Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Letting Go & Accepting Change

Experiencing the grief process is a natural reaction to losses of many kinds. Loss on any number of different levels is a part of life we all face. Most of us associate grief with the death of a loved one, but the truth is we each go through a similar process when facing any number of losses, whether it’s a job, when a relationship ends or if we receive a medical diagnosis which threatens our health.  Even events on grander scales can trigger a grieving process, including natural disasters or terrorist attacks which can instill a feeling of loss of safety and/or security. Basically, any time we feel a sense of loss of any kind, we grieve and the grieving process affects us in ways that can be confusing, complicated, and overwhelming.

 

Each person’s grief is unique and your grieving process will be different, even from people who are experiencing the same loss you are.  Most people who are experiencing grief go through one or more of the same general reactions including physical, emotional and behavioral changes while they’re working through a loss.  Knowing the common grief responses and what to expect may help you feel more at ease in the process as you or someone else you care about goes through it.

 

Normal grief symptoms span the physical, emotional and behavioral and can include things like crying, low energy, changes in sleep or eating patterns, feelings of numbness, sadness, anger, guilt or anxiety.  While in the grieving process, people sometimes become withdrawn and unproductive or fidgety and restless, concentration may be difficult and even visual or auditory hallucinations can take place. Typically, symptoms are most intense and frequent shortly after a loss is experienced and should gradually subside over time. Keep in mind that it can take anywhere from months to a couple of years before a person fully comes to terms with a loss.  If this sense of closure never happens, daily functioning can be difficult and the risk of physical and/or mental illness increases.

 

Working through a loss is a complex process.  Expect ups and downs and even two steps forward, one step back kinds of progress along the way toward closure.  There is no one “right” or “wrong” way to grieve, but ultimately the sense of loss and grief will subside toward resolution over time. If the road gets rocker and never seems to smooth out or if you feel stuck and despaired at any time, seeking assistance from a grief counselor or other mental health professional who is knowledgeable about grief issues can help you better understand your grief and assist you in moving forward in the healing process. 

You may be wondering what this has to do with eating right and exercise and I'm here to tell you that the main reason why so many people can't maintain a fit and healthy physique for a lifetime is because they're not willing to let go of that person in the day 1 photo. Intellectually you know that the new you is a better you, but the person you were at the beginning of this process is a dear old friend that's hard to abandon. There are memories, experiences and pleasures that make up who you were and it's hard to wrap your arms around the idea that this part of you is gone forever.

There must be a grieving period or process to break through to the other side. It's normal, it's weird and uncomfortable and it's part of life. Going from unfit & unhealthy to fit and healthy in a relatively short period of time is daunting and traumatic. Nobody talks about it because there's no clear cut way to understand it or deal with it. Some folks make the transition easily while others still see themselves as the overweight, unhappy person they were on day 1. The thoughts and memories in your mind that cause profound emotions from your past don't go away just because you lost weight and got strong. Day 90 of Power 90 and P90X is often a very sad and depressing day for many many people. While it's an amazing accomplishment it also signifies the death of an old friend and the start of a difficult new beginning. The old me is dead, now what?   

The loss of the old you can be as scary, confusing, complicated and overwhelming as the loss of a loved one. You have transformed yourself physically and with that comes emotional and behavioral changes as well. There's nothing on the website or guild book that helps you with that, so just by talking about it here is a step. Just like with any traumatic event or change it helps to know that there will be bumps in the road alone the way. A place of understanding and acceptance comes with time. This is why this community is so important. We are here to listen. We are here to understand. We are all here to help each other get through the good times and the bad. If you keep asking questions, keep pushing play and stay accountable to like-minded people in your life then the grieving period will be short and a healthy and fit lifestyle is yours forever.    

Monday, July 28, 2008

Burger-Be-Gone

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich Recipe (4 Servings)

Ahhhh… grilling season.  If you love burgers but you’re trying to stay away from red meat, you are gonna love this tasty recipe for thick and juicy grilled Portobello mushroom burgers.

To make this recipe even yummier, don’t skip on the basil-lemon pesto sauce that will add a tangy zip to these already super-delicious sandwiches.

Ingredients:

4 large Portobello mushroom heads (caps)
Whole grain bread or rolls
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Organic baby spinach leaves

Ingredients for Basil-Lemon Pesto Sauce:

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

For the basil-lemon pesto sauce - combine basil, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped. Add extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Leftovers, if you’ve got them, will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To make the Portobello burgers -

Brush each mushroom on rounded underside and rim with about half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt. Place the mushroom heads, under sides down, on grill over medium-high heat. Grill for 3 minutes. Turn mushroom heads over and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, rotating each mushroom about half a turn after 2 minutes; until the bottoms are browned nicely.

Brush whole grain roll with extra virgin olive oil and place on the grill during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking.

Place a grilled mushroom, under side up, on the bottom half of your whole grain sandwich bread or roll. Fill each cap with about 3-4 teaspoons of the basil-lemon pesto and top with organic baby spinach leaves.

Serve alone or with a mixed salad and balsamic vinaigrette.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Message Of Love

I've been a big Pretenders fan since their heyday back in the 80's, and when Erika Brule (TH Birthday Bash coordinator) asked for my 15 favorite songs for the party, I had to put The Pretenders "Message Of Love" on the list. The lyrics in this song remind me of the effort put forth in this community to help and support each other.

MESSAGE OF LOVE

NOW THE REASON WE'RE HERE
AS MAN AND WOMAN
IS TO LOVE EACH OTHER
TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER
WHEN LOVE WALKS IN THE ROOM
EVERYBODY STAND UP
OH, IT'S GOOD, GOOD, GOOD
LIKE BRIGITTE BARDOT

NOW LOOK AT THE PEOPLE
IN THE STREETS, IN THE BARS
WE ARE ALL OF US IN THE GUTTER
BUT SOME OF US ARE LOOKING AT THE STARS
LOOK ROUND THE ROOM
LIFE IS UNKIND
WE FALL BUT WE KEEP GETTIN' UP
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER

ME AND YOU, EVERY NIGHT, EVERY DAY
WE'LL BE TOGETHER ALWAYS THIS WAY
YOUR EYES ARE BLUE LIKE THE HEAVENS ABOVE
TALK TO ME DARLIN' WITH A MESSAGE OF LOVE

NOW THE REASON WE'RE HERE
EVERY MAN, EVERY WOMAN
IS TO HELP EACH OTHER
STAND BY EACH OTHER
WHEN LOVE WALKS INTO THE ROOM
EVERYBODY STAND UP
OH IT'S GOOD, GOOD, GOOD
SAY I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Greatest Burrito In The World!

The T H Supreme Vegetarian Burrito

Recipe created by Missy Costello of Karma Chow

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Green or Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Vidalla Onion or Maui Onion, sliced thinly

1 cup dry Quinoa or Brown rice, cooked

2 cups water

½ small red onion, diced

1 - 15oz. can Organic Black Bean

½ c. Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes

3 tsp ground cumin

1 TBL Chili Powder (Mexican style blend)

1 tsp Sea Salt

Pepper to taste

2 TBL. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 Pkg. Sprouted or Whole Wheat Tortillas

Extras (optional):

Avocado

Cheese (preferably non-dairy)

Salsa

Tempeh Bacon (if you are using this, put it inside the burrito before rolling)

To Prepare:

Rinse quinoa or brown rice, and prepare according to package directions.

While quinoa/rice is cooking, heat 1 TBL of the Olive oil in a large skillet.  Add peppers & onions and sauté until soft – about 3-5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. cumin, Chili Powder, ½ tsp. sea salt and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, stirring to incorporate all the spices with the peppers & onions. Add Tomatoes and stir to mix. Lower heat and cover, cooking for about 5 minutes until peppers are really soft.

To prepare beans, heat remaining TBL of olive oil in a saucepan and add red onion. Saute the onion until soft. Add remaining 1 tsp of cumin and ½ tsp. salt, stir together. Add black beans and stir to incorporate all ingredients. Let cook for 1-2 minutes longer until beans are heated through. Add 1 cup of cooked quinoa or rice to the beans and stir together. Season with fresh ground pepper and remove from heat.

To Assemble:

Heat Tortilla shell over low open flame on stove to soften. Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a very small amount of grated cheese over entire tortilla. Add 1 scoop of pepper & onion mixture to bottom 1/3 of tortilla. Top with 1 scoop of quinoa/bean mixture. Add avocado (optional) and Roll!!!

Enjoy your burrito topped with heart healthy Salsa or a bit of guacamole!!

Makes 6-8 Burritos

Beyond The Walls


When I was a kid I was scared all of the time. I'm not kidding. All the time! Everything around me seemed frightening. I was so self conscience that I put up hundreds of barriers (in my mind) to keep me from changing and growing and exploring the things that would help me. As a boy I was convinced that I was dumb, weak & ugly. I walked around with that in my head 24/7. The one thing I had, was a sense of humor. Silliness saved my life. It was the one thing I could count on when things were looking bleak. 


Getting laughs helped me get by, but my brain and and heart were telling me that there was more to life. In my 20s I had the wherewithal to seek betterment for myself. At that time I was always stuck, lost (dazed) and confused. I hated it! In my stuckness I would try to figure things out alone. Without help. What an amazing waist of time. My intentions were so good, yet my results were so lousy. I would tell myself to be more positive, but I didn't know how to find the tools that could make that happen.

Thank God for self help books. The first one I ever read was Dr. Wayne Dyer's "Looking Out For Number 1". The book didn't change my life forever, but it did allow me to look at things in a new way. It gave me a new perpective to see beyond the walls I had created in my life. It was one tier on a long ladder to help me scale some of those walls.

This web site with it's message boards, chat rooms, WOWY, coaches threads and MyBeachbody are here as a support system to help you move beyond the walls that keep you from your life. You change, grow & learn every time you eat better than before. Every time you push play. Every time you listen to someone who asks for your help. Every time you look for help. 
~See Beyond The Walls In Front Of You ~ Bruce Springsteen

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

July 2nd 1958


50 years ago today in 1958 my mother was screaming! Today (fifty years later) my sister Mary Beth and I were in our parents den discussing the possibilities of cleaning out some of the old junk in their house. With that in mind I opened this cabinet behind a chair in the corner of our den. I saw an old metal filing box in the corner and my mother suggested that my original birth certificate might be in that box. We cracked it open and discovered that it was loaded with all kinds of ancient paperwork including many of my old report cards plus my original birth certificate. Wow! I've been home hundreds of times and never opened that cabinet or box before. On the day of my 50th birthday I find my birth certificate!? Weird. I learned today for the first time that I was born at 8:57 PM EST. My folks thought it was around 9:00, but weren't sure of the exact time. Now we know. There were report cards from first grade all the way through high school. We're going through them all and my mother finds and starts to read the written remarks on my first grade report-card. Miss Harris at Norwak Elementary School writes, "Anthony needs to read aloud daily during summer vacation. He lacks self-confidence when doing seat work (anyone remember what seat work is?). Anthony needs to accept the responsibility of school work. He is capable but has never completed an assignment without constant urging and encouragement. Anthony tries hard when it is his turn, but independently does little. Anthony is to be promoted to grade 2 but if his work habits do not improve, it may be necessary for him to repeat that grade. Promoted to Grade 2 Miss Harriss."

I got 3 Cs an A and one B. I got the A in WRITING. I got all three Cs in Reading with understanding, Reading with expression and Learning to attack new words. Can you believe there was a category on report cards in 1965 for ATTACKING NEW WORDS? Funny because now is one of my favorite things to do. Under "Personal Development" I received an "Indicates Weakness" for showing ability in working independently. But, under "Does Work Neatly" I received an "Indicates Strength" remark. The wildest part of this tale is that while we were all reading, laughing, remembering and commenting on my struggles as a wee lad, the P90X infomercial appears on the TV in the den. And we think we're pulling the strings. Sometimes I wonder. 
If Miss Harriss could only see me now.