I been up, I been down....so the ZZ Top song goes. That's me...that's my life...and probably yours as well if you've been around long enough like me! I've been on the wagon, off the wagon, thrown under the wagon...you name it...weight up, weight down. I've probably lost as much as I've found or found some I didn't intend to, and I swear at times some found me that someone else lost! Truth is, most of us struggle with the scale and tape measure. Some longer than others. It's an uphill battle, and honestly we can make it harder than what it really is. What's that you ask? Losing weight, of course! Somehow I feel in retrospect that no matter what I do, I'm still not satisfied. Is that you? I know one thing, it's a lot more fun and a lot easier to put it on than to take it off. Surprise....neither happens overnight! However, I intend to cover much more than just body fat issues this evening...I will present you with a potpourri of wellness...healthy eating and discussing the aging process and what to expect....because regardless if you are 20 or 50 and you are reading this....there is one thing we all have in common....we are all growing older each day! Just a quick hint...the downhill process actually starts in your 20's! So pay attention, stay calm, and read on...
So I got to thinking on my way home from work tonight that I needed to write a blog. Many times I do so simply to lift myself up from feeling low. I care deeply about health and wellness because I came so close to shutting down a couple years ago. I'm all too familiar with the battle. Perhaps to look at me now, you'd probably think I never had an issue...but oh...yes I did! One that spanned the largest part of my adulthood. Perhaps you can relate. Sometimes I can come off so honest, I seem harsh or uncaring...but that's as far from the truth as it can be, and if you know me very well...well, you know that. I want to help anyone who wants to be helped! Folks, if you think you're getting out of this alive, you have been deceived! Yes, we will all die one day, but personally, I want my remaining years to be full of life...quality life, not quantity ones spent lying in a hospital bed hooked up to equipment keeping me one step from the Grim Reaper! That's just existence...where is the zest in that? Granted there is no 100% guarantee, but I'd rather 'buy' myself a little insurance and do what I can to improve the odds. Oil of Olay (a skin care product) used to have a commercial where the model stated, 'Grow old gracefully? I'm going to fight it every step of the way!' I used to think that was silly...but in my wise older age, you know, I totally get it! Thus, the name 'Rebel-Fitt'!
So hang in here with me, this blog may be rather lengthy...but I want to humor you, educate you and motivate you to better health! Can I get an 'Amen'? So, where does one start in the battle of the bulge? Well....right where you are now, of course, you really have no other choice! There is so much to be said, so much to know....it can be overwhelming. I'm here to help you sort thru the mess so you can be successful! In fact, I've managed to jot down a small one hundred page list I'd like to share with you. Just kidding....hahaha....I'll give you the Reader's Digest condensed version! (you older folk can appreciate that comment!) Perhaps it's best I get this out there first. Being slim is NOT an indicator of good health, however, being overweight is not healthy. Ok now, before you curl your lip up at me, and 'pfffttt' me off, remember....I've been there, I'm very sympathetic to your situation. Don't kill the messenger, please! I implore, stay calm and read on! In 2001 I rocked the scale at about 200 pounds....at my height, that's a BMI (body mass index) of 32.8. Anything over 30 is considered obese. 25 - 29.9 is considered overweight. I am now at 22.1. Yes, that's quite a difference, and believe me, I feel it! I did it, and you can do it too. So I can hear you saying, 'but ok, I need to lose some weight, but I'm healthy....I feel great!' Understand, you may not be considered among the walking dead at this point, but know there are many 'silent killers' out there stalking your health. Do not be deceived...there are those you will not 'feel' nor know about until you get further down the road. I'm not going to take the time right now to go into greater detail....that's for another day, another blog.
Let's get into the meat of the issue...c-a-r-b-o-h-y-d-r-a-t-e-s. We all love them and typically overeat the wrong ones, like bread...which includes crackers, pastries, cookies and the like. We really need less of those and more of the whole grain types like organic brown and wild rice, sweet potatoes and even white/red/yellow potatoes, oats and other cereal grains. These are healthy for us. Over consumption of alcoholic beverages. Our liver is the largest internal organ, and also the heaviest organ. It has many important functions, one being it detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. It takes about 90 minutes for the liver to break down one alcoholic beverage....how many people nurse a beer for an hour and a half? So, as you can see...it's easy to overload this organ and set it up for problems, which can have a domino effect in other areas. You may not like to hear this, but cut out refined white flour, refined white sugar, fast food, deep fried food, junk food, highly processed and convenience foods and soda pop. (yes, there is still food left you can eat!) It's radical, I know, but hey, I'm a rebel...what do you expect? Enough said about that! If you need me to hold your hand, I can do that!
So, perhaps by now you may realize it becomes more challenging as you get older to stay healthy....that's why it is so, so important to start as young as you can....nip it in the bud! I had some food sensitivities in my mid-20's....took care of them quickly with herbal and natural supplementation (if you know me very well, you know I'm into the 'Eastern' approach to wellness....treat yourself as the whole and connected person that you are!) Digestive issue chances increase as you age, one of those being what is called 'leaky gut syndrome'.
Moving right along, let's change over to the reason I titled this blog what I did...high expectations. If I haven't said this before, I've at least gripped about my disgust with what I call the 'Hollywood image' and software programs like Photoshop that 'clean up' your appearance. The old saying 'a picture doesn't lie' is no longer the truth. Hey, I long for perfection...believe me, I hate it when I'm human (silly, I know). We all have imperfections, but human nature dictates we not flaunt those, but rather cover them up, or as technology does, erase them. When I was a teenager, and was dealing with acne, like 99.9% of this age group does, I used to dream about being 'older' and no longer having to deal with that. Well, then you find out when you're in your 20's...there's 'adult acne'! Really? *sigh* And depending on other possible issues like hormonal imbalances, you can still be dealing with it into your 30's, 40's and 50's! Ugh! We get so overly concerned about image, that we aren't 'real' anymore, we're a computer generated idea of perfection. Embrace your flaws, and quit trying to grab the next cover of a magazine! You also find out as early as your 30's that body parts don't work like they used to...hair begins to thin, the skin starts to wrinkle. Why is this?
There is a substance in our bodies called collagen (I wrote a lengthy blog about it a couple months ago...check it out). It is the most abundant protein in the human body and is the substance that holds the whole body together. It is found in the bones, muscles, skin and tendons where it forms a 'scaffold' to provide strength and structure. The level of collagen reaches a peak around 20 years of age. That is why you start seeing changes even as early as your 30's. The loss of this can bring on a condition known as crepey skin....which is really quite creepy....it's unsightly. Poor diet, lack of proper skin care (quality products used consistently go a long way), exposure to the sun, pollutants in the air, heredity, weight gain/loss...all play a role in collagen's demise. However, all is not lost, you can supplement it into your diet with good results. (I'm going to blog on this some more in the near future) As we age, we all long to find that 'fountain of youth', elusive as it can be...it's not just one thing, but many factors combined that can slow it down, and buy yourself some time. Face it, you're not going to look 20 when you're 50, so get over it! If you are male, you don't have to deal with the ravages of menopause, although men go through their own 'change'. Skin care isn't just for the ladies! Reverse the effects of gravity...apply lotions in an upward motion. Moisture isn't just about creams....drink plenty of water...that would be half your body weight in ounces....if you weigh 150, drink 75 ounces of water a day...and more if you are sweating from exercise or working outdoors in the heat.
Oh my....this is getting rather lengthy, and I'm only on page 5 of my 100 pages of notes....*grin* So perhaps I should wrap this up. There are many life lessons, and nothing so personally real as learning them in the school of hard knocks! Some things you encounter are more important than others, but certainly your health and wellness is not one to ignore. It would be so convenient if I could tell you everything you need to know in one article...alas, for as much as I have studied over the last three decades, I still don't know it all, and I came to realize some time back, I never will. It is ever-changing, and you have to stay on top of it...most people can't, it's too much. Please be sure to visit my blog, as I will continue to bring you information in this area. We all tend to have high expectations...from our appearance to our financial status. Personal training isn't just about muscles, it's much more. There's more to health than just a walk in the park. Nutrition is your body's first line of defense. I've said it many times, you either feed disease or your starve it. If you're looking for a 'cure', you're going to find it at the end of your fork my friend! As I say, 'be well, live well, because living 'well' is the best revenge!'
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