Happiness Revisited

Although I missed WISE class yesterday, I did receive the article that everyone else got. It's titled "Happiness Revisited" and had a lot of intriguing viewpoints on how to achieve happiness, and whether or not it's something we have to look for.

Questions:

1. When do I feel most happy?

That's tough. I feel like the majority of my time I'm happy, especially with the way my project has been going. I've lost 21 pounds total, and people have been complimenting me which makes me extremely happy, because while I may not notice any change, other people are. Lately I've been thinking a lot about the future...About my classmates now that I'll probably never see again beyond June 20, the friends I'll lose touch with, and the ones I'll hopefully stay in contact with. I guess this has all made me realize happiness is an essential component of life, and I need to stop searching for it, but rather wait for it to come. I can't force good things to happen, and happiness is a close second I cannot force. I just hope to be able to experience happiness over the course of my life.

2. Respond to the article.

 "..happiness is not something happens. It is not the result of good fortune or random chance. It's not something money can buy or power demand. It does not depend on outside events, but, rather, on how we interpret them. It is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person."

I think this is great. It's showing that happiness isn't bought, and that being materialistic (although it's very common) can't bring the happiness and joy that non-tangible things or things we don't expect in general will. Overall the article challenged me to think about my happiness, and where it has come from over the last 18 years. I've always thought happiness isn't something we can purchase, because that item purchased will bring short-term happiness. Rather happiness is something bigger; an ideology that I think many people forget about while they're running their kids 10 different places every week and going to work early and staying there late. We're all in gear to make money to spend money to make money, and everyone has the mentality that happiness can be achieved during retirement. This article really made me think about how I want to spend my life, and how to get to happiness while living the live I've dreamt of for so long.

3. Where am I on the flow chart?

 On the flow* chart I'd say I'm around between A1 and A4. I like what I'm doing with life but not 100% enthralled with what I'm doing. I think that's my general outlook right now, because I'm a senior and see the life ahead of me. But I shouldn't forget that I have a wonderful life to live now, and shouldn't waste it on what's happening in two or three or four months from now.

*flow- The state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost for the sheer sake of doing it.

4. How has this changed or remained the same throughout the course of my project? (Follow-Up question to 3)

 I think my flow has stayed fairly constant. I've enjoyed my project focus and more importantly the health benefits and results that have yielded from my project.

5. How can I achieve flow?

 I think to successfully achieve flow I must find what I like to do. I need to stay relaxed and understand everything happens for a reason. I sometimes get too caught up in things happening and spread myself too thin- Finding an outlet to distress is something that could be valuable for me in college and beyond.

The Next Week

I took the weekend off from the gym. Between volunteering, working, and going out of town, I had barely any time to make it there, and would have been pre-occupied with stress. So I decided to just relax and not go for 2 days. It's interesting too, because yesterday when I went I did my typical weight training and I felt stronger and better than ever! Sometimes rest is all people need in order to come back to the gym with more intensity and power. Anywho, this is my weight training plan for the week:

Chest Press-65lb (up from 50lb last week)

Seated Row-60lb (up from 45lb last week)

Seated Dip-70lb (up from 50lb last week)

Low Row-65lb, up from 50 last week

Lat. Pulldown-65lb, up from 50lb last week

Leg Press- 130lb, up from 110 last week

I'm also looking to change up my weight routine, so I'm going to look back at what my trainer gave me a few months ago to mix it up.

Cardio for the week:

Still warming up on the Jacobs ladder, but at a higher intensity- 5 minutes max

Main Cardio- Biking or elliptical- using one of their present interval programs, and sometimes just setting the height and resistance myself- 30-45 minutes depending on time

Cool Down: I have been erging for my cool down, but after doing that not even for five days I realized it was uncomfortable for my back, and not the best thing I could be doing.. For my cool down this week I'll probably jog for 5 or 10 minutes.
I also have begun stretching again, and I now remember the importance of it. I feel so much better  stretching after a good workout, and I will be sure to stretch after my workouts from here on out!

Significant Progress!

Sorry for not posting in awhile, I've had a crazy weekend and I'm just starting to get back into the swing of things! On a good note, I had my weekly weigh in this morning...234.0 lb! That means I've lost a total of 21 lb. since January. I was shocked that it was this low that I actually climbed on and off the scale 3 times to make sure it was calculating correctly. It was a huge confidence boost right before my doctor appointment, which was also went extremely well!
My Blood Pressure is the lowest it's been in a long time, and the only things my cardiologist wants to do are an echo and a stress test, just to determine if my high blood pressure had any negative effects on the muscles or valves in my heart. I'm not too worried about these tests though, because they seem precautionary and it's better to know now rather than later.
I'll be back later today to show my workout plan for the week!

My WISE Proposal

We all received our WISE portfolio's this past Monday in class, and I figured now is as good of a time as ever to refer back to my original project intentions. I took a look at my research questions, and it's actually really neat to see how my project has evolved since the beginning of the semester. Here are a couple questions I'd still like to answer for myself through research:

1. How many people in my age group are drawn to this sort of project idea or field of interest?

2. What has made self image among teens so prevalent in today's society, besides the media, and how can we change this as a society?

3. What is the correlation (if any) between the cost of healthy food and overweight people in the U.S.? Is it just the affordability?

These are the only questions that I actually like from my proposal. The other ones become too specific/ don't relate to my project anymore, considering I'm not training to run for a 5 or 10K. Answers to these questions will follow in the coming days!

Task Force Journal Review

Today I received my journal review, and I am honored to have had Mr. Powers evaluate my blog! I am beginning to realize that my communication and work has been slacking on my project. While I am still losing weight and going to the gym almost daily, reading over this evaluation has made me decide I am not good at articulating my progress, and I need to do more to show detail and research to my readers. All of Mr. Powers recommendations were very constructive, and he was thoughtful in his responses. (he mentioned I need to do more research, and that's certainly noticeable.) I'm happy he had the opportunity to evaluate my project, and I believe this will kick me into high gear. This also is a good follow up from my mentor, who told me that she felt I was slacking as well (She also gave me awesome thoughts and ideas of ways to improve my project thus far). Having two people tell me that gives me the courage and strength to work harder, and I am happy to have such good feedback from educators at our school.

Back to weights tomorrow!

This Week's Diet

For this week I've been keeping my meals fairly simple!:

 Breakfast:
- Special K original Cereal
- Skim Milk

Mid-Morning Snack:
- 1 clementine or an Empire Apple

Lunch:
- A non-fat blended Wegmans yogurt (flavor varies by day) (80 calories)
- Typically a salad with some source of protein (Steak or chicken) What's in the salad: cucumbers, Wegmans Romaine Lettuce, grape tomatoes, and shaved carrots!
Sometimes the salad everyday can get old, so I switch it up here and there with a lean cuisine, or leftovers that I find in my refridgerator, but I try to keep my lunches fairly light

Mid-Afternoon Snack:
Some type of fruit, cracker or popcorn

Dinner:
Dinner varies a lot for me. For the most part, It's usually some type of meat with a side of potatoes ( I am Irish after all..) or a side salad. I've been cutting down my dinner portions though, mainly because eating  a lot before bed can cause people to not fall asleep, and I cherish my sleep.

I've also cut out snacking after dinner. When I feel the urge to eat, I either read a book or just try falling asleep. We'll see how that works out for me over the course of the next week!

Power Carbs!

For some reason the phrase complex carbs keeps coming through my mind..maybe because I haven't done much research and that would be a good thing to look up! I found this article by a tennis player by the name of Martina Navratilova talking about how carbs are actually good for those who workout because of the energy and refueling benefits they give to a body. I've always known that eating carbs immediately after a workout was good because our enzymes that make glycogen (where we get our energy from) are at their peak activity up to 15 minutes after a workout. (After hard crew workouts we'd eat bagels to refuel) So, to refuel with power carbs during this timespan is beneficial to our bodies because those carbs will be burned faster, and give us better energy for the rest of our day after our workout.
Also? These carbs help people lose weight by reducing insulin levels, which is a fat-producing hormone. So having less of that hormone present means less fat is being produced and stored. Also, these complex carbs provide a lot of health benefits to our bodies: B vitamins, minerals, and plenty of fiber which supports good digestive health. (Speaking of fiber, I heard on a news report on my way to school this morning that people should consume up to 26 grams of fiber a day, but the average amount people consume is about 10-12 grams a day.) But again, it is good to have carbs in a diet, and if one "utilizes" them the correct way, they will not cause weight gain.
I will certainly take this all into consideration as I  plan out my meals for next week! I just have to keep the intensity up in the gym to be able to benefit from all of this!

Here's the article!: http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/info-01-2009/martina_powercarbs.html?CMP=KNC-360i-YAHOOBING-HEA-FIT&HBX_PK=complex_carbohydrates&utm_source=YAHOOBING&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=complex%2Bcarbohydrates&utm_campaign=M_Health%2B-%2BTablet&360cid=SI_554523580_2126358218_1

Cardio for This Week

I think I'm doing to try and mix it up as much as possible this week. I am now down another two pounds, bringing me to 240 lb.! But, along with planning out my cardio, I'm trying to increase my intensity for maximum results. I'm using the Jacobs ladder again which is one hell of a workout. I typically use that as my warm up for cardio now, only 5-10 minutes at most. After that I try to bike or use the elliptical, typically choosing their "fat burner" workout choice which has a lot of high and low resistance portions of the workout. But, sometimes I just choose a manual workout and set the resistance/height as high as I can do it. This I try to do for 30-45 minutes, depending on how much time I have that morning.
 To finish my cardio I typically erg for 5-10 minutes, kind of like my cooldown. I've definitely missed rowing, and although erging brings back good and bad memories, it makes me think of how in shape I was when I did row, and that always pushes me to the end of my workout. Erging comes so naturally to me since I quit rowing that it's a nice way for me to utilize my whole body and cool down.
 Also, sometimes on cardio days I squeeze in a little abdominal workout, and of course stretching, to finish my workout. So, to break it all down,

1. Warm up: 5-10 minutes on Jacob ladder
2. Main Cardio workout: bike, elliptical, or jogging- 30-45 minutes
3. Cool Down: Erging, 5-10 minutes
4.(If I have time): abdominal workout
5. Finish with stretching

My Friends Research

Well, I didn't bring my partner Julia anything pertaining to her research, and neither did she for me. So while we are on a level playing field, I know i should get that research done for her by next Monday!

The Week Ahead

Today I went to the gym to figure out my weight lifting goals for the week. Ms. Maddren mentioned I should try a one rep maximum. See how much weight I can lift or do on each machine that I choose for 1 rep, and then actually lift 40-50% of that weight to begin out. I am doing 2 sets of 8 reps to begin with! Also, I will be alternating days between cardio and weight. Today was weight, so tomorrow is cardio. As for my weight stats, here they are from today:

Chest Press Max. weight: 85 lb. starting weight: ~40lb.

Seated Row Max. Weight: 85 Lb. starting weight: ~40lb.

Abdominal Machine: Max. Weight: 115 lb. starting weight: ~55lb.

Seated Dip Max. Weight: 100 lb. starting weight- 50lb.

Low Row Max. Weight: 115lb. starting weight: 50-55lb

Lateral Pulldown Max. Weight: 85lb. starting weight: 40lb

Leg Press Max. Weight: 220lb. starting weight: 110lb

The starting weights that I posted are what I will begin with for each machine, and then hopefully increase those weights within a week. I'll be back tomorrow to outline my cardio and diet for the week!

I hate to Admit it, but...

I hate being wrong. Although I tend to be wrong more often than not, I cannot help but feel a little weird when someone else is correct. In this case, my mentor is right.
Ms. Maddren mentioned to me that I should step up my game at this point. She feels there is a loosey Goosey feeling going on with my project, along the lines of senioritis. While I denied that at first, this is true.  I've been working out everyday that I can (5-6 times a week), but I'd have to say I am not good with planning workouts, or articulating very well what I am doing each day on my blog. So? Ms. Maddren mentioned that I plan out each week in advance (Most likely Sunday nights, since that's typically my day off from working out, and my research day) in terms of cardio, weight lifting, and eating. I have about 17 pounds to go to reach my goal weight by the end of the project, and I think that's feasible with these new guidelines she suggested. I am eager to adopt this new plan and can't wait to see what the future holds!

Docta Docta Give me the News

I spoke with my doctor yesterday on some blood work he wanted me to have, which is all in correlation to my high blood pressure. The results came back and he said my blood is essentially in pristine condition! My cholesterol levels are great, my hemoglobin(which I've struggled to maintain because of my blood disorder) is the highest it has ever been. He said he was impressed (although I don't know how much I contribute to that) and that as long as I continue losing weight, I shouldn't have to go on Blood pressure medication. This news is a huge relief, because I am young, and blood pressure medication can have some wacky side effects. I will still see the cardiologist as a precautionary measure, but I am confident I am heading in the right direction.
On another note I had a mentor meeting today. Things are moving along well, and Ms. Maddren suggested maybe I change up what cardio machines I do, as well as add back in some weights. Doing too much of one routine or exercise can sometimes let your body adjust to it, not making it as beneficial as in the beginning. I'm feeling good and happy to be changing it up again!

Disrupting My Comfort Zone

Today in class we listened to an NPR excerpt from Brian Grazer, a successful movie producer. He was talking about how he likes to push the envelope and go out of his comfort zone as often as possible. I think this is a great way to live life. He mentioned that many people avoid going out of that zone because it's a safety net; if they always live inside that zone they are essentially safe and unharmed. But we've been given a life that's on a day to day basis, so why end up with a bunch of what-if's when we're 90, instead of the remember when's.
I think I can definitely relate to disrupting my comfort zone. To be completely honest I used to hate gyms with the most passion. I thought it was somewhat weird and grimy that people all went to one place to workout and sweat. But with my prevailing health problems and the urge to lose weight, I decided to give it another try and found to actually like it. When I end up not going to the gym for a few days I end up feeling groggy and crappy, so it's become an essential part of my lifestyle now. I think that's another point Grazer is trying to portray- how does one find new things to do, or new things to enjoy when they live in their comfort zone? If it weren't for WISE I don't think I would be a member at a gym right now, or as outgoing as I've become over the past seven months.

Fight the Urge

I've been realizing the past couple of days that the urge to eat what I want when I want is becoming prevalent again. I need to figure out an action plan to detour from this. I'd say in the past two weeks I've made great personal strides in staying committed to the gym and working out, but I need to figure out how I can stay committed. In the next couple of days I want to research what other people (if any) in my situation do to curb their hunger or urges.

Pick a Number

I had a mentor meeting Monday, and during that time we met we decided a huge thing: I am not running any sort of race. I am not good at running in general and given my high blood pressure, losing weight is more crucial for me at this time to see if I can curb that problem. Also, Ms. Maddren and I agreed that I should pick a number that will be my final weight goal by the end of the 16 weeks. We're already more than halfway done with the 16 weeks, and seeing how I've changed my project components, I should also change my goal. I think at this point a reasonable weight to be down to by June is 225 lbs. I am at 242 now, and I really think if I continue with eating healthy food and exercising the way I have been, I can achieve this goal.
Also? This weather has been a great motivator to get outside and workout, which has boost my overall mood!

Research!

I found this article on the Livestrong website (Which is increasingly becoming a great resource for me) from the author of the book called The Virgin Diet. Essentially in this article she debunks two myths from the nutrition and diet world. The first myth being that slow and steady weight loss is the key to successful weight loss. She found two studies that have been completed that state that quick weight loss can actually be better for people, and that it can practically be permanent weight loss. Reading this was actually satisfying, because in one week I went down 5 pounds. Although I can probably contribute that to bodily functions and chemical imbalances and yadda yadda yadda, it was still a big difference for me to see. Knowing that losing weight quickly is okay gives me the boost I need at the halfway point in my project.
The second myth she debunked was that all calories are created equally. I won't elaborate much on this section because you should all go read this article, but she compares a bagel to a "Virgin Diet Shake" (I'm assuming that's something from her diet plan/book) and shows how the body processes them differently. Pretty neat stuff. Here's the article if you're interested!:

http://www.livestrong.com/blog/2-diet-myths-debunked/

Minor change

I was supposed to see a cardiologist next Monday to get to the root of my blood pressure problem. But, I received a call the other day saying they would need to reschedule for two weeks from this Monday, and I'm not sure what to make of that. I only say this because my general doctor seems somewhat concerned and shows urgency on this issue, and I'm not sure what two weeks will do to this plan of his. On the other hand I've made it to the gym every day this week, and I am feeling really good about myself and my body. This somewhat warm weather may have something to do with my upbeat attitude, but I'll take this weather any day!

Good feelin'

Today was my weigh in, and I'm down to 241.9 lbs! Last week I was at 246.8, so this is was an awesome feeling. Needless to say that lit a fire under my ass to get to the gym, which I did today before work. But seriously, now I've lost over 10 pounds and I'm ready to lose more.
I had my check up today for my blood pressure. The nurse at school had been monitoring it over the past three weeks, and it's been everywhere between 140/70 and 166/80. Today it was 142/70, which is okay, but the 142 is still hypertension. My doctor said under 130 is ideal, but with my right diet and exercise it should come down. With that said, he still wants me to see the cardiologist next Monday for precautionary measures. He said there could be something underlying that he hasn't noticed, and he wants to make sure everything is infact okay. They may have to run tests, but I'm confident those numbers will come down with exercising and dieting. I can't wait to see what happens the next eight weeks. This has definitely been a confidence boost.