some veggies leftover from dinner with a little rice. At lunch I like to pretend that my fruit is dessert. You know that feeling you have sometimes when you just need something sweet. Well pow, instant dessert. No guilt necessary.
3)A multivitamin. I take a multivitamin with iron and a vitamin D pill every morning. If you eat veggies and fruits every day, you are getting some nutrients and vitamins. But why not stack the deck. You never know, that extra vitamin might end up being the thing that kicks your weight loss up a notch.
4) Whole grains. When at all possbile go for the brown bread, rice and pasta. Most of us grew up eating Wonder white bread. I happen to feel very strong feelings about bread. I could very well live on it. I introduced brown bread to my family. I thought it would not go over well. But we all eat it. And now if I ask someone to pick up some bread from the store, I no longer need to say "whole wheat".
5) Non-fat or low fat dairy. I am lactose intolerant but there are some things I can tolerate. I buy Lactaid fat free milk for me. It lasts forever in the fridge.
6) Healthy oils. Do not be afraid to add a little extra virgin olive oil to food. Since I tend to broil a lot of meat, i will add a little olive oil to that. You can also use it to sauteed someveggies for dinner.
7) Be active. You should try to be to get activity everyday. Even if I am not doing laps or riding my bike, I walk everywhere I go. I do not drive. I walk to the store. I push a large grocery cart home. I get activity points.

Don't climb up there ,Jake!

Jake and Bob climb the rocks

Tam climbed one too

         I am still on yo-yo scale trip. I gain 1.2lbs the week before but I did not gain or lose last weigh in.
LAST WEEK'S ACTIVITY
Tues. all day - 6pts
Wed. - walk 40+ blocks to work plus all day - 9pts
Thurs. Social Walk + 30 blocks to 5K+ all day - 18pts
Fri. all day - 8pts
Sat. 0pts
Sun. 0pts
Mon. Walk 30+blocks to work + all day - 8pts
TOTAL ACTIVITY POINTS = 55pts

the finish line- the pub