I Found a New Friend!

You’re probably wondering who my new friend is. I have hit a bit of a plateau on my journey to wellness and I knew I needed to do something to get back on track. I am not going to give up! What was I going to do? I couldn’t reduce my caloric intake any lower, so I had to resort to other measures. So, I found this new friend. My friend’s name is Julie and she is my weight trainer. I am lucky to have a gym in my building, and I met Julie at the gym. We chatted quite a bit and she put together a customized workout plan just for my needs and abilities.

I am disabled in a sense that both of my knees have osteoarthritis and the doctors have recommended surgery, but weight loss must be first. The doctors and I are hopeful that weight loss will take the stress off of my knees and thus allowing me to avoid surgery.

Julie is awesome. She has me burning fat and using free weights. She also taught me exercises that I can do not only do in the gym but in my home, but also while watching TV or just sitting in a chair. I am extremely excited and energized.  

For anyone out there that has hit a plateau or needs to get back on track I recommend the following:

• Follow a sensible healthy eating program. Dieting does not work, but eating healthy foods do work. Be sure to include fresh veggies and fruit in your eating program.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Before grabbing something to eat, stop and think about how you feel. Are you really hungry or is eating become a habit? I grab a bottle of water and that usually satisfies me.
• Plan ahead. Make sure you have plenty of veggies cut up in your refrigerator that you can grab if you are hungry. Fruit is another great choice for a snack. My dining room bowl is filled with apples for me to eat if I am hungry.
• Take snacks on the go. I always have something in my handbag to snack on if I am not home. My favorite snack is the cheerios snack. I always have bags of these already made up in my refrigerator so I just grab one on my way out the door. It’s simple; 1/2 cup cheerios, 1/4 cup almonds and raisins. (This is a snack suggestion from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen and can be found in their book.) 
• Exercise; keep on moving! It is not possible for everyone to join a gym or have access to a trainer, yet walking is an excellent means of exercise.

Now you know all about my new friend. Wishing everyone a healthy New Year! Please let me know how you’re doing at Riare43a@aol.com.

Keep on Moving!