Is my mind. And frankly it's starting to piss me off. When I was buried under depression, floating through life, I didn't care. Well, I didn't really care about anything. Now that I do, I find it very frustrating.
I know what I need to do. I know how to do what I need to do. I have most of the tools and skills to do what I know I need to do. I just seem to get lost between knowing and doing. My motivation disperses, like morning fog on the wind of summers afternoon. Poof. Gone. I find my mind sinking back in to old habits, even though I know better.
It's hugely frustrating. I let myself make so many excuses for not. That's something I excel at. You need an excuse for not, I can come up with one. I have plenty of reason to. No shortage of those. I know them all. All the reasons I should. All the reasons I need to. Even many reasons I want to. But when it comes time to do. I fail.
I know that part of it is simply the old life trying to escape its prison. Some of it is still the depression fighting back, trying to keep me down. I have to regularly take a blunt object to it and beat it back into its cave.
I don't know how to turn the know and need into the do. I must figure that out. On a regular and consistent basis. I can think about it, write about and learn about it all I want, it does no good without doing it.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Shirley, there must be a point to all of this
Right? OK, so I'm feeling a little overwhelmed today. Just kind of looped from it all. Happens to me on occasion. In the past I would let it get to me and send me spiraling off into the depths of the hell that is depression. Now I take it for what it really is, a message to slow things down, pause, regroup, think and plan.
OK, what the hell was I gonna write in here. I had a thought, I lost it. That happens to me a lot. Maybe I should have been blond. Or maybe my brain is just full. Or maybe I have so much going on in my head that I can't keep things in order. Kind of like a messy garage.
Oh, I remember now. So I was thinking as I was laying in bed last night, about all that I've been through in my life. All the times I should have been dead or seriously injured and I walked away, mostly. Yes, I've got a collection of scars. Many of them. I've done some very stupid things and walked away, or in some cases crawled and then limped. But I'm still here. Why?
How have I survived all that I've seen? How am I still in mostly one piece? And why. I'm not a religious person at all. Not even a "spiritual" person. But I wonder, at this point in my life, what the reason is. Luck? I don't believe in luck. Skill? Hardly. Taking blows to the head takes no skill.
I don't know, I guess I'm missing something. Or have yet to experience something. All I know is, I've been through things that would have killed most people and I've survived. I've sunk very low and come close to suicide more times than I can count or care to think about. But I'm still here. I've experienced physical and mental pain that is indescribable and I'm still here. Am I just stubborn? I've been pushed to the edge of sanity and returned. More than once.
Another thing I've realized and accepted. I earned my aches and pains. I'm fat, but I know why. And I know what I need to do to fix that problem. One day at a time, one step at a time.
But I still feel like I'm missing something. I've felt that way most of my life. Like I should be doing something, but I don't know what that something is. I feel like a lost piece looking for the puzzle. That spot that I fit in perfectly. That spot that completes something. I yearn for that spot, but I know not where to look. It calls to me, but I am to far away to follow the sound.
OK, what the hell was I gonna write in here. I had a thought, I lost it. That happens to me a lot. Maybe I should have been blond. Or maybe my brain is just full. Or maybe I have so much going on in my head that I can't keep things in order. Kind of like a messy garage.
Oh, I remember now. So I was thinking as I was laying in bed last night, about all that I've been through in my life. All the times I should have been dead or seriously injured and I walked away, mostly. Yes, I've got a collection of scars. Many of them. I've done some very stupid things and walked away, or in some cases crawled and then limped. But I'm still here. Why?
How have I survived all that I've seen? How am I still in mostly one piece? And why. I'm not a religious person at all. Not even a "spiritual" person. But I wonder, at this point in my life, what the reason is. Luck? I don't believe in luck. Skill? Hardly. Taking blows to the head takes no skill.
I don't know, I guess I'm missing something. Or have yet to experience something. All I know is, I've been through things that would have killed most people and I've survived. I've sunk very low and come close to suicide more times than I can count or care to think about. But I'm still here. I've experienced physical and mental pain that is indescribable and I'm still here. Am I just stubborn? I've been pushed to the edge of sanity and returned. More than once.
Another thing I've realized and accepted. I earned my aches and pains. I'm fat, but I know why. And I know what I need to do to fix that problem. One day at a time, one step at a time.
But I still feel like I'm missing something. I've felt that way most of my life. Like I should be doing something, but I don't know what that something is. I feel like a lost piece looking for the puzzle. That spot that I fit in perfectly. That spot that completes something. I yearn for that spot, but I know not where to look. It calls to me, but I am to far away to follow the sound.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Exhaustion.
How many times in life have you reached that point where you are just completely and utterly exhausted? I know over the last few years of my life I have gotten to that point numerous times. Always for reasons I didn't understand. Sleep apnia, depression, massive amounts of stress. They all added up.
Now, I understand those reasons. I'm aware of them and what they do to me. But this has been different the last several days. This has been a full body, mind and spirit exhaustion. A feeling of being completely drained. Not caused by depression or poor sleep. Not even caused by stress. It seems to be caused by a great deal of inner reflection. Of thought. Of contemplation of past, present and future. Of thinking about the now and the later. It's tiring. Truly.
It's funny to me when I sit and think about my past. The places I've been, the things I've experienced. I've always focused on the negative and never given the positive much thought at all. Until now. All things considered I've had a pretty god damn awesome life. I can't believe it's taken me this many years to finally realize that. I've seen and done things most people only hear about or see on television.
I forgot where I was going with this. I tend to get side tracked, not only in writing, but in life. In thinking, in living, in relationships. Easily distracted? Perhaps. Or maybe I'm still looking for something I have yet to find. A purpose to it all. I just don't know.
One of many reasons for me deciding to fix my self, my body, my health is because I have so many things I still want to do. I don't have a bucket list, I have a life list. But in order to do those things I have to first be alive and second be able to move. So the mission to better my health began.
The last several days I have slacked in that department. At least with the physical health. But I have come a long way mentally. Just to lay in bed, in a dark, cool, quiet room and think about.....everything. To let thoughts flow over me one by one. To be able to pull the thoughts out of nothing and work on them, like a puzzle. To find the peaces I thought lost long ago and put them in place. To put my mind back together. Exhausting. But oh so satisfying.
I know where I've been. I finally understand what it did to me and how it has affected my life, my decisions and my health. I accept the past. I know where I am and how I here. I know the choices I made, good and bad, to bring me to my current place in life. Some of it I wouldn't trade for the world. Some of it I wish I could simply erase. But I can't. I am here. I brought me here. I accept my present.
This leaves the future. So many possibilities. So many directions to go. So many choices to make. This is what leaves me exhausted of late. The future. The
uncertainty of it. The infinite possibilities. I feel like..........
Now, I understand those reasons. I'm aware of them and what they do to me. But this has been different the last several days. This has been a full body, mind and spirit exhaustion. A feeling of being completely drained. Not caused by depression or poor sleep. Not even caused by stress. It seems to be caused by a great deal of inner reflection. Of thought. Of contemplation of past, present and future. Of thinking about the now and the later. It's tiring. Truly.
I forgot where I was going with this. I tend to get side tracked, not only in writing, but in life. In thinking, in living, in relationships. Easily distracted? Perhaps. Or maybe I'm still looking for something I have yet to find. A purpose to it all. I just don't know.
One of many reasons for me deciding to fix my self, my body, my health is because I have so many things I still want to do. I don't have a bucket list, I have a life list. But in order to do those things I have to first be alive and second be able to move. So the mission to better my health began.
The last several days I have slacked in that department. At least with the physical health. But I have come a long way mentally. Just to lay in bed, in a dark, cool, quiet room and think about.....everything. To let thoughts flow over me one by one. To be able to pull the thoughts out of nothing and work on them, like a puzzle. To find the peaces I thought lost long ago and put them in place. To put my mind back together. Exhausting. But oh so satisfying.
I know where I've been. I finally understand what it did to me and how it has affected my life, my decisions and my health. I accept the past. I know where I am and how I here. I know the choices I made, good and bad, to bring me to my current place in life. Some of it I wouldn't trade for the world. Some of it I wish I could simply erase. But I can't. I am here. I brought me here. I accept my present.
This leaves the future. So many possibilities. So many directions to go. So many choices to make. This is what leaves me exhausted of late. The future. The
uncertainty of it. The infinite possibilities. I feel like..........
I
I'm at the base of this tree. The tree of life. And I have so many branches above me, waiting for me to climb them. But I have to choose carefully, some of the branches are not strong enough to support me. Others lead to nothing. Still others just bring you back to where you started. Some branches I have already traveled and know where they lead to. Unfortunately I failed to mark them when I traveled them.
Laying at the base of any other tree would be relaxing. Comforting. A nice way to spend a sunny afternoon in the spring. But staring up at the tree of life and wondering what branch you should take, exhausting. But at least I'm looking up now. Now it's time to go back to working on the body again. I think it's less exhausting.
Friday, November 18, 2011
On a personal note;
I know I've said it before. I despise this time of year. For soooo many reasons. But the worst one of all is the way I feel. Drained, unmotivated, constantly tired. I feel like I should go find a cave and just hibernated for the next 4 months. Wake up when the sun comes out again.
This part of the year kills my will to eat right. I want meat and potatoes. I want bread and pasta. I want carbs. Exercise? Bleh. I don't even want to go outside. It's wet. Just.....................wet. That's what it does here. It pisses for several months. We don't get good storms, we rarely get snow. It's just wet and gray and wet. Did I mention wet?
I am trying very hard to keep motivated and keep on track. I'm finding it just a little harder with every crappy day.
This part of the year kills my will to eat right. I want meat and potatoes. I want bread and pasta. I want carbs. Exercise? Bleh. I don't even want to go outside. It's wet. Just.....................wet. That's what it does here. It pisses for several months. We don't get good storms, we rarely get snow. It's just wet and gray and wet. Did I mention wet?
I am trying very hard to keep motivated and keep on track. I'm finding it just a little harder with every crappy day.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Pilates. I'm gonna give it a go
The majority of information I'm putting in here came from ask.com. I'm putting it here essentially for my own personal reference so it's all in one spot.
The next 30 days could very well transform your life. You will learn not just what to do, but how to move with the Pilates principles of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow that make Pilates a body/mind fitness experience.
The links in the program below will take you to detailed exercise instructions that include modifications, but it is important that you learn to modify exercises appropriately for yourself, and progress at you own pace. The weekly schedules below are guides only. It is also highly recommended that you support your home practice with Pilates classes.
Ready? Let's go!
What you need:
The Pilates method begins with your body and a mat on the floor. That's it. If you don't have a mat, start with a padded surface, but do consider getting a Pilates mat.
Day One
1) Bookmark this page. You will need refer back to it throughout your program.
2) Begin with the Pilates Fundamentals Set
These easy exercises are crucial to building good form in Pilates exercises. It is in doing Pilates exercises with good form that you will receive the most benefits from Pilates.
3) Do the Pilates Beginners Routine
This routine is going to launch you right in to building core strength and flexibility.
4) Sign up for the free e-course, Essential Pilates in 7 Days
This is a very important step. Pilates is about how you do the exercises and there are many techniques in this e-course that will help you get the most out of your Pilates workouts.
Congratulations on your first day of Pilates! You can do Pilates every day, but it is quite reasonable to expect good results from scheduling Pilates 3 to 4 times per week.
Let's move on to your week one and beyond plan:
Week 1 (days 2 through 7)
1) Read the lessons and do the exercises in your Essential Pilates e-course
2) Continue your Pilates Fundamentals training.
3) Continue the Pilates Beginners Routine
Week 2
1) Warm up with the fundamentals. Add these exercises:
pelvic curl
cat/cow back stretch
arms reach and pull
2) Move on to the First 10 Classic Pilates Exercises + the side kick series
(If the Beginner Exercise Routine continues to challenge you, stick with it until you are ready to move on.)
Week 3
1) Warm up with the fundamentals and additional exercises chosen from the warm up list.
2) Do the first 10 exercises listed in the Classic Pilates Exercises.
Add to that:
saw
swan prep
side kick series
leg pull front
pilates push up
*note that links to these exercises can be found at the bottom of the first 10 classic exercises.
Week 4
1) Warm up with the fundamentals and additional exercises chosen from the warm up list.
2) Do first 10 classic exercises and add:
single straight leg stretch
double leg lower lift
criss cross
saw
swan with neck roll
side kick series
teaser with one leg
swimming
leg pull front
seal
pilates push up
Centering, Concentration, Control,
Precision, Breath, and Flow
For many, these six principles are the foundation of the Pilates approach to exercise. Their application to the Pilates method of exercise is part of what makes it unique in the fitness world.
It is important to note that Joseph Pilates did not directly set out the Pilates principles. They are concepts distilled from Joseph Pilates' work by later instructors. Because of this, there is not always agreement in the Pilates community about the order of the principles, the specific words used for certain concepts, or the number of principles. Nevertheless, you will find some version of the Pilates principles--similar to what I present here--to be part of almost any Pilates training program you pursue.
Joseph Pilates originally called his work "contrology." He considered this to be a body/mind/spirit approach to movement founded on the integrative effect of principles such as centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. Whether one is working out on a mat or using Pilates equipment, like the reformer or cadillac, these basic principles infuse each exercise with intention and fullness of expression:
30 Day Quick-Start Guide to Beginner Pilates Exercises
Interested in Pilates? Here's How to Get Started - Fast
By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide
Updated October 28, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
See More About:
Pilates Leg Pull Front Exercise
(c)2007, Marguerite OgleA few well-designed movements properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortions.This beginner Pilates exercise program is designed to help you build a strong foundation in the Pilates method. It is based on the classical Pilates exercises as developed by Joseph Pilates.
quote from Joseph Pilates
The next 30 days could very well transform your life. You will learn not just what to do, but how to move with the Pilates principles of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow that make Pilates a body/mind fitness experience.
The links in the program below will take you to detailed exercise instructions that include modifications, but it is important that you learn to modify exercises appropriately for yourself, and progress at you own pace. The weekly schedules below are guides only. It is also highly recommended that you support your home practice with Pilates classes.
Ready? Let's go!
What you need:
The Pilates method begins with your body and a mat on the floor. That's it. If you don't have a mat, start with a padded surface, but do consider getting a Pilates mat.
Day One
1) Bookmark this page. You will need refer back to it throughout your program.
2) Begin with the Pilates Fundamentals Set
These easy exercises are crucial to building good form in Pilates exercises. It is in doing Pilates exercises with good form that you will receive the most benefits from Pilates.
3) Do the Pilates Beginners Routine
This routine is going to launch you right in to building core strength and flexibility.
4) Sign up for the free e-course, Essential Pilates in 7 Days
This is a very important step. Pilates is about how you do the exercises and there are many techniques in this e-course that will help you get the most out of your Pilates workouts.
Congratulations on your first day of Pilates! You can do Pilates every day, but it is quite reasonable to expect good results from scheduling Pilates 3 to 4 times per week.
Let's move on to your week one and beyond plan:
Week 1 (days 2 through 7)
1) Read the lessons and do the exercises in your Essential Pilates e-course
2) Continue your Pilates Fundamentals training.
3) Continue the Pilates Beginners Routine
Week 2
1) Warm up with the fundamentals. Add these exercises:
pelvic curl
cat/cow back stretch
arms reach and pull
2) Move on to the First 10 Classic Pilates Exercises + the side kick series
(If the Beginner Exercise Routine continues to challenge you, stick with it until you are ready to move on.)
Week 3
1) Warm up with the fundamentals and additional exercises chosen from the warm up list.
2) Do the first 10 exercises listed in the Classic Pilates Exercises.
Add to that:
saw
swan prep
side kick series
leg pull front
pilates push up
*note that links to these exercises can be found at the bottom of the first 10 classic exercises.
Week 4
1) Warm up with the fundamentals and additional exercises chosen from the warm up list.
2) Do first 10 classic exercises and add:
single straight leg stretch
double leg lower lift
criss cross
saw
swan with neck roll
side kick series
teaser with one leg
swimming
leg pull front
seal
pilates push up
Six Pilates Principles
By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide
Updated October 09, 2011
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
See More About:
Susie Haggas and Student
Courtesy of Kolesar StudiosPrecision, Breath, and Flow
For many, these six principles are the foundation of the Pilates approach to exercise. Their application to the Pilates method of exercise is part of what makes it unique in the fitness world.
It is important to note that Joseph Pilates did not directly set out the Pilates principles. They are concepts distilled from Joseph Pilates' work by later instructors. Because of this, there is not always agreement in the Pilates community about the order of the principles, the specific words used for certain concepts, or the number of principles. Nevertheless, you will find some version of the Pilates principles--similar to what I present here--to be part of almost any Pilates training program you pursue.
Joseph Pilates originally called his work "contrology." He considered this to be a body/mind/spirit approach to movement founded on the integrative effect of principles such as centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. Whether one is working out on a mat or using Pilates equipment, like the reformer or cadillac, these basic principles infuse each exercise with intention and fullness of expression:
- Centering: Physically bringing the focus to the center of the body, the powerhouse area between the lower ribs and pubic bone. Energetically, Pilates exercises are sourced from center.
- Concentration: If one brings full attention to the
exercise and does it with full commitment, maximum value will be
obtained from each movement.
- Control: Every Pilates exercise is done with complete muscular control. No body part is left to its own devices.
- Precision: In Pilates, awareness is sustained throughout
each movement. There is an appropriate placement, alignment relative to
other body parts, and trajectory for each part of the body.
- Breath: Joseph Pilates
emphasized using a very full breath in his exercises. He advocated
thinking of the lungs as a bellows -- using them strongly to pump the
air fully in and out of the body. Most Pilates exercises coordinate with
the breath, and using the breath properly is an integral part of
Pilates exercise.
Learn more: Breathing in Pilates
Flow: Pilates exercise is done in a flowing manner. Fluidity, grace, and ease are goals applied to all exercises. The energy of an exercise connects all body parts and flows through the body in an even way. Pilates equipment, like the reformer, are very good mirrors of one's flow and concentration as they tend to bang around and suddenly become quite "machine-like" if one loses ones control and flow.
Pilates Fundamental Exercises
Learn Basic Movement Principles
By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide
Updated January 07, 2011
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
See More About:
This is a set of deceptively easy exercises. They are
exercises that teach the basic movement principles upon which Pilates
exercises build. Pilates is a "functional fitness" method. That means that these principles translate directly into better posture and graceful, efficient movement in everyday life.
Use these Pilates fundamental moves to open any workout routine. They establish torso stability, pelvic stability, abdominal engagement, good alignment, and greater range of motion for the limbs.
Use these Pilates fundamental moves to open any workout routine. They establish torso stability, pelvic stability, abdominal engagement, good alignment, and greater range of motion for the limbs.
1. Starting Position - Constructive Rest - Neutral Spine
Peak Pilates
The
exercise we do to find neutral spine is a press of the lower back into
the floor (creating a flat back), then a release of the spine into a
small arch. Between these two points is a place where the 3 curves of
the spine are in their natural position. This will be the start position from which we will do the rest of this set of fundamental exercises.
The Basic Move:
The Basic Move:
- Lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Your knees are bent and your legs and feet are parallel to each other, about hip distance apart.
- Inhale.
- Exhale and use your abs to press your lower spine into the floor.
- Inhale to release.
- Exhale and pull your lower spine up, creating a small arch of the low back.
- Inhale to release.
2. Head Nod
(c)2009,Marguerite Ogle
Head
nod is an extension of the lengthening of the spine that we go for in
Pilates. It is an integral part of the many Pilates exercises that
articulate the spine in forward bends and rolling exercises.
Begin in the start position.
Inhale to lengthen the spine and tilt the chin down toward the chest. Your head stays on the mat.
Exhale to return to the neutral position
Inhale to tip the head back a little bit
Exhale to return to the neutral position
Begin in the start position.
Inhale to lengthen the spine and tilt the chin down toward the chest. Your head stays on the mat.
Exhale to return to the neutral position
Inhale to tip the head back a little bit
Exhale to return to the neutral position
3. Arms Over
(c)2007, Marguerite Ogle
Arms
over is about keeping our alignment as the torso is challenged by the
arms moving overhead. It also helps us increase our range of motion in
the shoulders.
The Basic Move:
From the start position, inhale to bring the fingertips up to the ceiling.
Exhale to bring the arms down toward the floor behind you.
Inhale to bring the arms up again.
Exhale to release to the floor.
Tips:
Keep the abs engaged.
Do not let the movement of the arms effect the alignment of your ribs.
The Basic Move:
From the start position, inhale to bring the fingertips up to the ceiling.
Exhale to bring the arms down toward the floor behind you.
Inhale to bring the arms up again.
Exhale to release to the floor.
Tips:
Keep the abs engaged.
Do not let the movement of the arms effect the alignment of your ribs.
4. Angel Arms
SXC
Though
it engages some different muscles, angel arms, like arms over, helps
you perfect your understanding of how how to use the arms and shoulders
without losing the alignment of your back and ribcage.
The Basic Move:
From the basic position, on an in-breath, the arms sweep out to the sides along the floor.
Exhale to return the arms by your sides.
Tips:
The abs stay engaged.
The ribs stay down.
The shoulders do not go up with the arms. Keep them away from your ears.
The Basic Move:
From the basic position, on an in-breath, the arms sweep out to the sides along the floor.
Exhale to return the arms by your sides.
Tips:
The abs stay engaged.
The ribs stay down.
The shoulders do not go up with the arms. Keep them away from your ears.
5. Pelvic Clock
SXC
A
subtle yet deeply revealing move, pelvic clock increases awareness of
pelvic position and strengthens the muscles we need for pelvic
stability.
The Basic Move:
Imagine there is a clock placed flat on your lower abs. The 12 is at your bellybutton, the 3 is on your left hip, the 6 is at your pubic bone, and the 9 is on your right hip.
Using your abdominal muscles to initiate and control the movement, sequentially move around the clock pulling first the 12 down, then rotate to the 3, the 6, and nine.
Tips:
This is a small move.
The hips do not pull up off the floor.
The idea is to move the pelvis without affecting the stability of the rest of the body.
The Basic Move:
Imagine there is a clock placed flat on your lower abs. The 12 is at your bellybutton, the 3 is on your left hip, the 6 is at your pubic bone, and the 9 is on your right hip.
Using your abdominal muscles to initiate and control the movement, sequentially move around the clock pulling first the 12 down, then rotate to the 3, the 6, and nine.
Tips:
This is a small move.
The hips do not pull up off the floor.
The idea is to move the pelvis without affecting the stability of the rest of the body.
6. Knee Folds
(c)2007, Marguerite Ogle
Being
able to move your leg in the hip socket without effecting the the
stability of the pelvis is one of the most important goals of knee
folds. This kind of activity is important in all kinds of movements that
we do in everyday life, such as sitting, walking and lifting.
The Basic Move:
From the start position, On an inhale, feel that you are using your abdominal muscles to lift one leg off the floor. Allow a deep fold at the hip.
Exhale and return your foot to the floor. As you do so, be sure to use abdominal control. Don't let the thigh take over.
Tip:
This is about getting a deep fold at the hip so don't let your hip raise up with the leg.
Keep your tailbone anchored on the mat.
The Basic Move:
From the start position, On an inhale, feel that you are using your abdominal muscles to lift one leg off the floor. Allow a deep fold at the hip.
Exhale and return your foot to the floor. As you do so, be sure to use abdominal control. Don't let the thigh take over.
Tip:
This is about getting a deep fold at the hip so don't let your hip raise up with the leg.
Keep your tailbone anchored on the mat.
Beginner Pilates Exercises
By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide
Updated May 09, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
See More About:
This list of beginner exercises is designed help you build familiarity with Pilates mat exercises. These exercises develop the core strength, stability, and flexibility that Pilates is famous for.
To help you build a balanced routine, I have noted the muscular focus for each exercise. Please keep in mind that all Pilates exercises engage the core abdominal muscles.
There are modification notes in the full instructions for each exercise. You may want to review the Pilates Fundamentals and the Pilates Exercise Modification Tips before you begin.
To help you build a balanced routine, I have noted the muscular focus for each exercise. Please keep in mind that all Pilates exercises engage the core abdominal muscles.
There are modification notes in the full instructions for each exercise. You may want to review the Pilates Fundamentals and the Pilates Exercise Modification Tips before you begin.
1. Pilates Warm-Up Exercises
courtesy of Peak Pilates
The
warm-up exercises are very important in teaching the foundations of
Pilates movement. They also prepare the body for safely executing more
challenging exercises later. I suggest that you choose at least two or
three to begin each Pilates routine you do.
2. Chest Lift
by Peter Kramer, courtesy of Kolesar Studios
Muscular focus: abdominals--especially upper abs
Tips: This is not a crunch. The abdominals must be pulled way down into a deep scoop as you use them to control a slow, smooth curl up and roll down.
Tips: This is not a crunch. The abdominals must be pulled way down into a deep scoop as you use them to control a slow, smooth curl up and roll down.
3. The Hundred
courtesy of Peak Pilates
Muscular focus: abdominals, breathing
Tips: Your abdominals will be deeply pulled in, so you will have to use your full lung capacity by breathing into your back and lower ribs. Use your abs to hold yourself up--don't get caught up in your shoulders and neck.
Tips: Your abdominals will be deeply pulled in, so you will have to use your full lung capacity by breathing into your back and lower ribs. Use your abs to hold yourself up--don't get caught up in your shoulders and neck.
4. The Roll Up
(c)2006 Marguerite Ogle
Muscular focus: abdominals
Tips: Use your abdominals to roll up and down with control. Do not rely on momentum or letting your legs lift off the mat.
Tips: Use your abdominals to roll up and down with control. Do not rely on momentum or letting your legs lift off the mat.
5. One Leg Circle
courtesy of Peak Pilates
Muscular focus: abdominals, thighs, hip flexors
Tips: The abdominals keep the pelvis stable as the leg moves. No rocking and rolling!
Tips: The abdominals keep the pelvis stable as the leg moves. No rocking and rolling!
6. Rolling Like a Ball
by Peter Kramer, courtesy of Kolesar Studios
Muscular focus: abdominals
Tips: Stay in your curve for the whole exercise. Initiate the roll back with the abs and not by throwing the upper body back.
Tips: Stay in your curve for the whole exercise. Initiate the roll back with the abs and not by throwing the upper body back.
7. Open Leg Balance
courtesy of Kolesar Studios
Muscular focus: abdominals, hamstring stretch
Tips: Use you abdominals to control the pose. Try not to pull on your legs for balance.
Tips: Use you abdominals to control the pose. Try not to pull on your legs for balance.
8. The Side Kick Series
photo: Peter Kramer, courtesy of Kolesar Studios
Muscular focus: abdominals, all thigh muscles--especially inner thigh
Tips: The ribs should stay lifted throughout each exercise. Do not let them sink to the mat.
Tips: The ribs should stay lifted throughout each exercise. Do not let them sink to the mat.
9. Front Support/Plank
courtesy of Peak Pilates
Muscular focus: back extensors, abdominals, shoulders, arms
Tips: Stay in one line from your heels to your ears. Though the focus is somewhat on the upper body, if you engage the legs and imagine squeezing the sit bones together, the exercise will be easier.
Tips: Stay in one line from your heels to your ears. Though the focus is somewhat on the upper body, if you engage the legs and imagine squeezing the sit bones together, the exercise will be easier.
10. Saw
(c)2006, Marguerite Ogle
Muscular focus: hamstrings, inner thigh, oblique abdominals, back stretch
Tips: Keep your hips anchored and level as you turn to the side. Extend energy through the back arm even as you reach forward.
Tips: Keep your hips anchored and level as you turn to the side. Extend energy through the back arm even as you reach forward.
11. Mermaid
by Peter Kramer, courtesy of Kolesar Studios(c)2006
Muscular focus: side stretch
Tips: Keep your body flat as you stretch sideways, as if you are between two sheets of glass. Keep the hip on your stretching side down.
Tips: Keep your body flat as you stretch sideways, as if you are between two sheets of glass. Keep the hip on your stretching side down.
12. Swan Prep
courtesy of Peak Pilates
Muscular focus: back extensors, abdominal stretch
Tips: Swan provides a wonderful counter stretch to the many forward flexion exercises that we do in Pilates.
Tips: Swan provides a wonderful counter stretch to the many forward flexion exercises that we do in Pilates.
13. Wall Roll Down
(c)2007, Marguerite Ogle
Muscular focus: abdominals, back and hamstring stretch
Tips: Use this exercise as a transition from doing your Pilates routine to carrying good posture into your daily life.
Tips: Use this exercise as a transition from doing your Pilates routine to carrying good posture into your daily life.
Results? Maybe.
So today was my least favorite of all days of the month. Costco day. I hate that store. It costs me money and usually either puts me in extreme pain or I have to snag an electric cart to make it all the way through the store. I hated it. I feel so self conscious gimping around in the damn cart. I feel like everyone is looking at me and laughing or making judgments. I try to tell myself and others I don't give a shit what others think and it's true to a point. But only to a point.
So this time I put on comfortable shoes and I decided I would walk. And then I decided I wouldn't. So I started walking toward the area they keep the electric carts. I was thinking of how it was going to hurt so much and how miserable I was going to be. I was allowing the old way of thinking to take control of my present way of thinking. I was allowing old habits to come through and control me in the now.
So as I was walking towards the easy way I suddenly thought, what am I doing. Why take the easy way, what good is that going to do. Sure, I may hurt a little less at the end of the day, but is that worth it? Or should I change the habits and do the healthy thing. Should I walk instead of ride. So I turned around. I turned around and walked in the opposite direction, away from the carts and towards possible intense pain. And I didn't look back.
I pushed the shopping cart to the back of the store and I thought, what if I get back here and can't walk. I answered. So what? At least you made it back here. But I got to the back of the store and I was able to keep going. Yes, I had some pain. I was sweating a little. But I didn't turn around. I made it, isle by isle, step by step. Back towards the front of the store. I kept waiting for that moment when my knees just stopped working. And I waited some more. I expected it with every step. And yet it didn't come. I had pain yes, but I kept going.
As I pushed the cart it got heavier and heavier as things got added. Good things. Fish. Vegetables. Fruit. Healthy choices. I had no interest in the junk. I had no cravings for the usual crap that has made up my diet for so many years. I started to think about just how far I had walked and that I yet to fall over. I could still breath. I was sweating, but that's OK.
I pushed the cart to the front of the store and then out to the van. I loaded everything into the van. And I felt good. I came home and we unloaded the van, I put the groceries away and I felt good.
I think I may actually be making some progress. I haven't been able to do that in a very very long time.
So this time I put on comfortable shoes and I decided I would walk. And then I decided I wouldn't. So I started walking toward the area they keep the electric carts. I was thinking of how it was going to hurt so much and how miserable I was going to be. I was allowing the old way of thinking to take control of my present way of thinking. I was allowing old habits to come through and control me in the now.
So as I was walking towards the easy way I suddenly thought, what am I doing. Why take the easy way, what good is that going to do. Sure, I may hurt a little less at the end of the day, but is that worth it? Or should I change the habits and do the healthy thing. Should I walk instead of ride. So I turned around. I turned around and walked in the opposite direction, away from the carts and towards possible intense pain. And I didn't look back.
I pushed the shopping cart to the back of the store and I thought, what if I get back here and can't walk. I answered. So what? At least you made it back here. But I got to the back of the store and I was able to keep going. Yes, I had some pain. I was sweating a little. But I didn't turn around. I made it, isle by isle, step by step. Back towards the front of the store. I kept waiting for that moment when my knees just stopped working. And I waited some more. I expected it with every step. And yet it didn't come. I had pain yes, but I kept going.
As I pushed the cart it got heavier and heavier as things got added. Good things. Fish. Vegetables. Fruit. Healthy choices. I had no interest in the junk. I had no cravings for the usual crap that has made up my diet for so many years. I started to think about just how far I had walked and that I yet to fall over. I could still breath. I was sweating, but that's OK.
I pushed the cart to the front of the store and then out to the van. I loaded everything into the van. And I felt good. I came home and we unloaded the van, I put the groceries away and I felt good.
I think I may actually be making some progress. I haven't been able to do that in a very very long time.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
have over 100 pounds to lose? WebMD article
10 Tips for Losing 100 Pounds
I did not write this, follow above link for original.
Got a lot to lose? Consider these tips for successful weight loss.
Reviewed by
Jonathan L Gelfand, MD
If you've got 100 pounds or more to lose, chances are you've
already been on numerous diets and exercise programs, without long-term
success. So, the standard advice -- eat less, exercise more, and don't
give up -- just isn't enough.WebMD polled weight loss experts -- as well as men and women who have lost 100 pounds or more and kept it off -- to ask for their best tips for those who have lots to lose. Here’s their advice.
Losing a Lot
© 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights
reserved.
1. Shrink Yourself: Analyze the Payoff You Get From Excess Weight
The question can startle people, but Anne Fletcher, RD, a Minnesota dietitian and author of the "Thin for Life" book series, asks it anyway. "What is your excess weight doing for you?"Put another way, she asks: "What are you getting out of NOT losing weight?"
Her clients and those she has interviewed for her weight loss books have given her some surprising answers. Some told her they were hiding behind their weight as a way to avoid intimacy.
Others had less complicated reasons, she says. "One man said he didn't like mowing the lawn, and he didn't have to do it when he was heavy."
Identifying and understanding your underlying motivation to stay heavy -- and getting help if you need it to address the underlying issues -- can help spur your motivation to lose.
I found this to be so true. Once I finally figured out, accepted and started working on my reasons for being over weight and eating so much, I started being able to change them.
2. Assess Your Readiness
Your readiness to lose weight, once and for all, is crucial, says Fletcher. For her books, she has interviewed 20 people who lost 100 or more pounds. In general, the more ready they were -- with few distractions or excess stress in other areas of life -- the better they did.How do you assess your readiness? Fletcher suggests asking yourself these questions: "Is my financial situation reasonably stable?" "Is my job and my spouse's job likely to stay the same [for the foreseeable future]?" "Do I have the time to devote to weight control?" "Are my relationships stable?"
That's not to say if life isn't perfect you shouldn't still embark on a weight loss program, she says. But it is easier to focus on weight loss if you don't have multiple stresses elsewhere, she says.
Of course, there is always the exception. "I had one person who said her life was in complete chaos when she began to lose weight," Fletcher tells WebMD. "She felt the weight was the one thing she could control. So there's no one-size fits all."
in all the years I've been fat and tried to lose it, over and over, just like smoking, if you not ready you will not succeed. you have to want it.
3. Consider the Options
A plan that works for some people won't work for others."Get multiple sources of advice," suggests Victor Stevens, PhD, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, in Portland, Ore., who has researched weight loss.
Whether you choose a supervised, structured weight loss and exercise program, go it alone, or undergo gastric bypass surgery, the process will be a life change, experts say. Instead of thinking you'll go on a diet (or that gastric bypass surgery will solve all your weight problems), understand that you are adopting a new, life-long plan of better eating and exercise, Stevens says.
4. Build in Accountability
Being accountable for following your weight loss plan -- whatever it is -- is crucial, says Stevens. "Almost all organized weight loss programs include some sort of accountability," he says. It could be attendance at a meeting, a weekly weigh in, or other structured program components.You can build in your own accountability, of course, or partner with a friend. Your structure can be similar to those set by organized programs, or you can make them action based. For instance, you might set a goal and schedule for exercise each week (such as "I’ll walk three times this week after work for at least 45 minutes"). Also set a day mid week to evaluate how well you are sticking with your plans. Adapt them if necessary -- or play makeup. For instance, if by Wednesday, you haven’t walked any night, you know you need to walk the next three out of four nights.
Seeking medical help, especially when you have many pounds to lose, is wise. "It's always a good idea to consult with a doctor," Stevens adds. A doctor may also recommend other experts, such as a personal trainer or nutritionist.
5. Adjust Your Expectations
It's frustrating but true. That extra 100 pounds didn't come on overnight, and it's going to come off slowly. "We recommend people cut back 500 calories a day," Stevens says. Losing just one to two pounds a week is best, he says. So it could take a year or two to lose 100 pounds.Set short-term goals, Stevens and other say, instead of focusing on the 100 pounds. Think about it, for instance, as a plan to lose 20 pounds -- five times.
To stay motivated, set realistic goals beyond a specific number of pounds, advises Daniel Stettner, PhD, director of psychology at UnaSource Health Center, Troy, and adjunct professor of psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit. Think about getting to a certain weight, for instance, by a holiday -- Thanksgiving, Halloween, whatever -- when it's likely you'll be in a photo, he says.
Or think about an upcoming special event and decide you want to fit into a favorite, currently snug, dress or suit by then.
Focus on short-term weight loss goals that will help you meet the long-term ones, says Marisa Moore, RD, an Atlanta dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "If your goal is to drop three dress sizes, that's long term. Short term is answering the question, what am I going to do to get there?" You could cut a three soda-a-day habit to one a day, for instance, taking a week to do it. And you could park farther from stores, requiring you to walk more.
My weight fluctuates like crazy. Up and down 5, 10 sometimes more pounds over a week or month. If I strictly went by pounds on the scale I would give up and go loony.
6. Develop a Healthy Selfishness
As Fletcher counseled overweight clients, she noticed that many women, in particular, had a difficult time putting themselves first. All day long, they'd help their spouse, family, friends, and co-workers. At the end of the day, these women were exhausted. And they often turned to food. "The only 'nice' thing they did for themselves was eat," she says."People who lose weight and keep it off have developed a kind of healthy selfishness," she says. That means saying no sometimes and putting yourself first at least sometimes.
One woman who learned ''healthy selfishness" told Fletcher she would do anything to stay on track, including carrying baked potatoes in her flight bag to avoid having to eat airport food.
The healthy selfishness helps, too, when dining out, Stettner says. "Pick a place that has the kind of food you want to eat."
7. Fat-Proof Your Environment
Even if you're committed to following a new, sensible eating plan, it can be difficult when, say, your teens' tortilla chips fall out of the cupboard every time you open it.That's why it can help to "fat-proof" your environment as much as you can, says Stettner. "Get rid of 'off-program' or impulse foods at home and work," he says.
Call a family meeting and brainstorm options, he says. Say your teen can't exist without tortilla chips. You might decide as a family that the tortilla chip lovers keep their own stash, not in the kitchen, out of sight. This allows the person trying to lose to feel more in control, Stettner says.
Oh this is soooooo true. I have horrid self control. Especially at night when I'm a little hungry and bored. If it's easy to eat I grab it. If I have junk in the house that's what gets eaten first.
8. Pick the Brains of Healthy-Weight People
Stevens advises those who need to lose 100 pounds to get insight from people who are at a healthy weight. He tells them: "Talk to people who are maintaining a steady weight, who have maintained it for three or four years, and who are your age."Then ask them how they stay that way, he says. "You may be amazed," he says. Many overweight people think people at a healthy weight don't have to work at it, but those maintaining a healthy weight typically tell an unexpected story. It's an ongoing effort to stay lean. "They are careful what they eat; they pay attention every day," Steven says.
Hearing this may help those with lots to lose understand that life is going to be different if the weight is going to stay off, Stevens says.
Those who have lost substantial amounts of weight and kept it off say they stay true to their eating plan and their exercise plan. Wade Wingler, 37, of Danville, Ind., an executive with Easter Seals, took off 100 pounds, going from 317 pounds to 217 pounds.
"I do yoga every day," he says. He also does long-distance bicycling and follows a sensible eating plan.
Linda Thacker, 60, of Norfolk, Va., lost 120 pounds and has kept it off for 16 years. Healthy eating and working out regularly are habits now. "I do Jazzercise, speed walking, bicycling, and the Stairmaster," she says. "I try to exercise every day, [though] I don't always make it." But if a few days go by without working out, she gets right back to it.
9. Find Your Secret Weapons
Most people who have lost a substantial amount of weight and kept it off have a tool or strategy -- or several -- that help them stay on track and make this time the time they don't quit or regain.Keeping a graphic record of weight loss helps people see the big picture and stay on track, finds Stevens of Kaiser Permanente, especially when they are regaining weight. Looking at the downward trend on the weight loss graph helps people cope with minor weight fluctuations, he finds.
Finding a way to stay focused is crucial, says Allan Goldberg, 54, of St. Clair Shores, Mich., who has lost 150 pounds by cutting calories and exercising. When faced with the temptation of overeating, he says, he asks himself: "Do I want to eat this and undo my hard work?"
10. Reward your Success -- in the Right Way
Anyone who's gotten weight loss guidance already knows the rule: no food rewards for taking off weight.So what can you do? As you meet your short-term goals, buy something new, get a new nail polish color, or book a day at the spa, Moore suggests.
Feelin it
20 years of smoking. So many times I got the lecture from non smokers, doctors, ex smokers. I didn't care. I knew from the time I started smoking that they aren't good for you. Hell, you'd have to be a complete moron to not figure that out. But I kept smoking.
I remember colds where I could barely breath and I still smoked. I smoked when I had bronchitis. Numerous times. I smoked through ear infections, bouts of flu. Nothing stopped me. The first thought in the morning was "where are my smokes". The last thing I did before bed was have a smoke. They ruled my life.
I coughed, I gasped, I coughed some more. I kept telling myself the reason I couldn't catch my breath was my weight. Give me a smoke dammit. A pack a day, sometimes more. Every day. For 20 years.
I tried to quit, a few times. I failed. Every time. I tried inhalers, patches, chewing gum. And I failed. Every time.
And then not quite two months ago I decided I was done. I don't know exactly why I decided to quit. I just did. I was done. So I did. Yes, it was still hard as hell. But this time was different. This time is different. I can't really explain it. I have absolutely no interest, at all, in ever smoking again.
When I quit in that past it was all I thought about. Smoking was constantly on my mind. I needed it, craved it, had to have it. It ruled my life. I was a slave to nicotine. Every day, every night, the God of nicotine was in control. And then, suddenly and inexplicably, it/he was no longer in control. I don't know why.
I have no interest in smoking. I don't like the smell anymore. The idea of sucking on one actually kind of grosses me out. But more than any of that, I can breath. I can climb a flight of stairs (or three) and not feel like I'm going to drop dead. I can spend 2 hours moving in the pool and not be out of breath. I can take a deep breath and not end it with a cough. I don't cough when I lay down.
And there's more. I can taste things again, I can smell things again and I don't stink like an ashtray. I have zero interest in going back to how things where before. None.
I remember colds where I could barely breath and I still smoked. I smoked when I had bronchitis. Numerous times. I smoked through ear infections, bouts of flu. Nothing stopped me. The first thought in the morning was "where are my smokes". The last thing I did before bed was have a smoke. They ruled my life.
I coughed, I gasped, I coughed some more. I kept telling myself the reason I couldn't catch my breath was my weight. Give me a smoke dammit. A pack a day, sometimes more. Every day. For 20 years.
I tried to quit, a few times. I failed. Every time. I tried inhalers, patches, chewing gum. And I failed. Every time.
And then not quite two months ago I decided I was done. I don't know exactly why I decided to quit. I just did. I was done. So I did. Yes, it was still hard as hell. But this time was different. This time is different. I can't really explain it. I have absolutely no interest, at all, in ever smoking again.
When I quit in that past it was all I thought about. Smoking was constantly on my mind. I needed it, craved it, had to have it. It ruled my life. I was a slave to nicotine. Every day, every night, the God of nicotine was in control. And then, suddenly and inexplicably, it/he was no longer in control. I don't know why.
I have no interest in smoking. I don't like the smell anymore. The idea of sucking on one actually kind of grosses me out. But more than any of that, I can breath. I can climb a flight of stairs (or three) and not feel like I'm going to drop dead. I can spend 2 hours moving in the pool and not be out of breath. I can take a deep breath and not end it with a cough. I don't cough when I lay down.
And there's more. I can taste things again, I can smell things again and I don't stink like an ashtray. I have zero interest in going back to how things where before. None.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
From my mind to my keyboard
keyboard, this thing under my fingers. It's an odd thing, to think a thought and then watch as it appears on the screen in front of me. When I try to express my thoughts and ideas vocally my mind develops what I can only describe as a stutter. It's like the words just can't make it to my lips.
But when I sit in front of this screen, with the keys beneath my fingers, the thoughts seem to flow out of me. I've never been one for writing, just isn't my thing. I've never kept a diary or a log. I had no interest in it. Look back at the dates on this archive and how little I wrote in the past.
Now, I'm almost drawn to the keys. Like my mind is full of thoughts and ideas and they must come out. I've never experienced this before. I've always been a quiet, reserved person who avoided people. Or so I thought. But as the memories come back I am realizing that this wasn't always true. It happened over time, as I climbed deeper and deeper into myself.
One thing I find interesting is, I really don't care if anyone reads it. I'm not doing for anyone other than myself. I hope people read it and I hope it helps at least one person. But that is not the reason I write. I write because apparently I need to. I can't seem to stop. The more I write the more I want to write. I have so much in my head that needs out. Some of it, like this blog, is just ramblings of a deranged mind.
I have no answer yet as to why this is happening. I don't claim to understand it. What I do know is it helps. I also know that my physical health is tied closely to my mental health and what helps my mind feel calm also helps my body feel calm. When I write these things on the screen the motivate me. They interest me and they make me want to do more. To work harder.
But when I sit in front of this screen, with the keys beneath my fingers, the thoughts seem to flow out of me. I've never been one for writing, just isn't my thing. I've never kept a diary or a log. I had no interest in it. Look back at the dates on this archive and how little I wrote in the past.
Now, I'm almost drawn to the keys. Like my mind is full of thoughts and ideas and they must come out. I've never experienced this before. I've always been a quiet, reserved person who avoided people. Or so I thought. But as the memories come back I am realizing that this wasn't always true. It happened over time, as I climbed deeper and deeper into myself.
One thing I find interesting is, I really don't care if anyone reads it. I'm not doing for anyone other than myself. I hope people read it and I hope it helps at least one person. But that is not the reason I write. I write because apparently I need to. I can't seem to stop. The more I write the more I want to write. I have so much in my head that needs out. Some of it, like this blog, is just ramblings of a deranged mind.
I have no answer yet as to why this is happening. I don't claim to understand it. What I do know is it helps. I also know that my physical health is tied closely to my mental health and what helps my mind feel calm also helps my body feel calm. When I write these things on the screen the motivate me. They interest me and they make me want to do more. To work harder.
New tracking website
So I recently found what I had hoped to be a good website for tracking my food and finding some support. myfitnesspall.com. Unfortunately it turned out to be not so much. It's like the facebook of dieting. So I looked around and stumbled upon another.
It called calorie count. So far, I'm liking it quite a lot. It's cleaner than the other. It has more information from reputable sources instead of 19 year old bimbos and muscle bound morons.
It has all of the same functions as mfp with others thrown in for fun. So, if you want the facebook of health, along with the silliness and lack of maturity MFP is the place for you. If you want clean and neat, useful and informative, it's calorie count.
After I use it for a while I'll write about what I think. But at first look I like what I see.
It called calorie count. So far, I'm liking it quite a lot. It's cleaner than the other. It has more information from reputable sources instead of 19 year old bimbos and muscle bound morons.
It has all of the same functions as mfp with others thrown in for fun. So, if you want the facebook of health, along with the silliness and lack of maturity MFP is the place for you. If you want clean and neat, useful and informative, it's calorie count.
After I use it for a while I'll write about what I think. But at first look I like what I see.
Memories drifting in the sea of time
Forgotten, to float randomly in the depths of my mind. Like little files lost in a computer. They take up space but you don't really know they're around till you stumble upon one, or, on rare occasions, one pops up and smacks you upside the head. I've found lately that they are popping up more and more.
I know that I've talked about my aches and pains many times. And occasionally about some of my injuries over the years. But I've never really commented, contemplated or accepted just how lucky I really am to be alive. The things I've seen, the things I've done and the abuse that my body has sustained over the years. I don't think the majority of people would still be around.
I was thinking about this last night and today as I was hurting a bit from my time in the pool, the cold, damp weather and just because I always hurt. I started remembering things I pushed aside years ago. Blows to the head, bruises, sprains, things that probably where actually broken but never made it to a doctor. Near drownings, car wrecks, general stupidity of youth. Motorcycle accidents, horses, cows and other critters. Falls. I'm like a god damn Timex, I just keep chugging along.
With everything I've put my body through I've kept going. I've ignored the pain. I've ignored the blood. It never bothered me. What is it that screwed me? My own mind. Now that I've beet my mind into submission my body wants out. The me that I remember from many years ago is waking up and it's asking just what the hell happened.
I know that I've talked about my aches and pains many times. And occasionally about some of my injuries over the years. But I've never really commented, contemplated or accepted just how lucky I really am to be alive. The things I've seen, the things I've done and the abuse that my body has sustained over the years. I don't think the majority of people would still be around.
I was thinking about this last night and today as I was hurting a bit from my time in the pool, the cold, damp weather and just because I always hurt. I started remembering things I pushed aside years ago. Blows to the head, bruises, sprains, things that probably where actually broken but never made it to a doctor. Near drownings, car wrecks, general stupidity of youth. Motorcycle accidents, horses, cows and other critters. Falls. I'm like a god damn Timex, I just keep chugging along.
With everything I've put my body through I've kept going. I've ignored the pain. I've ignored the blood. It never bothered me. What is it that screwed me? My own mind. Now that I've beet my mind into submission my body wants out. The me that I remember from many years ago is waking up and it's asking just what the hell happened.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
That Zen thing
Went to the pool today. I so needed that. The movement, the tired feeling, the muscles waking up to say hello, remember us. I walked the pool for over two hours. Up and down, down and up. Like mowing the same strip of lawn over and over again.
The more I walked the more I gained focus. And lost it at the same time. The things around me slowly faded into shadows as I walked up and down, down and up. I felt the water being pushed by my body. The bubbles and waves I made as I moved forward. And I walked.
As I walked I let my mind wander. I let thoughts float through my consciousness. Some floated through, hanging around for a while, other, like quick birds or fish, darted past with great speed. Gone before they completely formed. And I walked some more.
I have no idea how far I walked in distance. Mowing that section of pool, over and over again. I don't it even matters. I felt my body getting what it needed. And I walked and I thought. I had thoughts of the future and I had thoughts of the past. I had an occasional thought of the now. Mostly my thoughts were of the past and of the possible futures.
I walked, pushing a wall of water in front of me, like a leviathan rising from the sea, spreading destruction in front of me as I walked. I watched the wall of water grow as I increased my pace, fueled by memories and by possibilities. With each lap it seemed a different thought or memory would have it's turn. So I walked some more.
I enjoyed the feeling of the warm water supporting me as I walked. I enjoyed its caress as I pass through it, pushing it aside and to the front of me. Like my thoughts, the water flowed past. Or perhaps it was I flowing through the water. Not sure it matters. What matters are the thoughts. The memories. The possibilities for the future.
I thought about what it was like before, in my previous previous life. High school and before. Before the pain, before the world crushed my spirit and my hope. As I walked I felt the water removing the past from me and opening the future in front of me. Just on the other side of that wave I'm pushing. I thought about what I was once capable of doing. The miles long bike rides, the hikes up mountains. I thought about how far I could swim at one point in my life. And then I thought about how my weight slowly stole all that from me.
So I kept walking. I didn't get tired. I could feel my muscles start to complain, but I did not listen. I continued, up and down, down and up. Watching the wave as I pushed it faster and faster. I felt my knees complaining, but I did not listen to them, I walked some more. And I embraced the thoughts. The memories. And the anger. The anger at myself, at my family, at society. The anger I have stored for so many years.
As I walked, I felt the water slowly wash away the anger and bitterness and replace it with something strange, something different, something I don't remember ever really feeling before. I had to think about this new feeling as I walking. Up and down, down and up. What is this emotion. Hope. A feeling of hope. A positive outlook on the future. So I kept walking.
As I walked up and down and down and up I felt new thoughts, new ideas flow into me. Hope for my future. Desire to change. Need to change. I walked for over two hours today. In the water up to my shoulders. Up and down the pool, lap after lap. I to breath after breath deep into my lungs, taking in each new thought or memory with each deep breath.
I think it was a real Zen thing. One of those moments in time that create change. Change in me at least.
The more I walked the more I gained focus. And lost it at the same time. The things around me slowly faded into shadows as I walked up and down, down and up. I felt the water being pushed by my body. The bubbles and waves I made as I moved forward. And I walked.
As I walked I let my mind wander. I let thoughts float through my consciousness. Some floated through, hanging around for a while, other, like quick birds or fish, darted past with great speed. Gone before they completely formed. And I walked some more.
I have no idea how far I walked in distance. Mowing that section of pool, over and over again. I don't it even matters. I felt my body getting what it needed. And I walked and I thought. I had thoughts of the future and I had thoughts of the past. I had an occasional thought of the now. Mostly my thoughts were of the past and of the possible futures.
I walked, pushing a wall of water in front of me, like a leviathan rising from the sea, spreading destruction in front of me as I walked. I watched the wall of water grow as I increased my pace, fueled by memories and by possibilities. With each lap it seemed a different thought or memory would have it's turn. So I walked some more.
I enjoyed the feeling of the warm water supporting me as I walked. I enjoyed its caress as I pass through it, pushing it aside and to the front of me. Like my thoughts, the water flowed past. Or perhaps it was I flowing through the water. Not sure it matters. What matters are the thoughts. The memories. The possibilities for the future.
I thought about what it was like before, in my previous previous life. High school and before. Before the pain, before the world crushed my spirit and my hope. As I walked I felt the water removing the past from me and opening the future in front of me. Just on the other side of that wave I'm pushing. I thought about what I was once capable of doing. The miles long bike rides, the hikes up mountains. I thought about how far I could swim at one point in my life. And then I thought about how my weight slowly stole all that from me.
So I kept walking. I didn't get tired. I could feel my muscles start to complain, but I did not listen. I continued, up and down, down and up. Watching the wave as I pushed it faster and faster. I felt my knees complaining, but I did not listen to them, I walked some more. And I embraced the thoughts. The memories. And the anger. The anger at myself, at my family, at society. The anger I have stored for so many years.
As I walked, I felt the water slowly wash away the anger and bitterness and replace it with something strange, something different, something I don't remember ever really feeling before. I had to think about this new feeling as I walking. Up and down, down and up. What is this emotion. Hope. A feeling of hope. A positive outlook on the future. So I kept walking.
As I walked up and down and down and up I felt new thoughts, new ideas flow into me. Hope for my future. Desire to change. Need to change. I walked for over two hours today. In the water up to my shoulders. Up and down the pool, lap after lap. I to breath after breath deep into my lungs, taking in each new thought or memory with each deep breath.
I think it was a real Zen thing. One of those moments in time that create change. Change in me at least.
Midnight ramblings of a disturbed mind
So I've been thinking about this journey I'm on. Of self improvement, health improvement and mind improvement. This is a journey with no end. Well, I suppose death will be the end. Assuming some religion or another isn't right. Guess I'll find out some day.
I've decided that I need something to focus on. A project, a job, something to fill my days. It's been so long since I've been employed the idea of going back to work at a real job honestly freaks me out a little bit. So, I've been thinking about what I can do other than the work I'm doing on me. I can't afford a gym or much else outside the house. So, to think, what to do.
I think I would like to expand my blog into some form of website to share information with others. Yes, I know there are quite a few out there, but in my opinion they all have serious issues of one form or another.
So, it's apparently time to study up on my coding and web design and see what I can come up with. At least a starting point to work from. I have a rough draft in my head, a little seed of an idea. I have quite a few of them floating around in the back of my mind. It's pulling them out and planting them that causes me problems.
I've decided that I need something to focus on. A project, a job, something to fill my days. It's been so long since I've been employed the idea of going back to work at a real job honestly freaks me out a little bit. So, I've been thinking about what I can do other than the work I'm doing on me. I can't afford a gym or much else outside the house. So, to think, what to do.
I think I would like to expand my blog into some form of website to share information with others. Yes, I know there are quite a few out there, but in my opinion they all have serious issues of one form or another.
So, it's apparently time to study up on my coding and web design and see what I can come up with. At least a starting point to work from. I have a rough draft in my head, a little seed of an idea. I have quite a few of them floating around in the back of my mind. It's pulling them out and planting them that causes me problems.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Succeed today
I know, it sounds like the beginning of an infomercial selling you self help crap. But really, it's pretty sound advice. How much time have I spent worrying about the past, things that are done and I can not change? And the future is a direct result of todays actions.
So, this got me thinking about a lot of things. Especially my health. My new way of thinking is one pound at a time, one day at a time. To succeed today. If I can succeed today then tomorrow I can do the same. And the day after. And so on.
I weighed myself earlier today, it being Monday and all. I've lost 1 pound this week. I started to beat myself up about it, for about a minute. Then I realized, wow, that's one less pound. The scale went down and not up. It's going in the right direction.
I never weighed myself while I was getting fat. I avoided scales. So I have really no idea how fast I gained the pounds. I know it was consistent and steady for many years. I have stacks of clothes that I grew out of. Some hardly used at all. But I won't think about that, I will think about today and what I need to do today to succeed.
Habits take time to form and they take time to stop. Much like smoking, being overweight and inactive is a habit. I quit smoking one day at a time and I succeeded, after 20 years. I can do the same with getting healthy.
So what are you going to succeed at today?
So, this got me thinking about a lot of things. Especially my health. My new way of thinking is one pound at a time, one day at a time. To succeed today. If I can succeed today then tomorrow I can do the same. And the day after. And so on.
I weighed myself earlier today, it being Monday and all. I've lost 1 pound this week. I started to beat myself up about it, for about a minute. Then I realized, wow, that's one less pound. The scale went down and not up. It's going in the right direction.
I never weighed myself while I was getting fat. I avoided scales. So I have really no idea how fast I gained the pounds. I know it was consistent and steady for many years. I have stacks of clothes that I grew out of. Some hardly used at all. But I won't think about that, I will think about today and what I need to do today to succeed.
Habits take time to form and they take time to stop. Much like smoking, being overweight and inactive is a habit. I quit smoking one day at a time and I succeeded, after 20 years. I can do the same with getting healthy.
So what are you going to succeed at today?
bad information
One thing I've learned time and again is that everyone has an opinion and each and every one of them think they are right. Religion, politics and eating all have that in common.
I started using a new website to track my eating and calorie intake and all that on a daily basis. It's a useful tool so far. But I can not believe some of the crap I have read on there so far. http://www.myfitnesspal.com
It's amazing how much dangerous, wrong and silly information people post on here. And some seem to have forgotten a very simple premise of weight loss. To lose weight your caloric intake must be less than what you need to maintain your current weight. Pretty darn simple concept I thought. Apparently I was wrong.
19 year old college students handing out advice like doctors. Shit, when you're old enough to drink legally you can give this fat man advice on losing weight. I've been working on it for over years. All those school books on your desk. I've read them. All those new ideas you have in your head, they aren't new. You want to know what doesn't work to lose weight? As a person who has been fat their entire life.
One thing I don't think I've ever done on this blog is state my opinion as fact. If I ever do, call me on it. I'll either rewrite it or back it up with valid information from reputable sources, more than one.
It's no wonder so many people fail when trying to get healthy. Everyplace you turn some jackass is trying to tell you how to do it or sell you how to do it. Try this, try that. A friend of my sisters boyfriends uncles mom told me........ Oh just stop. Who was it years ago who's motto was "stop the insanity"? I still like that slogan. Just stop it already.
There are a few true and tried things a person needs to do to lose weight. It's been this way since we started walking upright. It less, move more. Don't eat crap. Now that I will state as fact. You take out all the bullshit, propaganda and money making scams and that's what you're left with.
And I won't, OK, yes I will get into the rest of the crap I've been reading. Sometimes I wonder just where these people come from.
Losing weight while building lean muscle mass. Eat less move more.
Building lean muscle mass while trying to maintain weight. Eat more move more.
Now, this brings up one problem that I have experienced personally as have others in my family. It's very difficult, if not impossibly to do both at the same time. At least not if you have a large amount of weight to lose. Cardio is fabutastic for burning fat and muscle tone but does not do a lot for building mass, that's not its purpose. Lifting heavy weight repeatedly builds muscle mass but almost nothing for weight loss. See the problem.
So anyway. Educate yourselves. Don't take opinion as fact. Remember, if you're able to read this, you obviously have access to the web, you can find anything on the web. There is no excuse for ignorance.
A few things I've found to be true for me:
I started using a new website to track my eating and calorie intake and all that on a daily basis. It's a useful tool so far. But I can not believe some of the crap I have read on there so far. http://www.myfitnesspal.com
It's amazing how much dangerous, wrong and silly information people post on here. And some seem to have forgotten a very simple premise of weight loss. To lose weight your caloric intake must be less than what you need to maintain your current weight. Pretty darn simple concept I thought. Apparently I was wrong.
19 year old college students handing out advice like doctors. Shit, when you're old enough to drink legally you can give this fat man advice on losing weight. I've been working on it for over years. All those school books on your desk. I've read them. All those new ideas you have in your head, they aren't new. You want to know what doesn't work to lose weight? As a person who has been fat their entire life.
One thing I don't think I've ever done on this blog is state my opinion as fact. If I ever do, call me on it. I'll either rewrite it or back it up with valid information from reputable sources, more than one.
It's no wonder so many people fail when trying to get healthy. Everyplace you turn some jackass is trying to tell you how to do it or sell you how to do it. Try this, try that. A friend of my sisters boyfriends uncles mom told me........ Oh just stop. Who was it years ago who's motto was "stop the insanity"? I still like that slogan. Just stop it already.
There are a few true and tried things a person needs to do to lose weight. It's been this way since we started walking upright. It less, move more. Don't eat crap. Now that I will state as fact. You take out all the bullshit, propaganda and money making scams and that's what you're left with.
And I won't, OK, yes I will get into the rest of the crap I've been reading. Sometimes I wonder just where these people come from.
Losing weight while building lean muscle mass. Eat less move more.
Building lean muscle mass while trying to maintain weight. Eat more move more.
Now, this brings up one problem that I have experienced personally as have others in my family. It's very difficult, if not impossibly to do both at the same time. At least not if you have a large amount of weight to lose. Cardio is fabutastic for burning fat and muscle tone but does not do a lot for building mass, that's not its purpose. Lifting heavy weight repeatedly builds muscle mass but almost nothing for weight loss. See the problem.
So anyway. Educate yourselves. Don't take opinion as fact. Remember, if you're able to read this, you obviously have access to the web, you can find anything on the web. There is no excuse for ignorance.
A few things I've found to be true for me:
- If you are constantly hungry and doing it wrong
- If your exercise puts you in traction for a week, you're doing it wrong
- Who ever said no pain no gain was an idiot and obvious a masochist
- It's not just a diet, it's a life style
- exercise can be fun
Sunday, November 6, 2011
short days, long nights and no motivation.
I truly hate this time of year. For a lot of reasons. Some personal, some ethical but mostly it's just the lack of sun. I hate these short, cold days followed by long cold nights. The damp makes my bones hurt.
The problems I have this time of year are depression, too many memories. The realization that I'm almost another year older. I like to eat this time of year. The thoughtless eating becomes a huge issue. I like comfort food this time of year. Meat and bread. The complete lack of motivation is hard to deal with too. I feel like a bear, I just want to hibernate till spring.
Tis the eating season. I won't do it, not this year, not again. I have consistently gained weight every year. This year I'm going the other weigh. My christmas/birthday present this year from me to me is going to me a smaller waist.
The problems I have this time of year are depression, too many memories. The realization that I'm almost another year older. I like to eat this time of year. The thoughtless eating becomes a huge issue. I like comfort food this time of year. Meat and bread. The complete lack of motivation is hard to deal with too. I feel like a bear, I just want to hibernate till spring.
Tis the eating season. I won't do it, not this year, not again. I have consistently gained weight every year. This year I'm going the other weigh. My christmas/birthday present this year from me to me is going to me a smaller waist.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
M.O.T.I.V.A.T.I.O.N
How do I keep it. This is something I have struggled with my entire life. Not just with getting exercise. I've lacked motivation in most aspects of my life. I know that the depression has a lot to do with it. And a lifetime of bad habits and negative thinking.
Part of changing my life is changing my thinking. It's something I work on every single day. Part of that is changing my motivations. And keeping them. Every single day.
Part of changing my life is changing my thinking. It's something I work on every single day. Part of that is changing my motivations. And keeping them. Every single day.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
the things you notice
Have you had this experience. You purchase something, a car, a shirt, a phone that you rarely if ever noticed before you bought? And then, as if by magic, after you make the purchase they are suddenly every direction you look?
I've noticed this now with two things. One I noticed before with the damn food advertisements. But I'm noticing them more and more. I swear I've seen the same damn Subway advertisement 100 times in the last two hours. It seems to get played every turn. Then we've got the Jack in the box advertisements. Again and again and again.
It's no wonder this country is so fat. Everywhere you look it's food, crappy food, fast food and junk food. Greasy food, gross food. Everywhere you look. Makes it hard to be good. Especially on a busy day.
The other thing I've suddenly started noticing is smokers. And the smell. I can't believe how much I can smell it now. We can be driving down the road and I can smell it coming from other cars. I smell it in parking lots and stop lights. And it no longer smells good as it once did.
Not long ago the smell of a cigarette created instant cravings. It was like smelling donuts or fresh pie. It brought to ming visions of satisfaction, of calm. Now it just kind of stinks, mostly. I can even smell when my neighbors smoke. It's amazing that I smelled like that for 20 years and didn't notice.
And how I felt. I never thought it affected me that much, until now. Until I notice how much better I breath. How different things taste, how I can smell more. But mostly how much better I can breath. I think I am officially an ex smoker and I like it. I have zero interest in starting again. I still want one some times, but I know it's just a mental habit.
I've noticed this now with two things. One I noticed before with the damn food advertisements. But I'm noticing them more and more. I swear I've seen the same damn Subway advertisement 100 times in the last two hours. It seems to get played every turn. Then we've got the Jack in the box advertisements. Again and again and again.
It's no wonder this country is so fat. Everywhere you look it's food, crappy food, fast food and junk food. Greasy food, gross food. Everywhere you look. Makes it hard to be good. Especially on a busy day.
The other thing I've suddenly started noticing is smokers. And the smell. I can't believe how much I can smell it now. We can be driving down the road and I can smell it coming from other cars. I smell it in parking lots and stop lights. And it no longer smells good as it once did.
Not long ago the smell of a cigarette created instant cravings. It was like smelling donuts or fresh pie. It brought to ming visions of satisfaction, of calm. Now it just kind of stinks, mostly. I can even smell when my neighbors smoke. It's amazing that I smelled like that for 20 years and didn't notice.
And how I felt. I never thought it affected me that much, until now. Until I notice how much better I breath. How different things taste, how I can smell more. But mostly how much better I can breath. I think I am officially an ex smoker and I like it. I have zero interest in starting again. I still want one some times, but I know it's just a mental habit.
Supplements, do they work?
So a person I follow on twitter and facebook has a blog, girlwithnoname. She has been doing a long personal experiment with three supplements she was sent. Check out her blog for her opinions and results.
So, after reading what she had to say, it got me to thinking. How many different times in my life have I tried some kind of supplement in a desperate attempt to achieve some form of relief? I've also tried prescription meds for pain relief, over the counter nsaids and ointments, tips and tricks suggested to me by anyone from my doctor to total strangers, all in an attempt alleviate the pain.
We'll start with the supplements and what I've found to be true about them.
Allowable levels of contaminants vary greatly between agencies, with the FDA's standards being the least stringent. PCB standards vary the most. The FDA's tolerance level for PCBs is 2,000 parts per billion (ppb), while the State of California's limit under Proposition 65 (the most stringent standard) is only 90 ppb, assuming daily consumption of one 1,000 mg fish oil capsule. Similar disparities exist for mercury and dioxins.
Although no longer commercially produced in the United States, PCBs may be present in products and materials produced before the 1979 PCB ban. Products that may contain PCBs include:
Straight from the fda website
So, after reading that fascinating information you may be asking hmm, just what kind of wonderful safety information is found in the cGMPS? Well, what it boils down to is this:
So, lets look at the ingredients of costco multivitamins shall we?
Ingredients:
Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Cellulose Gel, Potassium Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Oxide, Starch (Corn and Tapioca), dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Tribasic Calcium Phosphate, Ferrous Furmarate, Croscarmellose Sodium, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Gelatin, Asian Ginseng Root Extract, , d-Calcium Pantothenate, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Copper Oxide, Beta Carotene, Polyethylene Glycol, Vitamin A Acetate, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Selenate, Folic Acid, Lycopene, Sodium Borate, Lutein, Potassium Iodide, , Biotin, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Metavanadate, Nickelous Sulfate, Stannous Chloride, Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol).
Dicalcium phosphate (DCP) is a commonly used filler in
tablet formulas. Coarser grades of this excipient are known
to flow well and have good compactibility. However, DCP
is insoluble and can be very abrasive, which could cause
reduced tooling life due to wear on the equipment during
tablet manufacture. High levels of lubricants are required
to overcome the abrasiveness, but elevated levels of hy-
drophobic lubricants can impact the mechanical strength
of the tablets and disintegration/dissolution performance.
These concerns have led to investigations of the use of
other materials in tablet development.
You want to know what cellulose gel is? Me too. No one seems to know exactly. If you can find a straight answer I'd love to hear it. Here is what I did find.
a unique ingredient. In water, with shear, MCC forms a three-dimensional matrix comprised of millions of insoluble microcrystals that form an extremely stable, thixotropic gel. Avicel microcrystalline cellulose functions at any temperature and provides superior freeze/thaw and heat stability to finished products.
So at this point we have abrasive, filler, filler and temperature stability. Are you hungry yet?
*dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate a very fancy way of saying vitamen E
*Pyridoxine Hydrochloride for us silly people is B6.
*Polyethylene Glycol is used as a laxative, put in eye drops and about 300 other things.
So, my point is (yes, I actually do have a point) that with everything you eat or drink, be smart. Read labels. And if it claims to be some magic pill that is going to do wonders, don't bother.
Taking vitamins isn't a bad thing. I take them every day. Knowing what you're taking and what it is going to do, or not do, is important. How much actual vitamin is in that vitamin and how much is useless filler? Well, you generally get what you pay for.
So when you walk down the vitamin and supplement isle in the store do you wonder how much of it is crap? I do. So I research before I ingest. I learn what it is, what's in it, what it's supposed to do and what it's been shown to actually do. I think and this is purely my personal opinion, that much of the positive results people claim with various supplements is the very fabulous and oft overlooked placebo effect. If you think it's going to work, it's going to work.
What about the prescription drugs? Well, I can answer that pretty quick. Most of them mask the pain. Most of them have worse side effects than benefits. If you want to sleep a lot, pain meds are the way to go. Yes, I have days when I eat percocet like candy so I can function. But that's all it does is allow me to function, barely.
So, after reading what she had to say, it got me to thinking. How many different times in my life have I tried some kind of supplement in a desperate attempt to achieve some form of relief? I've also tried prescription meds for pain relief, over the counter nsaids and ointments, tips and tricks suggested to me by anyone from my doctor to total strangers, all in an attempt alleviate the pain.
We'll start with the supplements and what I've found to be true about them.
Key Points
- Federal regulations for dietary supplements are very different from those for prescription and over-the-counter drugs. For example, a dietary supplement manufacturer does not have to prove a product's safety and effectiveness before it is marketed.
- If you are thinking about using a dietary supplement, first get information on it from reliable sources. Keep in mind that dietary supplements may interact with medications or other dietary supplements and may contain ingredients not listed on the label.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use, including dietary supplements. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Allowable levels of contaminants vary greatly between agencies, with the FDA's standards being the least stringent. PCB standards vary the most. The FDA's tolerance level for PCBs is 2,000 parts per billion (ppb), while the State of California's limit under Proposition 65 (the most stringent standard) is only 90 ppb, assuming daily consumption of one 1,000 mg fish oil capsule. Similar disparities exist for mercury and dioxins.
Although no longer commercially produced in the United States, PCBs may be present in products and materials produced before the 1979 PCB ban. Products that may contain PCBs include:
- Transformers and capacitors
- Other electrical equipment including voltage regulators, switches, reclosers, bushings, and electromagnets
- Oil used in motors and hydraulic systems
- Old electrical devices or appliances containing PCB capacitors
- Fluorescent light ballasts
- Cable insulation
- Thermal insulation material including fiberglass, felt, foam, and cork
- Adhesives and tapes
- Oil-based paint
- Caulking
- Plastics
- Carbonless copy paper
- Floor finish
Straight from the fda website
Dietary Supplements
FDA regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products (prescription and Over-the-Counter). Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement or dietary ingredient manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement or ingredient is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.* Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading. Under the FDA Final Rule 21 CFR 111, all domestic and foreign companies that manufacture, package, label or hold dietary supplement, including those involved with testing, quality control, and dietary supplement distribution in the U.S., must comply with the Dietary Supplement Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPS) for quality control. In addition, the manufacturer, packer, or distributor whose name appears on the label of a dietary supplement marketed in the United States is required to submit to FDA all serious adverse event reports associated with use of the dietary supplement in the United States.
FDA's other responsibilities
include product information, such as labeling, claims, package inserts,
and accompanying literature. The Federal Trade Commission regulates
dietary supplement advertising.
*Domestic and
foreign facilities that manufacture/process, pack, or hold food for
human or animal consumption in the United States are required to
register their facility with the FDA. For more information, see Registration of Food Facilities.
So, after reading that fascinating information you may be asking hmm, just what kind of wonderful safety information is found in the cGMPS? Well, what it boils down to is this:
Manufacturers:
- Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), manufacturers have an essential responsibility to substantiate the safety of their products and for determining that any representations or claims made about their products are substantiated by adequate evidence to show that they are not false or misleading.
- The CGMPs will help to ensure manufacturers produce unadulterated and properly labeled dietary supplements.
- Under the CGMP rule, manufacturers are required to:
- Employ qualified employees and supervisors;
- Design and construct their physical plant in a manner to protect dietary ingredients and dietary supplements from becoming adulterated during manufacturing, packaging, labeling and holding;
- Use equipment and utensils that are of appropriate design, construction, and workmanship for the intended use;
- Establish and use master manufacturing and batch production records;
- Establish procedures for quality control operations;
- Hold and distribute dietary supplements and materials used to manufacture dietary supplements under appropriate conditions of temperature, humidity, light, and sanitation so that the quality of the dietary supplement is not affected;
- Keep a written record of each product complaint related to CGMPs; and
- Retain records for 1 year past the shelf life date, if shelf life dating is used, or 2 years beyond the date of distribution of the last batch of dietary supplements associated with those records.
- Examples of product quality problems that the rule will help prevent are:
- dietary supplements that contain ingredients in amounts that are greater than those listed on the label dietary supplements that contain ingredients in amounts that are less than those listed on the label
- wrong ingredient,
- other contaminant (e.g., bacteria, pesticide, glass, lead),
- foreign material in a dietary supplement container,
- improper packaging, and
- mislabeled
- The interim final rule allows manufacturers to petition FDA for an exemption from the requirement of 100 percent identity testing of one or more dietary ingredients used in manufacturing the dietary supplement. The manufacturer would provide data to demonstrate that its proposed reduced frequency of identity testing does not materially diminish assurance that the dietary ingredient is the correct dietary ingredient. Each petition will be considered on a case by case basis.
So, lets look at the ingredients of costco multivitamins shall we?
Ingredients:
Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Cellulose Gel, Potassium Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Oxide, Starch (Corn and Tapioca), dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Tribasic Calcium Phosphate, Ferrous Furmarate, Croscarmellose Sodium, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Gelatin, Asian Ginseng Root Extract, , d-Calcium Pantothenate, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Copper Oxide, Beta Carotene, Polyethylene Glycol, Vitamin A Acetate, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Selenate, Folic Acid, Lycopene, Sodium Borate, Lutein, Potassium Iodide, , Biotin, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Metavanadate, Nickelous Sulfate, Stannous Chloride, Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol).
Dicalcium phosphate (DCP) is a commonly used filler in
tablet formulas. Coarser grades of this excipient are known
to flow well and have good compactibility. However, DCP
is insoluble and can be very abrasive, which could cause
reduced tooling life due to wear on the equipment during
tablet manufacture. High levels of lubricants are required
to overcome the abrasiveness, but elevated levels of hy-
drophobic lubricants can impact the mechanical strength
of the tablets and disintegration/dissolution performance.
These concerns have led to investigations of the use of
other materials in tablet development.
You want to know what cellulose gel is? Me too. No one seems to know exactly. If you can find a straight answer I'd love to hear it. Here is what I did find.
a unique ingredient. In water, with shear, MCC forms a three-dimensional matrix comprised of millions of insoluble microcrystals that form an extremely stable, thixotropic gel. Avicel microcrystalline cellulose functions at any temperature and provides superior freeze/thaw and heat stability to finished products.
So at this point we have abrasive, filler, filler and temperature stability. Are you hungry yet?
*dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate a very fancy way of saying vitamen E
*Pyridoxine Hydrochloride for us silly people is B6.
*Polyethylene Glycol is used as a laxative, put in eye drops and about 300 other things.
So, my point is (yes, I actually do have a point) that with everything you eat or drink, be smart. Read labels. And if it claims to be some magic pill that is going to do wonders, don't bother.
Taking vitamins isn't a bad thing. I take them every day. Knowing what you're taking and what it is going to do, or not do, is important. How much actual vitamin is in that vitamin and how much is useless filler? Well, you generally get what you pay for.
So when you walk down the vitamin and supplement isle in the store do you wonder how much of it is crap? I do. So I research before I ingest. I learn what it is, what's in it, what it's supposed to do and what it's been shown to actually do. I think and this is purely my personal opinion, that much of the positive results people claim with various supplements is the very fabulous and oft overlooked placebo effect. If you think it's going to work, it's going to work.
What about the prescription drugs? Well, I can answer that pretty quick. Most of them mask the pain. Most of them have worse side effects than benefits. If you want to sleep a lot, pain meds are the way to go. Yes, I have days when I eat percocet like candy so I can function. But that's all it does is allow me to function, barely.
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