Busy summer July 2013- keeping food, sleep, and exercising as priorities

Holy Smokes. The summer of 2013 is busy. More so than usual, but also good. Food template is all dialed in. I'm about 95%  consider myself in recovery and fully transitioned from the root causes of the emotional/binge eating days. A few food thoughts come in and I let them go back out again.

It's been 2.25  full years since I started my weight loss. Maintenance, 17+ months. Lots of work happened 7-9 years ago. It's been a process, one I get the benefits from every day. So worth it.

What works:
Food:  I'm not tracking my food lately. Reason is I'm eating pretty clean low-inflammatory ( yes, Paleo- lower carb). The 85% chocolate and my coffee and the rare eating out are my off food template items. My weight is steady and right at or below goal. Awesomeness.

Cooking in the hotel, Seattle

 Sleeping: I'm sleeping much better now- going to bed sooner (reading blogs less, sad trade off but it's worth it). The lower carb food template is the best way to sleep better longer. I feel great during the day. Important since the days are jam packed.

Health: I feel awesome. Escaping the summer colds and pneumonia  that have plagued many people I know in real life. Everybody knock on wood! ;).  Pssst... living a Primal/Paleo, low inflammatory lifestyle has it's benefits and not getting sick very often is one of them. I recommend it. Vacation days are spent having fun and far, far away from the health care system. Co-pays become funds for vacation play.

Exercise: Still getting 10,000-12,000 steps per day. Impressive and I feel great.

Strength: Still hitting the gym 1-2 times a week. I could improve in this area.

Stress relief: Still taking photos, the walking is super relaxing, vacation done for the summer, getting ready for an 8 week, 8 minute meditation commitment.

Yummy seafood, Woodland Park Zoo

Motivation: Yes! I read a lot. I re-tweet articles and I have an Instagram account now, too. Podcasts daily. Enjoying Vinnie Tortorich- The Angriest Trainer Podcast. What a hoot after you've listened to 5-10 podcasts (it's an adult podcast- just warning you)

What is up next? The rates of chronic disease (especially for children) from bad science and big food and the Standard American Diet are creeping me out. Serious health and financial impacts. The best thing is to get yourself well, your family will follow, then be an advocate and spread the word- in my opinion.

What did not work in the past:
Food- eating in moderation, eating lots of sugar, cereal, and wheat & grains. Does not work for me. Kept me sick. Kept me really, really overweight, kept me sad and out of photos, kept me from enjoying my kid and my life.

Health: I got colds and sick way more often. It was not good.

Strength and Exercise: I couldn't lift things to do simple house hold tasks. Walking is much harder on knee's and joints.

Stress relief & Sleep:  Eating food to calm my nerves on a busy day only made it worse. So much worse. Feeling my feelings is so much less stress full than the emotional and physical pain of obesity. Getting enough sleep and snoring less (dairy induced) and sleeping deeper (lower carbs) keeps me making good choices during the day/week.

Low inflammatory, removing sugar, removing grains is not used often enough in long term weight maintenance and for overall health ,in my opinion. Looking forward to living, teaching, and being in the grass roots efforts to get things turned around. We are stronger together. Onward.

I'll blog when I am able. 

Lake Union, Seattle