Running Against the Wind

I admit it, I love Bob Seger, his music strikes a cord with me and I feel that parts of my own experience can be captured in some of his songs. That is definitely the case this week! I feel as though I have been running against the wind. For the past 2 and 1/2 years I have been on an incredible journey. I have made great strides and with God's help have accomplished more than I had ever dreamed possible, to which I am so thankful!! With that being said, I still struggle and this week has been a rough week. As I have said before my weight loss has slowed down, which I am ok with. I have accomplished so much and I know that I am living a healthy lifestyle so I am letting the rest of the numbers be whatever they will be. I would love to shed a few more pounds but we will see where that goes. That is not the issue that has discouraged me this week. I feel like I have been running against the wind when it comes to my energy level. I have dealt with a lack of energy for the past 10 days like I have never experienced in the past 2 years. At first I thought I was getting sick with a cold which never fully developed. As time went by I could not blame the sickness but nevertheless I was an engine that was way low on steam. This had such negative effects on my exercise routine. My running program has been compromised and cardio has almost been non-existent for the past several days! I say this here to let you know that we all have challenges when it comes to our exercise and diet. Even after a couple of years I run into road blocks from time to time. The difference for us comes when we push through this, which I will do and you will to, if you choose to. Let me let you in on a little secret. One day or one week does not define your success! I know this for a fact! You and I are on a journey that is about distance and endurance. There will be days that we have to stop but we start again. DO NOT GIVE UP!

The good news is, I think I may have found a reason for my energy vacuum. After discussions with Mandy this past week I discovered that some of my food choices, though very healthy, were not giving me adequate iron levels. So the past 2 days I have been eating some foods that are rich in iron. As of this morning I feel that I am gaining steam. The lesson here for all of us is to keep going, sure you have to stop a day or two but then go back and give it all you have! I may be running against the wind this week but hey I am still running!! :)

Till next time... Travis

Spice it up!!

Hi everyone I hope you have had a wonderful week. We are getting ready to close out January and that means we are getting closer to spring, well at lest I can see the glass half full right? :) If you are living in the south I hear we may see highs in the 60's this weekend!!! I intend to get out and get some vitamin D and exercise this weekend and I hope that you can do the same. Take a walk or stroll, moving is good for the body and the soul!

As we close out the month I wonder how you are doing on your goals? Maybe you are right on track and maybe there have been some bumps in the road either way you can still do this! One of the obstacles that people face is getting bored with their food choices. If you are going to stick with this lifestyle change thing, then you have to get creative. That's right, you have the right to be innovative when it comes to how you prepare your food!! One of the great joys I have found in the last two and half years is learning all these new ways to prepare food. I have found some great substitutes for my old favorites and then there have been times that my experiments have not turned out so well. The story of my attempt at making "healthy" chocolate no bake cookies has become folklore amongst the family. Then there has been success, such as when I took a suggestion from a friend and found that plain strained Greek yogurt works great as a substitute for sour cream! You should try it, it really is good.

I challenge you, look for ways to make new "favorite" dishes. Will it taste exactly like the fried additive filled concoction that you were used to? Of course not, but you will find that your body will love you for filling it with healthy nutrients. Before long you will be surprised to find that you will start craving the new healthy dishes that you are creating!! Don't sabotage your hard work and commitment by getting bored with the same old food. Fill the cabinets with wholesome ingrediants and get in that kitchen and work your magic. Remember if you need a taster I'm just an email away :)

Till next time... Travis

Something not quite right?

Hello everyone, I hope that you have had a good week up to this point. We are on the down hill slide to the weekend!!!! I wanted to give you a quick message about something that is common among many of us when we initially change our diets and increase our exercise. This is the feeling of being unsettled or feeling blue. When you make positive changes in your diet and begin to exercise it is not uncommon for a week or so to actually feel worse than before you began your change. I know I know, that sounds terrible doesn't it? I mean you have made these great sacrifices and you are moving in the right direction and now I am telling you that you may feel sluggish or depressed in the first couple of weeks??? Here is the deal, you are making changes to yourself and to your environment and your body has to adjust to that. Some of the unhealthy food choices you had been making may have created a chemical reaction in which now you are withdrawing. Sound like addiction? Yes it is not unlike that, unfortunately most of the processed food that you may have been eating was actually poisoning you and creating a dependency. I don't mean to sound extreme but there is a bunch of research that points to this being fact. So between the fact that your body is trying to figure out this new regiment and the fact that you may be detoxing from an unhealthy diet, you may initially feel tired, irritable, and down and out.

This is also accompanied by the fact that you are now physically working hard. When you begin exercise you are physically sore but you also are opening a way for your emotions to find an outlet. There is something about sweating that opens up some of the "stuff" we have been bottling up in our life. It is not unusual during or after a work out to feel emotional. Its OK, this is a time to get some of this "stuff" out and this is a healthy way to do it! This may last for a week or two before you feel better and you may see this same pattern each time you increase your exercise or make a new change in your diet. Hang in there all this doesn't last forever and you will find that if you keep a healthy diet and exercise that you will be happier and have more energy than ever before, but for some you will need to work through this. DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! You can do this, as I said in an earlier post, you will have step outside your comfort zone but when you do you will be heading in the right direction!

Till next time.... Travis

We Have a Winner!!!

Ok everyone we have a winner, no wait make that 2 winners! Yes I have decided to give away 2 copies of the book. The winners are...... Amber and Crystal R! I'll wait for the confetti to subside................. Now I need for these people 2 individuals to email me a place I can mail their copy of the "The Maker's Diet For Weight Loss." Email tsmithnc@gmail.com I didn’t want any of the rest of you to turn up empty handed so here is the consolation prize. Below you will find a great recipe for a Raw Berry Crisp this comes via our friends at Whole Foods Market. You will notice it’s not extremely low in calories. Its dessert people!!! Enjoy it in its proper serving :) It is made with nutritious ingredients and is gluten free!



Serves 8
Rich nuts and sweet dates make a tasty topping for mixed berries in this no-cook version of berry crisp.

Ingredients
6 cups mixed berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, more or less to taste depending on sweetness of berries
1 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
In a (7- x 11-inch) dish, toss berries with maple syrup. Put pecans, walnuts, dates and cinnamon into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Scatter nut mixture over berries and serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 5oz/146g-wt.): 240 calories (140 from fat), 16g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 25g total carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 16g sugar), 5g protein

Easy as 123

OK here we are in 2011. You made it through the weekend so how are those resolutions going? Maybe you had a few hiccups.. no big deal. You are so much more than one day, besides your goals will not be made or lost in the work of one day or weekend. The work you are beginning is about a change in the way you live!

I wanted to start the week off with another ingredient to being successful in your wellness goals. That ingredient is: Consistency. I eluded to this in the last post when I talked about the importance of accountability. Whether it is your menu choices or your exercise plan you have to develop some regularity to be successful. Human nature is that we are creatures of habit, so your goal is to develop some healthy habits and the way that you do that is to commit yourself to a diet and exercise routine and keep on schedule. The first step is to be reasonable. If you are starting an exercise plan or restarting a plan, set attainable goals. Maybe it is to walk outside or on the treadmill 3 times a week. I promise as you make progress and feel better you will want to increase your exercise because you are seeing results. Start slow and start with a plan that you can keep on schedule. This applies for your food choices as well. Develop a food plan that you can live by. Remember this is a change not a one shot diet! Lets stop the all soup for a week, watermelon the next week, and then eat fried chicken for 4 days straight diet :) !

One of the changes that I made in my eating choices was to go clean and organic. This has made a big difference for me. I would say that I eat about 80-90% organic. There are many reasons for this and I will dedicate a later post to the benefits of organic. That's just one example of how I changed my food choice that was not all about losing weight. So develop consistency within your eating. Maybe there is someone who works at your local gym who can guide you on some positive food choices. Health care systems have dietitians and you can schedule an appointment with the dietitian through your physician or in some cases calling yourself. Of course I will be providing my 2 cents worth here as well from time to time. The issue is develop consistency in your eating choices. If you need help with the exercise plan schedule an appointment with a trainer at your local gym. Any exercise is better than no exercise so just get moving. Remember consistency is your friend and will help you attain your goals.

Till next time... Travis

Get The Party Started

Do you have a New Year's resolution? Many people will be committing to do something different in 2011. You can probably guess that one of the most popular resolutions each year relates to fitness and health. Thousands of people will aspire to lose weight and become healthier in the next year. I hope and pray that many will succeed. I know that they can, I know that you can! There are many important factors in a positive change for health but let me just drop 2 ideas that are very and I mean VERY important.

1. Leave comfort behind! What I mean here is that if you want to work on your health in 2011 then you have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone. To succeed you must take risks and there will be times that you are uncomfortable. Hey, if losing weight was easy and effortless, well then I would not be writing these words, because we all would be in great shape. Truth is, losing weight and taking care of our health takes work and I mean hard work! So be willing to be uncomfortable. For some that may mean that you join a gym despite the fact that you are embarrassed about your weight. Others may have to set that alarm a little earlier to get some much needed cardio into your routine. None of us are perfect all the time but you must develop consistency and be willing to get outside your comfort areas.

2. Be Accountable! Studies prove over and over that when we are accountable we are more likely to stick with a plan. I want to encourage you to find a way to be accountable. You need someone in your life that will NOT let you off the hook so easy. It is great if you could find a workout partner or someone who can walk with you at a certain time. If that can not happen, then find someone who doesn't mind checking in with you from time to time to make sure you are sticking with your wellness plan. As I said, this person needs to be someone who can be confrontational in an appropriate way.

So there you have 2 IMPORTANT keys to being successful if you have a wellness goal in 2011. These have been cornerstones in my own journey. Keep checking back and I will keep posting. I have some plans for the blog in the new year. Some of those plans include chances for you to win some cool stuff! I will be giving away a few things from time to time. I hope everyone has a fun but safe new year's eve! Stay tuned and remember all your hard work, discomfort, and accountability will be worth it! You are worth it!

Till next time...
Travis

Happy Holidays

Hello everyone, I hope that you had a Merry Christmas! I know I know, it has been a while since I posted and I am sure that some of you have wondered if I was ever going to post again. I am sorry it has taken me so long to post. I would love to tell you some story about how I have been out doing such meaningful work that has enhanced the human race that I have simply not had the time to post one word. Well I cant say that but I will tell you that I am sorry that I have not updated lately and I intend to do better. I know that many of you do read this blog and you have been kind enough to email, twitter, or facebook me and tell me what my story has meant to you. For your kind and encouraging words I say thank you!! I enjoy reading what you all have to say and I appreciate that you take the time to read my thoughts. With that being said I intend to make some commitments. I have decided to make frequent blogging one of my new year's resolutions. Who knows I may even throw in a vlog from time to time, yes I am crazy like that!

Now I admit I do not have the need to tell the virtual world every time I decide to go for a run or workout, so I intend to keep my post to at least 1 time a week and sometimes maybe 2. I also want to keep the words to a reasonable limit. I think in the past I have had long entries and that overwhelms me and probably you the reader as well. So after this entry, I will attempt to be brief with my updates, a few paragraphs at the most. So there you have it, my commitment to write at least once a week on the wellness blog. Feel free to ridicule me and harass me if I do not hold up to this resolution. Now on to an actual update on my wellness and weight loss.

I am continuing to work on my own health, back last spring I picked up running and have now ran two 5Ks and am currently training for my first 10K!!! I remember back when the only running I thought of was running to the kitchen :)! My how times have changed. I am very slow when it comes to running but I am loving it! I have found nothing that challenges me more and works my WHOLE body like running. When I first started, I would walk 3 miles, within that walk I would try to run 1min and then walk. Gradually I built up to running the entire time but that didn't happen fast. So, remember if you decide to start running take it slow and gradually work your way up.

My weight loss continues but it has slowed down. I am totally OK with that, I have come a long way!!! To date I have lost 222 pounds. If I do not lose another pound that is fine. I am continuing to eat healthy and exercise consistently and I am letting the rest fall into place. I believe that living a healthy lifestyle is much more than just numbers on the scale. OK thanks for reading everyone and look for more consistent posts soon and as I said maybe even some video messages from yours truly.

Till next time.... Travis