Bears do it, Bees do it (maybe) ...

image: Merry Christmas from "Switzerland"


Motivation:

"The road to someday, leads to the town of nowhere.
Procrastination is the silent killer."
~Anthony Robbins

2 peter 3:9a The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish,

Diary:

Today (December 20) is the shortest day of the year - tomorrow we start adding minutes to our days - it is one of my most favorite day of the year.

It is especially dark today as the clouds have moved in an light snow is forecasted for the next day+. I am hunkered down.

I am thinking that this is why bears hibernate. I feel like I have gained many pounds of fat this month and am storing up my honey for the rest of winter. Bees must hibernate too, cause I haven't seen any bees since winter arrived. I haven't seen bears either. Maybe it has to do with honey. Both bears and bees store honey, and they don't show up in the wintertime. Is there something odd in honey that makes animals tired or shy? I did have some honey that I put in some healthy bars that I made. The ingredients included nuts, berries, dried fruits, cocoa, carob, coconuts, and honey. After eating a few bars, I wanted to curl up, flatten my wings and just go to sleep for a while. Honey! Who knew....

I decided to just let go on my fitness and nutrition plan for a few weeks - not to eat to excess or to be a sloth, but just to allow me to not be so strict about my meals, the timing, the fitness routine has been loosened a bit, and I have stopped journaling every day.

I am going to spend this weekend re-tooling my nutrition and journaling program and getting it ready for a restart in January! I am excited to get back into starting mode. Ready for new goals and milestones, ready for new challenges and ready for new revelations and insight. For now I am being patient and just relaxing and letting myself be comfortable with who I am and where I am.

I am planning a trip to California at the end of January, so my first fitness goal will be to be in shape to feel great and have fun in the sun. It will be a great contrast from the winter wonderland here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.


So why did I choose the two quotes that seem somewhat opposing? There is a difference between taking time off, having patience, listening and just "living" for a while, vs procrastination and putting off the work that needs to be done.

I have been taking the December month as an off month for many of my goals, but I haven't abandoned the goals or given up on them. I am planning for a rebirth of sorts, when the timing is ready. I think my body, mind and spirit will be ready for the new routine, and in some ways, I will be tired of the non-routine and ready to get back into structure. I know the feeling of collapsing at the end of a really productive day, and how there is great pleasure in that pain. It is addictive.

What is the deal with Switzerland? I will have to keep the mystery going on this one - cause I am not really sure where that is going. All I know is that I am Switzerland - for now.


Notes:

Earlier this month, I finished my critique forms as a STC Documentation Competition Judge. My group gave 1 award from our entries. I learned a lot from the process, not only having to read and judge other writer's works, but having to meet with other judges and collaborate, discuss, dispute, and give our case for what is good and bad in the documents that we have read, and why we feel they are good or bad.

Over the discussion, one of my team members gave me a great analogy about planning and prioritizing your tasks at work. He indicated that when he is given a new project to work on, he asks "When does this project need to be done?" Based on that answer, he has four trays on his inbox with the following labels:

• MICROWAVE - for projects that need a fast turnaround. The consumer must realize that this creation will be done and "cooked thoroughly", however it may not be the best quality and have all the bells and whistles as other output. The thought is that we are ok with giving up quality for a quick timeline. (Not that we strive for bad quality, but every now and then someone just needs "something" to get by - so we nuke it.)
  
• STOVE TOP - for current projects that require a lot of attention. Maybe it is at a simmer, and you are just watching and stirring it, maybe it is at a rolling boil, and you are really "cooking" on a project. This is the main course that you are working on during they day, and you probably don't have more than 3 or 4 of these projects going on at once (you only have 4 burners on your stove-top oven, right?)
  
• CROCK POT - for projects that require a bit of setup, but once you have the ingredients put together and in the cookware, then you can let it go for the rest of the time - it sort of takes care of itself. These projects may be things that require answers from other people, or a product that isn't finished in development. For these projects, there is some prep work to do, maybe a template to make or a document plan to write-up, but then it just needs to sit and develop without your immediate intervention - in fact if you open the lid you will disrupt the process. Just do your "due diligence" and then walk away until it is ready for you to serve.
  
• DEEP FREEZE - for projects that are either not worth doing now, or dead. If it is dead, put it in the freezer for some other day. You can thaw these out later, but they don't need to crowd your desk or field of view. Just tag them, bag them, and find a nice cool place to store them.
  

Since this list was both Technical Writing and Food related, I was excited to hear it and share it. Maybe this will give you some insight on how to think about getting things done at your work or home projects.

more later,

Chazz

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Joy to the World! except for Chazz...

I finally see why many people I used to know don't recognize me at my new size. I was looking at pictures from this Thanksgiving weekend, and then by chance uncovered some "before" pictures that you maybe haven't seen yet (and I forgot about). I had to do a double-take as the difference was very evident. Just another proof that step-by-step is hard to see results, until you look back at where you started.

These picture were taken by coworkers in Eagan a couple years ago. Mike and Rachel probably remember that day.














That shirt - was one of a handful that I wore when I was big. I think it is long gone in the burn pile since then, but I remember that stained shirt and how uncomfortable it was.

Now here are some more recent photos from November 2007.

Enjoy!















It is starting to become apparent to me that I have lost some weight.


It is the holiday season, I have a decent job, my health is better than ever, I lack very few creature comforts, and yet, I am melancholy again. This happens during December, and it has happened again. I am blue and it didn't help that the other day they changed the billboard on my drive to work. It says "DEPRESSED?" and has a number for a grief counselor. It feels like an advertisement promoting Depression! It makes me depressed just looking at it and thinking "yeah, I am depressed, how did you know?" It is cold outside, the roads are full of snow and ice, it is dark all the time, it is hard to get out and socialize, people are sick with the cold and flu, people are grumpy and easily snap at each other, it is time to be stressed about finances, holidays, family, shopping, work, vacation, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I looked on my calendar today and see the following Appointment: "Start new blog:

• Week 1 - motivation / inspiration
  
• Week 2 - productivity
  
• Week 3 - technology
  
• Week 4 - diet and health
  
• Week 5 - chefs choice / grab bag"

Huh - week 1's theme is "motivation and inspiration". How does one be motivational and inspirational while at the same time depressed and bitter? Since depression is not a contagious disease, maybe my readers won't know that I am filled with vinegar this week - so just move along with my writing...

I was so moody that I didn't even what to THINK about blogging, but maybe that is the best time to write out my thoughts. So, here are the headlines:

• trying vs training - what is the difference?
• weight = up 6lbs this week - why?
  
• new food linking site - cool way to look at complimenting food choices
• ran on Tuesday too cold - withdrew from the Reindeer run - snowing, windy and cold
• ChristmasFest thoughts
• dead ipod - long live the sansa

Motivation:

"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."
~Voltaire

Diary:

Perhaps part of my down feelings this week are due to my results from my goal list. I was up 6 lbs this week on the scale, and feel bloated and heavy. Could it be due to all the Thanksgiving food I ate: cookies, bars, beers, or maybe it was because I only a couple workouts last week?

I ran on Tuesday last week in preparation for the Reindeer Run, but it was so cold outside that I only ran 1 mile and went back home. I didn't work out on Thursday or Friday due to excuses about time and that I wanted to "save myself" for the run on Saturday, but on Saturday morning it was snowing, windy and super cold. I withdrew from the race, again with the excuse that "I don't want to get sick or injured." But that was a cop-out, and now I feel like once again, I set out to do something and failed - quit - and not even for a good reason. It is not the end of the world, so I am not going to blow it out of proportion, but I am concerned that I failed to complete one of my targets, and am going the wrong direction with my weight-loss and health goals.

I haven't really made progress on my other goals - financial debt reduction, music practice, technical training, book reading, etc. It makes me feel sad.

Another thing that makes me sad? My iPod is officially dead. I am sick of trying to get it to work, and have now started using my sansa for listening to music and news. It sounds whiny and immature complaining about it, but it was a big waste of time and energy for me this last month and I am just stressed out about it. Sick and tired. sick sick sick - this is actually very cathartic and soothing to just keep repeating "sick, sick, sick" to the point that I want to laugh. What a pointless thing to worry about - stupid iPod - why do I spend time on projects that are so futile in the end. I am glad it is gone - phewy - good riddance you piece of technology - you were good while you lasted - so long...

My sansa is almost awesome. It syncs with iTunes, thanks to some third party apps (no thanks to apple or microsoft) and I replaced the sansa operating system with RockBox, which seems pretty cool.

So, basically I replaced one useless tech gadget with another one, but this time I spent under $50 for this gadget, instead of spending $500 for the apple iPod equivalent. The cheaper junk works just as good as the expensive junk did.

Notes:

Wow, are we negative today or what - time to put a positive spin on this blog posting, huh?

I took my former pastor and his family to the St. Olaf Christmas Festival on Thursday, and I am so glad that I did. First and foremost, it was a reminder how much I love and appreciate Kendall and Cheryl and Kris and how good they make me feel. They are going to be a great resource for their new church and community, and I will still be friends with them through technology (their church has an online sermon database) and email.

The Festival was different this year. The theme was "Love and Hope and Peace Abide" and the music was very soft - like a lullaby. I got the idea, to paint a picture of the feeling on Christmas morning as the sun is rising on the glorious day. However, it got a little redundant for me. I really wanted to hear them "break out" with a gut-busting, face-blasting, roof-raising anthem, but I didn't hear it. I remember some years where there was trumpets blaring and the choirs at full voice extolling the Glory of God on High! This particular concert/service was very controlled, very serious, and it was "mystical" and "magical", but didn't give me the "WoW" factor that I am normally left with. As always, the orchestra, under direction of Steven Amundson was awesome - and I really enjoyed the songs arranged by Robert Schulz (Dr Bob).


On Sunday, I listened to a video with my church friends about "Trying vs Training" and it was very appropriate for me to hear - regarding weight loss and fitness goals.

Define "Trying" in a Google search, and I got this:

• make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief ...
• test: put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"

Define "Training" in a Google search, and I got this:

• activity leading to skilled behavior
• refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies
  

The speaker in the video says "Training is arranging your life to achieve certain activities. In order to do what you currently cannot do, you Train yourself by taking specific effort and actions. The result of Training is Transformation."

We don't "try to lose weight" or "try to run a marathon" as this is pointless. Great leaders, great athletes, great role-models don't "try something", they "train, prepare, take action!" This may be old news to many, but for me this was a real light in a dark space. I feel compelled to quote Yoda here, but will refrain as it is too corny of a cliche. I don't think anyone has achieved Transformation by "just Trying" something. Even things that were found "on accident", such as penicillin and electricity, didn't happen from 'just trying' something. They were based on scientific efforts that had deliberate goals in mind. Just because the result wasn't what the discoverer thought they would see is irrelevant. The point is that they weren't "just trying" to discover something, they were actively pursuing some truth or new idea.

Trying to do something assumes a lack of planning or preparation, a missed step of not having a goal in mind. Training is completely different. We are taking action, moving forward towards an objective. Military Training would be different if it was Military Trying. Sports Training would be different if it was Sports Trying. Why should we be any different in our goals - no more trying - start training!


I leave you with this fun thing - i found this link recently and it is right in my wheelhouse - perhaps it will be in yours as well. At this site you select a food item and it tells you what foods and flavors it pairs well with. I am going to use this site in my next kitchen creation. Very fun.


more later,

Chazz

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Reindeer Run this weekend...

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I am just chiming in with a quick blurb about this week's news.

I spent time with my family in the Amana Colonies, and drank too much wine and beer with Jman. We will see tomorrow if this affected my weigh-in. I did a lot of walking, 3 workouts, swimming with my nieces and nephew, and watched what I ate for the most part - but I did enjoy some of the treats that Mom made using all natural ingredients, and mostly protein and the carb snacks were all good choices.

I will explain this more later, maybe in December.

Meanwhile, My number for the Reindeer fun run came in the mail. Maybe this is a joke, but my number is "2007". Maybe every runner's number is 2007, but maybe not. If indeed my number is 2007, I take this as a sign - the year of the run - is my number for my final run this year.

I am going to practice tomorrow before my weigh-in, running 3 miles in the cold, Minnesota air. I will bundle up to see just how cold it will be before the run on Saturday.


I also am preparing for a Birthday present for myself. I have made plans for my January flight to California - three days in the sun during the winter duldrums.


That is about it - this is a busy week for me as my to-do list is larger than life. I am still looking for 4 more people to sign up for my Trim Advantage "90 Days to Better Health" program that I will be starting in January. It is for anyone who wants to lose a few holiday pounds, or for anyone interested in long term health acquaintance. We will meet once a week for 12 weeks, and I will teach you what I have learned in my journey and how you can use it to better your health. I give homework - so be prepared to change your life for the better.

Contact me if you are interested - for more information.


The big motivation news of the week - My good friends Karl and Amanda gave birth to a baby girl, and that is a great thing. Congrats!


Next week, I will return with a real blog posting - have a great week!

more later,

Chazz

Week of Learning and trying to Keep my Brain Active all the time.

Driving on I80 in Nebraska - a beautiful red color fills the air and I am filled with appreciation for all the things that are found right here. There is not a place on the world that has this kind of sunset. While my current home has lots of beauty, this place has a wonderful sky - filled with many colors in the day and stars shining brightly at night.

I find myself gazing into the sky often when I am in Nebraska, looking at birds, planes, clouds, or just pondering the colors of blue, red, orange, purple, green, and white all appearing in the sky. After a few months of Minnesota Grey, I could use some Nebraska Red.

If it isn't obvious yet, I was at the family farm in Nebraska this weekend, attending a seminar with my folks. I was asked to give a testimony regarding my weight loss and share some of my knowledge of "how it went for me" and the products I used and my thoughts and tips. I hoped to be encouraging, and concise. I am to speak on 3 things:

1) The Habits and Discipline of Fighting Fat - I think it was important for me to draw a battle line and say "NO!" to many things that *could* possibly lead me down the wrong trail. This would be the same, I imagine, with quitting smoking or any other life change. You have to make a commitment of what is important to you and what you will and won't do to accomplish your goal. This step moves thinking into doing. (at least it did for me.)

2) You are what you eat. There are many studies that show that your body regenerates itself (stomach lining, organ cellular structure, even fat stores) every 3 to 6 months.

For my inside body, I ate real, whole foods that I cooked myself, or oversaw the creation of. I didn't eat things out of boxes or bags - which I found to be mostly processed items with lots of extra additives but little nutritional value. My supplements are from Nutrilite, who is the only certified organic supplement company - ensuring that my nutrients are from real plant sources, not from chemical creations that the body does not effectively use.

3) I have a good support team including mentors, peers, and partners who help in many ways, through education, conviction, celebration, and motivation. It is important to connect regularly to keep yourself productive and moving forward.

I may work on this speech more so I can give it again, if I am ever asked. It is fun to see how people react to a testimony of hope and possibility.

Motivation:

"Two rights don't make a wrong, but three will get you back on the freeway."

~James Wesley Jackson

Diary:

Due to the Thanksgiving weekend, expect to have the next update in December. I hope you all have a chance to consider your life and all that you have to be Thankful for. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year, and will be celebrating with my family this season. Thanks to you, my readers, who have been very supportive this year.

After my speech on Saturday, I decided two things. One is that I am traveling to California on my birthday next year to tour the Nutrilite plant and attend a national conference about the benefits of healthy lifestyle using Trim Advantage System.

This is the first time I have used this term - but one of the things I reported in the testimony last weekend was my use of Trim Advantage products, and following the Trim Advantage system for losing weight. What was more impressive in my mind was that since I started following the Trim Advantage health program, I have not had one sick day from work, or spent a free day lying in bed. i have had the energy and immunity to disease and sickness all year. I had one trip to the hospital for food poisoning, but that was really not "health" related, but just bad cooking....

So, I decided to go to California for a fun trip, and I also decided to use my knowledge and extra energy to good use. I was encouraged and empowered after the meeting on Saturday to teach others and bring them along with me, so I am going to be inviting 4 to 6 people to join me next January in a "90 days to better health challenge." Over the next 6 weeks I will be planning and preparing the 90 day series, and looking for people who are interested in their health, whether it be weight loss, energy and metabolism, or help with immunity to disease and nasty free radicals.

More later, so stay tuned. If you believe you could be benefited by such a course, do let me know.


Notes:

This last week, I attended a Sports Nutrition Course, a Grocery Store Nutrition Tour, a Tour of the University of Minnesota Software Usability Lab, along with my usual regiment of courses and classes - it turned out to be a very educational week. As we go along, I will try to write some more about the events of the last week - I have a lot of information and not enough time to discuss it.

One of the things that was discussed in the Grocery Store Tour was the quality of different variety of lean meats. "Has anyone tried Bison?" It is very lean, so you need to cook it slow and low. "Venison is also a very healthy variety, and you cannot go wrong with Venison Loin." This was another of the nuggets I wrote down from the tour.

I was surprised, when on Sunday as I was ready to drive back to the Minneapolis home, Jman says "Would you be able to eat venison (is it on your diet)?" - Hey, yeah! He put together a grocery bag of a recent hunting trip - 2 beautiful loins. I hit the jackpot, as this is gold for a deer hunter.

i am excited about using some new protein varieties.

when I got home, I was smiling as I read this article about the best protein choices. I usually have a variety of these items on a weekly basis, but now I can add the top choice in the mix.


more later,

Chazz

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Overcoming the Fear of Failure

This week: the "Hog-Line" remembered, thoughts about Church Shopping & Sports Nutrition Class, and updated measurements (lifting, running, weight loss and fat loss)

I had a "unsettled" week - just contemplating my life decisions, job, relationships, goals, and activities. I don't have any second thoughts that I am not doing good things, or making good decisions, I am just wondering if I am making "THE RIGHT" decisions, for example: Are my goals actually going to make a difference? Am I in activities that are meeting my needs (physical, social, mental, emotional)? Am I in the right job, or career? I can become paralyzed by these panic-filled questions, and have to force myself to relax and break from the minutia.

I think it may also be exaggerated since I have been in a weight-loss plateau this week, and this is frustrating. I have been feeling hungry all the time and want to just eat desserts all day. I am not sure where this feeling came from, it could be the cold weather, the dark hours, the holidays, etc.

So, I have been trying to get inspiration from my daily reading and meditation, and did find some relief that may be helpful.

Motivation:

"Good choices come from experience. Experience comes from bad choices."

Diary:

I don't know why I get these feelings of inadequacy, but sometimes it happens and just sticks with me for a while. All week I have had the feeling in my gut that "something isn't right" with what I am doing. I am not succeeding with my goals, and am wondering if my goals are the right ones. Am I doing too much? Am I not doing enough? Am I bored with my goals? What is wrong?

I read some articles on "Why you aren't achieving" and it didn't resonate with me, but was interesting reading.

Then I found some insight from a short conversation with my father on the telephone, who encouraged me to do the little things - get something done, then work on the next thing. His analogy of a mason jar filled with nuts, but maybe a few marshmallows near the bottom. If you continue to shake the jar, the marshmallows will rise to the top. (Sometimes I feel like my jar is just full of nuts.....) That conversation reminded me of this article at the PicktheBrain blog

"It is relatively easy to envision an outcome that results from thinking big. For example, if I close my eyes I can imagine standing atop the summit of Mt Everest. The difficulty comes when you think about the journey - in this case the long trek and dangerous ascent through the Death Zone. Suddenly, standing atop the summit seems a much harder.

To overcome this problem, start small. As Lao Tzu once said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Here are 3 practical ways you can achieve big outcomes by starting small:

Focusing on the next action is a simple and powerful way to overcome procrastination, gain clarity, and establish accountability. As David writes in his book, “without a next action, there remains a potentially infinite gap between current reality and what you need to do.”

What are you putting off until tomorrow/next week/next year? Perhaps it’s something tangible, like calling a friend or spending more time with your children. Or perhaps it’s something less tangible, such as happiness or love. If you’re waiting until tomorrow for “something” to happen, consider this: in so many ways, it’s your days that define your life. The way you live each day–the words you speak, the thoughts you think, and the actions you take–are what shape your life and determine what it will stand for.

Yes, it’s important to plan for tomorrow, but be sure that you’re making the most of the present. Don’t hold back living your best life till tomorrow . Start today, because what you do today that will determine tomorrow."

So, I did just that this week, I stepped out of the comfortable, and visited some new church groups who have young adults and singles. I am not sure what I was looking for - friendship, enlightenment, a new perspective that it closer to the experiences I am having, overcome boredom and loneliness? all of the above, I guess.

The church I went to had a big section of the bulletin indicating that all of the young adults were invited to go to an event at a local Baptist church scheduled for later that evening. I have been to a few of these "type of events", and remember them mostly consisting of "new-age" Christian music, a lot of hand waving, and some rah-rah speeches. It doesn't do much for me, to be honest. But I decided to go and see what was there.

When I walked in, there was silence. Candles were everywhere and no band at the front of the chapel. I sat down and was told that we were to sit in silence and listen for the still soft voice. We were in silence for only a few minutes, and I could have had more, to be honest. My days are filled with noise - all the time - to have a few minutes of just listening to silence - it was exciting. "Silence" isn't the same as nothing. It is something, not just a gap between noise. Silence has a weight to it, and a feeling, although I would be unable to fully describe what the feeling is like. It is different every time. I became reminded of what a value silence has, and that I don't take the time to just listen - not listen to the radio, the tv, the ipod, the traffic, the co-workers, the neighborhood kids, but just listen to silence. It was wonderful. It is like the feeling of walking around at an early hour of the day, before anyone else is awake.

After the service, I ran into an old friend of mine, who at first didn't recognize me, but she said that she knew it was me when I smiled. With my regular frown face, I was not familiar to her, but when she saw my smile and my eyes, she knew it was me - weight loss or no - it was great she was encouraging and I was so happy to make that reconnection. We both happened to feel like going to this service at the same time - there were many hundreds of reasons we could not have been there, excuses we could have used to not go, stay home and be comfortable. We talked for a while, and I am better off for going to this church service. I was left with the feeling that I should step out of my comfort zone more often - who knows what illumination and connection I will find.

The PicktheBrain site I quoted earlier also has this nugget about Sustaining Self Motivation
also has more information that helped me put things in perspective this week about connecting with others, and networking with new people and making friendly connections :

"In most cases, life is not a zero-sum game. Another person’s success does nothing to detract from yours and frequently enhances it. Instead of making rivalries, develop friendships. Your competitors are usually the people you can relate the most to. Do what you can to help them. Share advice and recognize good work. This type of giving not only inspires others to return the favor, but it creates an infectious feeling of goodwill around you and your projects. People are attracted to positive vibes."

The last thought on this Fear of Failure rant - comes from the LifeHack.org website. It discusses how to deal with the "I can't" attitude:

"The key to overcoming your lack of confidence in your ability is to just throw away all expectations of an end goal and let your happiness stem from the simple fact that you have started doing it! All good things in life take some time to perfect, and you will have good days and bad days, but don’t attach too much importance to one or the other; in either case, just be grateful for the opportunity to expand yourself and find out what you are truly capable of."

This sounds like something that my dad would tell me - wait, I think he did... and still does, time and time again.


the "Hog-Line"
I was surprised and delighted to get an email from a high-school classmate. (Let me set this up a little.) On Saturday, my friend Pat was giving me a hard time about the Nebraska Cornhuskers losing yet another game in the NCAA Football arena. I was able to quickly give him a jab back by reminding him that his Minnesota Golden Gophers are about as pitiful as the Nebraska team. (Maybe they should play each other for this year's toilet bowl??)

I said something to the affect that "I should be the Middle Linebacker, and I could really hit somebody."

Pat's response was "Nope, you are too small!" Ha! I used to be a Nose Tackle - now I am too small to be a Linebacker...

The next day, I got an email from Erik, one of my classmates, who was an auxiliary member of the "Hog Line" (consisting of Chris and Jason on the ends and me in the center) - the three biggest guys on the football team. Erik was not as big as us, but he was tough and filled in on the line for a good running push. He grew up a little more than a mile from my home, and was a good friend in high school. Hearing from him brought back a few memories..

Erik found my site www.chazzvader.com and sent me a nice note. He says:

"I work out 5 times a week..... I was always taught to finish what was on my plate so I could be rewarded with dessert...REWARDED!"

Isn't it the truth. I remember being cautious to eat everything so I could get dessert. "Eat all your dinner". It is sort of a backwards mentality for a culture that continues to have obese kids increasing in numbers. Even today, we "Celebrate" with food. What is a celebration, holiday office party, for example, without a huge buffet, open bar, all the fried chicken wings you can eat? How do you celebrate?

I am grateful for Erik's message, and encourage him and all of you to have a save holiday. Try not to get too caught up in the celebrations that you reward yourselves with the wrong things.


Notes:

It has been about a month since I updated the statistics on my weight loss, and I want to update the Running Map and the Statue of Liberty Poster. I will attempt to finish these up today and see how it turns out!

See the sidebar for the updated stats and weight loss measurements.

Run from Denver to Chicago = so far 25 miles have been run.

Here is what it looks like on the map - not too impressive yet, and we have a LOOOONNNGG way to go to get to Chicago.








Lift the Statue of Liberty = so far I have lifted reps of weight equivalent to 129,925lbs.

Here is what that looks like on Lady Liberty. I may need to find another thing to lift once I am done with her, or I can lift her a few more times. (She is a rather tall lady)











Goals!
Full Spreadsheet is found here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pd_MzRMQiFVTY8vIzZWnNTQ&hl=en

Geek / Professional Goals
1.	Learn Adobe Dreamweaver Read "Dreamweaver CS3 Visual Quickstart Guide" by Peachpit Press and start building a website using Dreamweaver.	No progress this week. The book is sitting where it was a week ago.
2.	Other studies	I attended a Sports Nutrition Seminar at the local Health Center (the same place where my Goddaughter was born) It was very nice. I recorded it and would be happy to share it with anyone who is interested.
3.	Get involved in Professional Peer Networking	I am now a STC Technical Publications Judge. I received my 3 submissions from NY Metro and am ready to get into them and see how this process works.
Health / Fitness Goals
4.	Lose the last of my fat - Turn "love pillows" into "love handles" - Eat a variety of "Real Clean Healthy" foods - Sleep well - Take my daily supplements and water - commit to fitness routine	Followed my Eating Diary all week Fitness Plan on M, T, W, Th, F Bed by 11pm Gained 1lb this week
5.	Be a lean muscle-bound stud - Lift the Statue of Liberty - Lift weights M, W, F - 6000lb minimum each workout	Lifted weights on M, W Lifted 33,285 lbs of weight during circuit training workouts Will update Statue of Liberty Chart the first weekend of every month
6.	Beat my own time in 5K - Run from Denver to Chicago - Run/Jog/Walk 3+ miles each Tu, Thur, Sat	Ran 6 miles Will update the Google Map the first weekend of every month. Plan on participating in the Reindeer Run in Minneapolis. Need to start training for this - running outside in the cold weather is going to be a challenge.
Social / Creative Goals
7.	Transfer Old Home Movies to DVD	No progress this week. Need to spend an hour testing my hardware setup as proof of concept.
8.	Interview and record my heroes for netcasts	No progress this week. I need to setup time with Karl to finish our interview.
9.	Get involved in church, family, and social network	I visited 3 new churches this week, and found a couple that I could see going to - they are focused on small groups, have young adult and single's groups and seem to be friendly.
Emotional / Personal Goals
10.	Enjoy Music and participate in Music	No Accordion practice this week I sang with the Eagan Men's Chorus practice.
Home / Financial Goals
11.	Pay off credit card and personal debt - Save $4000 to be reserved specifically for debt payment	Saved $80 this week into my holding account -> slowly moving forward on the financial debt goals.
12.	Have an uncluttered home, car, book bag and mind. - Declutter house throughout the year - 1 room every 3 months	Cleaned out car, Did dishes, laundry, took out trash, cleaned kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room, bought groceries and prepared my meals for the week.

more later,

Chazz

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Two Tough Questions - Bookends to each other

This Picture is from the Twin-Cities 5K event last month. I was at R's 2-year birthday party this week, and received this picture from another attendee of the party. "Chug-Chug-Chug" - it appears that I am really pushing, but not going very far. I think this was taken near the end of the race and I am looking really winded and somewhat pitiful (that was not a jab, as I would think that most people consider their picture at the end of a race to be somewhat on the pitiful side). However, it was the - best time ever - 32 minutes, which is the new time to beat.

Enjoy!



Wow, there is a ton of stuff that happened this week to discuss - I don't know if I can get to all of it, so here is a wrap-up and I can try and elaborate further as we go:

• News came out this week that "ta-da" - Obesity is linked to Cancer! (no shock here..)
• Had a eureka moment for my Galactosemic metabolic disorder - and have been educated as to what "RAW Foods" are.
  
• Was surprised to find that I had a ready-made Halloween costume - I felt as if I was looking out from under a mask.
• Update from Memphis on his "Worlds Greatest Dad" program.
• Update on new podcast show coming early 2008 - Interview with Kaptain Karl
• I am singing again - at last - I was convicted by Karl to restart my choir rehearsals attendance, and was so glad I did.
  

There are the topics - here comes the rest of the story - (page 2):

Real-time Note: *The smell of greasy french fries is wafting in the air right now - someone is eating a lunch from the grill downstairs, and it is driving me crazy. I will eat a salad and hard boiled eggs, then return to my typing. I didn't realize how extreme that smell affected me, it is very powerful. *

Motivation:

"One of the secrets of life is learning to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks." ~Jack Penn

Diary:

Two tough questions - which are somehow related Last week I received a telephone call from a good friend who was troubled. She has a young friend, a student who is depressed and told her that he was having problems. She called me (I am honored) to ask "What advice would you give to such a person, in the aspect of Kaizen?" "What should I say to this person?'

My initial thoughts included the fact that I cannot really answer the question of "What should I say?", as I could never have the right answer. This is probably impossible. The Kaizen - or step by step approach would be to take little steps. Find something small that can be done, even if it is talking and listening. Maybe find out what this person likes and encourage them to take a small step towards doing that thing. Those were my first thoughts.

In thinking about what my answer should be, I began to think about the other tough question I had last week from someone at my church. We were discussing the spiritual part of my weight loss journey, and I indicated that there were times that were really tough for me - heart wrenchingly tough - where I did not know what to do except cry. I remember calling my sister on one occasion and she asked what was wrong, but I didn't know, other than "it hurts". At the time, I recall seeing a picture that brought up some tough memories, and that started me to be really sad and lonely and needed to talk to someone.

In the middle of my story, the church friend said "Why didn't you tell me you were hurting?"

The answer I gave was the same advice I plan on giving my friend with the troubled student: "I wasn't alone - I had people to lean on. It isn't to say that I wouldn't have leaned on you, but help was provided to me when I needed it. But you never seemed open to me to tell you my inner hopes and fears. Honestly, I didn't know you would be interested, and you never asked to be involved in my life." It is a tough, but honest, answer to hear and our relationship is strong enough to have these deep discussions.

I am thinking about role models and personal helpers as I was growing up. Teachers, Friends of my Parents, My Friends, Community Members, etc. What made me lean on some people as opposed to others? I tended to seek advice and help from those who were there to offer incessant positive reinforcement - I always feel like they are on my side - no matter what. They guard their tongue when there are negative criticisms that they could make, but instead offer positive options for guiding me. I sought out those people as a child, and I still do as an adult. I don't do this well for others, but I hold in high regard those around me who show this ability.

One of the people who does this for me today, recently introduced me to Carl Rogers - who described the development of A Self.

In the development of the self concept he [Carl Rogers] saw conditional and unconditional positive regard as key. Those raised in an environment of unconditional positive regard have the opportunity to fully actualize themselves. Those raised in an environment of conditional positive regard only feel worthy if they match conditions (what Rogers describes as conditions of worth) that have been laid down by others.

In the small amount of reading that I have done regarding Carl Rogers, I have become intrigued, and I think that he falls in line with both Kaizen and Renaissance Thinking. I will pursue his theories further in the next year.

So, what is my answer to the question? It is vague, but hopefully it will give you something to consider in your life. This week's reading in my Church Outreach book speaks of Mercy and Justice. The simple difference between Mercy and Justice is that of a quote attributed to Lao Tzu. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. " Giving a hungry person a fish is Mercy. Teaching a person how to make his life better is Just. Mercy is a daily task, where Justice is a long-term goal. (Does this sound familiar.) While we strive for Justice as an attribute, we have Mercy in the front of us. According to Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson in "The Externally Focused Church":

Mercy is giving a person a fish so he can eat today. It's not attacking the problems [of poverty or hunger] at a systemic level, it's just making somone's life better if only for today. Mercy explains why Jesus so willingly fed the five thousand (the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels) and later the four thousand. He didn't lecture them about how to plant wheat for a future harvest. Rather, he said "I have compassion for these people...I do not want to send them away hungry' (Matthew 15:32). He did not solve the world's hunger problem, but he did make these lives better for that afternoon.

Sometimes we are paralyzed by inaction. Faced with the enormous problems in our world today, we are overwhelmed and wonder, "What good will this little act of kindness do?" But Jesus said, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36). Maybe Mother Teresa expressed it best: "We can do no great things; only small things with great love."

I am no saint, so I say this with humility in my own flaws: I encourage you to do small things with great love - look for ways to show Mercy to those you are in contact with. Become that person, who a year from now, someone will point to and say "You were there for me when I was needing someone to help, and it made all the difference." Show others love and support... I need to try to do this better, and I will commit to this challenge with my other challenges.

In my list of goals below, #9 is a reminder to me to "BE SIGNIFICANT" but it isn't meant to be for my benefit. I need to be significant to those around me for their benefit as well. I may never solve systemic global problems like sustainable farming for hunger reduction, but I can lend a hand to my co-worker or a smile to the neighborhood kids - the question is - why don't I?


Notes:

Scientist find link between body fat and cancer risk
The World Cancer Research Fund recently reported that there is evidence that excess body fat can cause six different types of common cancers, including those affecting the breast, bowel and pancreas. The study also found that processed meat, was such a risk factor for bowel cancer that people should avoid it completely. The report says there is powerful evidence that excess body fat is also a trigger for oesophagus, pancreatic, bowel, post-menopausal breast, and kidney cancers.
Processed meat is defined as meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or the addition of preservatives. Examples included deli meats - deli-turkey, deli-chicken, ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, and frankfurters.

I would warn you that "healthy foods" can be hidden as processed. Even deli turkey, which you would think is a more healthy choice, can be processed by the addition of salts, sugars, other preserves, and it is a candidate for smoked, honey'ed and other processing. Be aware that anything that you see cut out of a package is "processed", even if it is supposedly a healthy food.


Update on Memphis Evan's (Worlds Greatest Daddy)

I received an email from "Anonymous" visitor (please leave a comment, but I would personally appreciate it if you would try to give some sort of clue to who you are - it is just nice for me to know) asking for an update on the WGD program from Memphis: His response:

"The biggest change is that I don't use the checklist
every day anymore. This month I have used it six
times. Generally I feel I don't need it anymore, but I
used it today. Why?

From the moment I reluctantly got out of bed this
morning I knew it would be a hard day. I just did not
feel like being a stay at home parent today. I wanted
to do something with grown ups. Something that would
use my non-child care skill set. Something that would
allow me to be me, not Daddy.

But here I was and here I am. The girls were relying
on me and I can not let them down. Ever. I did what I
needed to do and brought the most positive attitude I
could dredge up. I got on the floor and played and
sang. I made breakfast and bottles then did dishes and
washed the bottles. Was my heart in it? Eh. Sort of.

I have a huge to do list on the refrigerator white
board right now and it's really bugging me. I get one
thing done (research and buy new oven) and another one
pops up (get counter top altered to fit new oven).
These are all just administrative, basic life needs
and they aren't being accomplished. This is not even
considering the question of my recording, performing,
and writing of music, which is similarly neglected.
Despair.

But I did a few things on the WGD checklist, just ran
down it methodically, starting a load of whites so
I'll have clean socks, sterilizing the bottles I'd
cleaned from breakfast, restocking the diaper changing
stations, etc. As I put in the little Xs I almost felt
like I was accomplishing something grown up even
though no other grown ups were around. And now my
house and family will be better for my having done the
work.

Maybe tonight I will get some studio time even. I also
need to practice for my upcoming extremely rare solo
show. Maybe tonight I can create a set list and begin
practicing. So the WGD program helped me immensely
today and the benefit is rippling out to my napping
children and beyond."

Chazz sings
This weekend, I received an email from Kaptain Karl, who was bragging a bit of his experiences with his Barbershop Choir in Wisconsin. He should brag - I have seen several shows, although I missed it this year, and they are really very good. Even better than the quality of the music is the feeling that singing gives and the quality of the men in the group. Just the casual discussions after the show prove the heart of the men in the choir and their love for singing good music - it is infectious.

After reading his email and understanding his joy in the accomplishment, I realized it was time for me to get serious about my music. I enjoyed singing before, and have not been doing it because I was looking for the right venue (church, etc). I forgot that I had a good place to sing, the local community men's choir. I wasn't with them, and decided that I would drag myself in to see if they are still around. I think Woody Allen is quoted as saying "Eighty percent of success is showing up."
So on Monday evening I went to the men's choir practice, and was met with the same men who I had sung with before, 2 years ago. When they saw me, they were unaware of this "new guy", but a couple of guys quickly realized who I was. It was a little surreal after that. I was struck by them clapping at my return and at my weight loss goals and success so far. I was blown away and left inspired to continue. I was filled with joy to have these men, who are connected to me only by song, so excited to see what I was doing and so curious to find out more. They were asking me if I would show them before and after pictures, some hints and tips for them on eating healthy and other off the cuff questions - and I was not prepared to answer. The next day, I got an email about upcoming singing events and this message:

"It was great to see you back and I hope you can participate as much as possible. I confess, I was one of those who didn't recognize you at first. What a disguise! We've always loved you but I'm sure you'll understand why we can't love you quite as much now (kidding of course).

I don't know how you did it but I'm sure your weight loss has made a big difference in your life and health. Enjoy,

Tom"

The next night, I stopped by the old watering hole, and ran into some former co-workers and my regular friends Ed and Pat. As we were talking, one of "the twins", a bartender from another joint in town, sat down and said hello to Ed and Pat. He completely ignored me at first, then Ed said, "Are you going to say hi to my friend?" He said hello, and didn't have any recognition that we actually had known each other for years. We played poker together, had drinks together, and shook hands on many many occasions. Similar to the men in the choir the night before, he now had no clue who I was.
Ed looked at me and said "He doesn't know you!" - laughed under his breath and then repeated it "He doesn't KNOW YOU." While I understood where he was going, I replied "Does it really matter?" He indicated that while it may not matter to the twin, it mattered to Ed. I didn't say anything at the time, but at that moment, it felt like I had a mask on, and was looking out from under the eye-slits in the mask. I was looking right at the guy, and he didn't know who I was from Adam. Now this has happened 4 or so times in the last month, and I expect it will happen again. It is a bizarre feeling, like watching someone with Alzheimer's, who is looking right at your eyes, but has no recollection of all the memories of you as a person. While at that moment I had very little way of explaining it with words I appreciate Ed's comments, and loved the fact that he saw what I saw - briefly through my eyes - I will keep this memory close to my heart as I get discouraged and need extra motivation.

What a Halloween memory.


RAW Foods - a revelation
The holidays are approaching, the "food-based holidays" as I am now referring to them, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. These 4 horsemen of weight gain are fast on our heels and I need to be prepared. I am hungry for a treat! My mom's Orange Cookies.

hmmmmmmmmm orange cookies - you had to be there. They were so good, that they had odes and poems written for them. Family members would promise "feats" of grand scale to get their hands on them. Oh, what to do about this problem. I would dive into a barrel of holiday treats, if my guard were down..

I have to do something - then I found it. A Homemade Milky Way Bar using "Raw Food Ingredients"! Oh my - this is such a find for me, because it hits several of my target areas around food:

1) No Milk, due to Galactosemia
2) No chemical ingredients, such as High-Fructose Corn Syrup and commercial dyes and fillings.
3) Small number of ingredients that I can spell and understand where they came from.
4) I control the calories, sugar content so I could fit this into my fat loss diet.
5) Fairly easy to make, no special appliances required

This "find" opened me up to a whole world of "Raw Foods". What are Raw Foods? In general,
Raw Foods have no milk, no fat, little carbs, ingredients are whole, real or natural. The sweetener in Raw foods is usually from "alternative sources".

I thought that I would be turned off by the "hippie freak" part of Raw foodism, which according to Wikipedia is the lifestyle promoting the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet. Raw food diets include a selectıon of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds (including sprouted whole grains). Raw foodists typically believe that the greater the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits. Some believe raw food highly encourages weight loss and prevents and/or heals many forms of sickness and many chronic diseases that are seen as incurable by the medical community.

Huh? Have I become a vegetarian, fruit-nuts-and-berries, hippie freak? Yes, but add some eggs, beef, fish, chicken, and other foods. I can still be a Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef supporter, can't I?

If you want to try to eat more Raw foods, and are curious about how to substitute, I found this site that tells more: Veggie Kitchen in a Nutshell
And I need to remember this site for my Galactosemic friends - Go Diary Free Grocery List

So, I just need some Time and Energy at the end of a day to go find some Raw ingredients and make some treats. I will try to take something simple with me for my Thanksgiving trip, so that I will have something to nibble on while the rest of the family is knee deep in left-over Orange Cookie crumbles.


Wow! We made it - long post today, but gosh-golly there was a lot going on (inside and out). Next week I will have a weigh in and measurement update. I will try to update my charts for lifting and running and I will share some more stuff that I have found on the Internet.


Goals!
Full Spreadsheet is found here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pd_MzRMQiFVTY8vIzZWnNTQ&hl=en

Geek / Professional Goals
1.	Learn Adobe Dreamweaver Read "Dreamweaver CS3 Visual Quickstart Guide" by Peachpit Press and start building a website using Dreamweaver.	No progress this week. The book is sitting where it was a week ago.
2.	Other studies	No progress this week. I am falling behind in my Nutrition class, and need to catch up with the lessons.
3.	Get involved in Professional Peer Networking	I am now a STC Technical Publications Judge. I received my 3 submissions from NY Metro and am ready to get into them and see how this process works.
Health / Fitness Goals
4.	Lose the last of my fat - Turn "love pillows" into "love handles" - Eat a variety of "Real Clean Healthy" foods - Sleep well - Take my daily supplements and water - commit to fitness routine	Followed my Eating Diary all week Fitness Plan on M, T, W, Th, F Bed by 11pm Lost 3lbs this week
5.	Be a lean muscle-bound stud - Lift the Statue of Liberty - Lift weights M, W, F - 6000lb minimum each workout	Lifted weights on M, W Lifted 33,285 lbs of weight during circuit training workouts Will update Statue of Liberty Chart the first weekend of every month
6.	Beat my own time in 5K - Run from Denver to Chicago - Run/Jog/Walk 3+ miles each Tu, Thur, Sat	Ran 6.5 miles Will update the Google Map the first weekend of every month. Plan on participating in the Reindeer Run in Minneapolis.
Social / Creative Goals
7.	Transfer Old Home Movies to DVD	No progress this week. Need to spend an hour testing my hardware setup as proof of concept.
8.	Interview and record my heroes for netcasts	No progress this week. I need to setup time with Karl to finish our interview.
9.	Get involved in church, family, and social network	Started planning for November vacations and family get-together. I am "shopping" around at churches to find events and happenings for young, hip, studly bachelors like myself. Just looking to venues to connect.
Emotional / Personal Goals
10.	Play the Accordion well - practice 2x weekly - prepare 6 solo songs for a performance to happen by July 2008	No progress this week, although as mentioned, I did up my musical joy by singing with the Eagan Men's Chorus.
Home / Financial Goals
11.	Pay off credit card and personal debt - Save $4000 to be reserved specifically for debt payment	Saved $80 this week into my holding account -> slowly moving forward on the financial debt goals.
12.	Have an uncluttered home, car, book bag and mind. - Declutter house throughout the year - 1 room every 3 months	I made a conscious effort to declutter my bedroom, and this morning as I woke up I felt better. Why does this happen? Maybe it is because I realize there is one less thing I don't like doing that I don't have to do today.

more later,

Chazz

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OOOOOOOOOO! More Scary Halloween Treats...

Greetings! As you can see, I have started the task of updating my blog site. Two reasons for this are:

1. The "Fat 2 FiveK" Challenge is over. I changed the name of the blog from "Fighting the Beast" to "Fat 2 FiveK" I thought about going back to "Fighting the Beast", but realize that this is not true - I feel like I have fought that beast, and am winning. The fight may not be over, but it is time to move forward.
   
2. Reading books about Kaizen and thinking about the changes that are going to happen in the next set of challenges, a lot of it deals with Small Steps of Constant Improvement. If you are wondering what Kaizen means, it is not a religion, but an attitude and a way of doing things. Let's examine the root word for a better understanding:
   

In Japanese:

• 改 ('kai') means 'change' or 'the action to correct'
  
• 善 ('zen') means 'good'.

In Chinese this is pronounced 'gai shan':

• 改善 ('gǎi shàn') means 'change for the better' or 'improve'.
• 改 ('gǎi') means 'change' or 'the action to correct'.
• 善 ('shàn') means 'good' or 'benefit'. 'Benefit' is the definition as an action that 'benefits' the society but not one particular individual. In other words, one cannot benefit at another's expense. The quality of benefit that is involved here should be sustained forever, in other words the 'shan' is an act that truly benefits others.

Again I am reminded of Mason Jennings song "Adrian". "I am the story that you'll tell. Let my life empower you, Let my troubles teach you well" . So this is another reason to continue to change and improve. You may think that by improving you are only building up yourself. I contend that, when doing it in a Kaizen way, you can start to see improvement in the lives around you. That is my hope - and part of the reason for this blog.

So with that blog errata, here goes this weeks posting! I hope you enjoy.


This image shows how a single 12-ounce can of soda has as much as 13 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup.






Motivation:

"I shall shape my future.
Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own.
I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me.
Or I can be lost in the maze.
My choice. My responsibility.
Win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny."
~Anonymous

Notes:

Closer and closer we get to the Hallowed Eve - and scary things keep popping up in my reading lists. Here are a couple more scary October news

Spooky Soda!
Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. The scientists found that drinks containing the syrup had high levels of reactive compounds that have been shown by others to have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage that could cause the disease, which is at epidemic levels. They reported this information at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

HFCS is a sweetener found in many foods and beverages, including non-diet soda pop, baked goods, and condiments. It is has become the sweetener of choice for many food manufacturers because it is considered more economical, sweeter and more easy to blend into beverages than table sugar.

High-fructose corn syrup may contribute to an increased risk of diabetes as well as obesity, a claim which the food industry disputes. Until now, little laboratory evidence has been available on the topic.

And because the amount of soda we drink has more than doubled since 1970 to about 56 gallons per person a year, so has the amount of high fructose corn syrup we take in. In 2001, we consumed almost 63 pounds of it, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The USDA suggests most of us limit our intake of added sugar -- that's everything from the high fructose corn syrup hidden in your breakfast cereal to the sugar cube you drop into your after-dinner espresso -- to about 10 to 12 teaspoons a day. But we're not doing so well. In 2000, we ate an average of 31 teaspoons a day, which was more than 15 percent of our caloric intake. And much of that was in sweetened drinks.

What is really scary is the 8 ‘Health’ Foods That Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup!
Next time you go shopping, take a look at the ingredient list of your "healthy food" choices, and see if HFCS (corn syrup) is listed in the top 5 ingredients. If it is, the choice may not be as healthy as you thought. While you are looking, check for other nasty chemicals - if you don't understand, or cannot pronounce, the first 5 ingredients, put it back. I know it sounds harsh, but would you pour glue (or other non-fuel chemicals) in your car's gasoline tank? Then why are you pouring chemicals down your throat?

Scary Salt!

News from our Canadian friends -- Canadians are seriously looking to prevent death and disability from stroke and heart disease, by monitoring sodium intake.

High levels of sodium are found in many of the processed and restaurant foods that Canadians consume each day, and Health Minister Tony Clement announced that Ottawa will establish an expert Sodium Working Group to explore ways to reduce intake and cardiovascular disease among Canadians.

Excess sodium, including table salt, can contribute to high blood pressure, considered the leading risk factor for death from stroke and heart disease. Research shows that lowering sodium consumption could slash the incidence of those deadly conditions by about 30%.

High blood pressure also significantly boosts the risk for kidney disease and is associated with dementia and blindness. Hypertension costs Canada about $430 million a year just for patient visits to doctors' offices and medications to treat the condition.

Yet Statistics Canada has found that the average Canadian consumes at least 3,100 milligrams of sodium each day, most of it hidden in processed foods. Health experts suggest about 1,700 milligrams daily is optimal.

To shrink sodium intake, Canadians are advised to eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, while avoiding processed foods as much as possible. But when it comes to processed products, Campbell advises consumers to check sodium levels on labels -- they often differ greatly from one manufacturer to another.

From a young age, I always thought that my salt came from that little shaker on the table. I remember being cautious to not shake too much salt on my food, and if I did I would get a gentle scold from my parents or siblings. I didn't realize that the little shaker was a minute amount compared to the sodium levels that are in foods we eat when out at restaurants or in pre-packaged foods. The BBC recently reported that the Fast food salt levels are 'shocking'

If you eat real, whole, natural foods - you can add your own salt. I would highly recommend moving this direction, if possible.


Diary:

This week was extra-ordinarily pedestrian. I just did the routine - sleep, work, eat, fitness circuit, eat, work, go home for home-work, eat, sleep.

I FINALLY ditched my digital cable that was costing me too much money every month. The good news is that this will help me to save $ and is another distraction that I have removed from my life, in order to spend more time practicing accordion, reading, social activities with other humans, and goal planning. Plus, really what do I watch on TV that I can't find on the internet or through DVD's? It is an easy call, and I think I will be on the plus in the long run.

The bad part is that I am addicted to the DVR unit - I was so happy to record shows and then watch them when I had the time. I could watch one show, and record another one, and I could pause a baseball game in the middle of the show and use the bathroom, then pick up where I left off. I didn't think I would miss it so much, but I am on a little bit of a withdrawal - sorrow for the loss.



On a completely different note, I am 9 weeks away from the end of my current fat loss program at the clinic. After the next 9 weeks, I will switch to a "Stabilization" plan, where I will learn what foods I can add to my diet to maintain my current weight. What they don't realize is that I am not done losing fat pounds, so I am planning on going through Stabilization during the holidays, maybe gain some muscle pounds, and then at the start of next year, will be re-starting the fat loss (some call it 'cutting') diet that I have been so successful with this year. That, plus the challenges I have on the board for 2008 - lifting, running, and beating my 5K time - will make for a lean and mean year.

In order to track these goals, I am working on some new journal templates, and think I will be pretty happy with the way to track what I am doing with my goals. I re-iterate that keeping a diary is very important, even before you start working on your goals. It tells the story of where you are - which helps understand where you are going. A journal doesn't have to be formal, it can be as simple as a blank piece of paper, or a fancy moleskin book, or an electronic PDA device. Any way that keeps you committed to your habits, that is good for me

More on this subject can be found at this article: Why You Should Keep a Strength Training Journal & How


Goals! Full Spreadsheet is found here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pd_MzRMQiFVTY8vIzZWnNTQ&hl=en

Geek / Professional Goals
1.	Learn Adobe Dreamweaver Read "Dreamweaver CS3 Visual Quickstart Guide" by Peachpit Press and start building a website using Dreamweaver.	No progress this week. The book is sitting where it was a week ago.
2.	Certification (deleted)	was technical certification - will postpone until later - maybe I should add the fact that I am auditing a Nutrition Class from the U of California - I should update the list to indicate the weekly tasks for this goal.
3.	Get involved in Professional Peer Networking	I signed up to be a STC Technical Publications Judge. Class is on morning of Nov 3.
Health / Fitness Goals
4.	Lose the last of my fat - Turn "love pillows" into "love handles" - Eat a variety of "Real Clean Healthy" foods - Sleep well - Take my daily supplements and water - commit to fitness routine	Followed my Eating Diary all week Fitness Plan on M, T, W, Th, Bed by 11pm Lost 3lbs this week
5.	Be a lean muscle-bound stud - Lift the Statue of Liberty - Lift weights M, W, F - 6000lb minimum each workout	Lifted weights on M, W Lifted 35,110 lbs of weight during circuit training workouts Will update Statue of Liberty Chart the first weekend of every month
6.	Beat my own time in 5K - Run from Denver to Chicago - Run/Jog/Walk 3+ miles each Tu, Thur, Sat	Ran 6.5 miles Will update the Google Map the first weekend of every month. Plan on participating in the Reindeer Run in Minneapolis.
Social / Creative Goals
7.	Transfer Old Home Movies to DVD	No progress this week. Need to spend an hour testing my hardware setup as proof of concept.
8.	Interview and record my heroes for netcasts	No progress this week. I need to setup time with Karl to finish our interview.
9.	Get involved in church, family, and social network	Started planning for November vacations and family get-together. Actually, my family did most of the planning, but I made sure my calendar was up to date. I am going to a friends 2-year birthday party, and am visiting churches.
Emotional / Personal Goals
10.	Play the Accordion well - practice 2x weekly - prepare 6 solo songs for a performance to happen by July 2008	No progress this week. I just need to commit to the time - 1 hour sessions twice weekly. Why is this so hard? I did play the accordion at church on Sunday, and had fun filling in the "background chords".
Home / Financial Goals
11.	Pay off credit card and personal debt - Save $4000 to be reserved specifically for debt payment	Saved $80 this week into my holding account -> slowly moving forward on the financial debt goals.
12.	Have an uncluttered home, car, book bag and mind. - Declutter house throughout the year - 1 room every 3 months	Dishes / Laundry / Trash / Bathroom / Kitchen / Make Bed / Sweep Patio / Keep Car Clean / Organize Living Room / Read & Pick up Papers / File Receipts / Keep email and RSS feeds up to date / make lunches and get gym clothes ready / pay bills / stay sane Who has time for anything else, when there is so much "stuff" that has to get done every day?

more later,

Chazz

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Run from Denver to Chicago - Lift the Statue of Liberty

Motivation:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
"New Colossus" - Emma Lazarus, 1883

Since we are nearing Halloween, I read two things online this week that scared the "bejeebers" out of me. Scary and sad - and I feel the need to sound the alarm on two failing role models in our community.

First Scare - the Fast Food Industry: So we all know that fast food, fried foods, and greasy burgers are great - once a month - but on a daily basis is turning us into flab-based beings. Now, Hardee's has raised the bar by introducing the Country Breakfast Burrito.

"two egg omelets filled with bacon, sausage, diced ham, cheddar cheese, hash browns and sausage gravy, all wrapped inside a flour tortilla"

The burrito contains 920 calories and 60 grams of fat. For a comparison, I currently consume under 2200 calories per day, so this food item would count for around 1/2 of my daily eats! Yipes.

In 2003 Hardee's introduced the Monster Thickburger. The 1,420-calorie sandwich is made up of two 1/3-pound slabs of beef, four strips of bacon, three slices of cheese and mayonnaise on a buttered bun. mmmmmmmm.... bacon....

This doesn't count the calories in the large coke (300 cals), the large fries (500 cals), and the large chocolate milkshake (?? cals) that accompany most fast food meals. That one meal would put me over the daily calorie limit (not that I am counting calories, but in the end it has to go somewhere.)

Maybe I will forgo the burrito and burger and go for a health salad - oops... think again. Even Hardees' chicken salad, topped with onion rings and crispy chicken, has 1,100 calories and 83 grams of fat.

ok, no shocker there. Everyone knows that fast food is not supposed to be good for you, so this "spook" is a given. The next scary news is worse - because it is from people who you expect better from.


Second Scare - Doctors: Did I already mention that western medicine has failed me? If I did my job like doctors do, I would be fired several times over. Here is the recent news that gets me steamed. After I read this, I have all sorts of conspiracy theories.

What is the purpose of a "regular checkup"? We spend lots of $$ and time for these visits over the course of a year. If doctors don't communicate with their patients or help them develop a health-management plan - are they negligent when that patient later is diagnosed with a life-changing disease like diabetes? Isn't it incumbent on the doctor to give the patient, the customer who is paying the bill, ALL of the information required to live healthy? Even if the information is embarrassing, taboo, or frank?

They call it the "Health Care Business" but I have and will call it the "Sick Care Business", since it appears that most doctors and clinics are focused on dealing with the sick, instead of helping people stay well/healthy. Follow the money - if you keep the population sick, uninformed, uneducated they will keep coming back for your services - oh, and they get more expensive the worse your health is.

"Obesity, of course, means a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, hospitalization and early death, so how come doctors are so lax" asks Dr Sanjay Gupta in the Time Magazine article. Maybe doctors should start to grow a backbone. It is easy for the "healthcare industry" to throw it back to the consumer stating that it is up to people to care for their own health. Well, I am sorry but that is a lazy answer. Has the public been trained in medical school? Do they have the information needed to make a healthy lifestyle plan? Aren't they paying you to advise them on their health concerns? If truly it was up to the individual to care for themselves, then why oh why would they ever pay you for an "Annual Checkup"?

It would be like taking your taxes to H&R Block, but they don't tell you about the most recent tax laws or help you develop a plan for saving money or complying with the federal laws? They could just say "it is up to the individual consumer to understand all of the tax laws - we have no responsibility"

So, here is my advice. You should go to get regular checkups, but you need to prepare a little bit, and ask some good questions to see if your doctor is interested in your well being. How about asking this question: "What do you recommend I do to keep my body in the best possible condition?" or "Where am I deficient with my health? Please help me create a plan to change this for the better."

So make a written lists of your concerns and ask them. Here are the questions I asked last doctor's visit:
"Do I have normal blood pressure?"
"If it is high, how do I lower it?
"How often should I test it?"
"What is a normal cholesterol level for me?"
"What is a normal weight for my size?"
"What kinds of foods should I be eating?"
"How do I best take care of my feet?" - interesting question especially if you are overweight.
"What can I do to help my health condition?"

I also get as many tests as I can, and I ask/demand that my doctor send me the full results. I want to have a copy of my levels - just because I trust no-one who has files and files of papers.

Ok, this rant went on way too long.


Diary:

Several months ago, my sister sent me a challenge to write a little bit about "What do I believe?" This shouldn't be such a hard question, but it has taken me a long time to write it up. While I haven't found the words yet, I am getting closer. I know it has something to do with looking forward, not looking back, having the heart of a champion and not a victim. I will keep working on this.

This week I received another challenge that will also take some time to complete. Mike sent me the following comment/question:

I think the readers of your blog would benefit greatly to answer the question of what finally made you willing to reach your goals. Why was it different this time as opposed to all the other times you tried, but sabotaged yourself. This time it IS different and I think many people would benefit from knowing WHY it is different. When you boil it right down WHAT made you willing to pay the price?

Hmmmmm. Well, this is the question, I guess, that we all have to face when we are on the edge of doing or not doing something. With every choice, there is a price to be paid, a decision to commit to something.

Wed morning, I heard an interview with Rabbi Harold Kushner author of books such as When Bad Things Happen to Good People and Overcoming Life's Disappointments. In the interview, he was asked "Why bad things happen to good people?", and his response was a little different. First of all he indicated that asking "Why" isn't really a question that can be answered. It is actually a cry for encouragement, acceptance, and consolation. If you are asked this, the question should never be answered, as any answer you could give would be less than adequate. Instead try listening, and supporting the grief process. Asking "Why?" something happens is a look backward, and creates a victim mentality.

He ended the interview with an Old Testament verse. Psalm 120 talks about distress, deceit and war. The Psalmist is asking for deliverance, and begins Psalm 121 with the following:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth."

Note that in distress, the question asked wasn't "Why me?" or "How did this happen?", but instead "Where does my help come?" It is a look to the future, instead of dwelling on the past - instead of focusing on the pain, searching up to the hills.

These are Kushner's words, not mine, so I have some work to do. These are both valid, and good questions to ask - but the answer is not that easy.

What does Kushner have to do with the question from Mike? I think it caused me to wonder what is the value of looking back at the failures I had, and why this time I succeeded. I think that this blog is part of the answer to this question - I have written many times some of the motivations and steps that I have taken.

Recently, I have started reading about Kaizen, the Japanese technique of achieving great and lasting success through small, steady steps. It works for all types of goals, from eating more healthy to establishing long-term career goals. I picked up a book called "One Small Step Can Change Your Life - The Kaizen Way" by Dr Robert Maurer. At first I wasn't sure if this would be a good use of my time, until I read the first page of the book. What was it? A Motivational Quote! This guy writes the book like I write my blog! What was the quote? Check it out:

"Small things with great love...
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing.
And it is not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving.
To God there is nothing small."
-Mother Theresa

I believe I am going to enjoy reading this book.

I would say that without influence from my family, friends and spiritual reflection, I was not making the progress that I really desired. When I gave up my own ego, and prayed for help - I received it. Here is the funny part, however, when I prayed for "weight loss" or "not to be fat", I failed. When I prayed for "patience", "obedience", "commitment", and "character in tough times", those appeared inside of me and displayed themselves through people who "swooped" into my life when I needed them. Focusing on the positive, and doing steps with the correct heart, that is an important step to any life change. Just doing an activity - without a mind-set change - probably won't stick. I think about Memphis's story of running the Twin Cities marathon - listen to the podcast if you want more information - is a good example of having a goal that meets the needs of your heart.

While they have value for consideration, I think that the important thing is to not let these questions hinder us from moving forward - which brings us to:

Notes:

This weeks notes further discuss the SMART Goal planning. This time, I will point out how daily habits will help to complete somewhat extraordinary feats. Have you ever thought about running from Denver to Chicago or Lifting the Statue of Liberty? In the next set of challenges, we will do these feats of strength!



Goal #5 - Lift the Statue of Liberty:

On July 4, 1884, the 151-foot-tall, 225-ton Statue of Liberty was delivered to the American Ambassador in Paris.
In order to transport Lady Liberty to New York, the statue was dismantled into 300 pieces and packed into 214 wooden crates.

These parts were lifted, sorted, and assembled by hard working women and men, and you too can take part in this creation by Lifting the Statue of Liberty 5 times!

Facts:

• Weight of copper used in Statue: 179,200 pounds
• Weight of steel used in Statue: 250,000 pounds
• Total weight of Statue: 450,000 pounds (225 tons)

How is this goal going to be accomplished?

Start slow - add weight as I feel I can. Plan on training M, W, F at noon - training takes about 30-40 minutes, which is the time I have during my lunch break. Since I bring my healthy lunch to work, this daily habit actually has three side-effects. 1) I am eating better, as other choices during the lunch break is to go out to the Lions Tap or other local eatery. 2) I am saving money, mostly from the not eating out thing. 3) I am focused in the afternoon to get my work done. I am tired, yes, but the rush of blood and adrenaline (natural) gets my brain thinking and motivated to get something done in the afternoon. After a big noon meal, I would tend to sleep it off by sluffing off afternoon work.

So, each M,W,F, I plan on lift at least 6,000lbs each training day. (Note: This calculation is based on using the smallest weight - only 18lbs - on the machine for each exercise, so this is an extremely conservative number.)

If you don't have a gym membership or think that you can't do weight training, I would be open to discuss this further with you. Note that while I am not a doctor, I know there are options for working out at home and not having to invest lots of money on equipment. I have looked through and would not hesitate trying a fitness plan that can be done with very little investment effort. I have used the resistance ball and tubes - and it seems to be a good starter for anyone who has little time and can't leave the house to work out.

There is more I could share, but will leave it at this. Contact me if you want to know more about what specifically I am doing. In a nutshell, I am doing a 30-Minute Circuit Training, where I focus on core muscles that the body uses for balance and stability.


Goal #6 - Run from Denver to Chicago:

Walk, jog or run from Denver to Chicago

Facts:
There are about approximately 2000 steps per mile and 1000 miles from Chicago to Denver = 2 million steps
If you move 5000 steps per day (or 2.5 miles), you would make it in a little over a year!

How to do it? For me, I am planning on running 3+ miles every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Some days it will be an outdoor run, some days it will be on a treadmill or elliptical machine, other days it will be measured in a walk around a mall or high school gym (or something else - I may need to get creative)

If you get a pedometer - which can be found for very little cost - or for free at your local State Farm - go into a local State Farm Insurance Agency and ask them for a "50-million pound challenge kit". This kit is free and includes a simple pedometer!

When you walk, check your steps, and record them - 5000 steps is approximately 2.5 miles. Chart this and we will record our momentum using a map like Google Maps - where you can customize your own map and visually see your progress. Check out my run from Denver to Chicago on this link!

This is something that you can and should do - for a number of reasons. I encourage everyone reading this blog to commit to moving more this year. If you find that you simply CANNOT walk 5000 steps a day - don't give up on the goal, adjust it. Can you walk 3000 steps per day?

If you need advice on this, send me a comment or question and I will see if I can help.


Goals! Full Spreadsheet is found here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pd_MzRMQiFVTY8vIzZWnNTQ&hl=en

Geek / Professional Goals
1.	Learn Adobe Dreamweaver Read "Dreamweaver CS3 Visual Quickstart Guide" by Peachpit Press and start building a website using Dreamweaver.	No progress this week. The book is sitting where it was a week ago.
2.	Study for computer-based certification Read A+ Certification book and prepare to take test.	No progress. In re-reading last week's blog, I realize I am not walking the walk. I read and thought about the problem with having too much scope, when the whole Kaizen principal is making small, easy to manage steps. This goal is stifling me, because I don't know the reason "why" I am doing it. It doesn't seem to have a real purpose or value, and is just a disappointment - so I am considering releasing this from my goal list. Since I could add it later, when I have a good reason or incentive for doing it, I am not too concerned with the fallout.
3.	Get involved in Professional Peer Networking	No progress. I need to send an email to the STC Judging Coordinator to sign up to be a Judge.
Health / Fitness Goals
4.	Lose the last of my fat - Turn "love pillows" into "love handles" - Eat a variety of "Real Clean Healthy" foods - Sleep well - Take my daily supplements and water - commit to fitness routine	Followed my Eating Diary all week Fitness Plan on M, T, W, Th, Bed by 11pm Lost 1.5lbs this week
5.	Be a lean muscle-bound stud - Lift the Statue of Liberty - Lift weights M, W, F - 6000lb minimum each workout	Lifted weights on M, W Lifted 29,333 lbs of weight during circuit training workouts Updated Statue of Liberty chart
6.	Beat my own time in 5K - Run from Denver to Chicago - Run/Jog/Walk 3+ miles each Tu, Thur, Sat	Ran 3 miles (or equiv) on Tue, Thurs and Sat Ran 9 miles total Updated Google Map Plan on participating in the Reindeer Run in Minneapolis.
Social / Creative Goals
7.	Transfer Old Home Movies to DVD	No progress this week. Need to spend an hour testing my hardware setup as proof of concept.
8.	Interview and record my heroes for netcasts	No progress this week. I need to setup time with Karl to finish our interview.
9.	Get involved in church, family, and social network	Sent birthday cards to family and a close friend. Had a good conversation with my dad midweek. I think it would be helpful for me to track my contact with my family and friends so that weeks don't go by (as they do) without some verbal contact with my loved ones. It is just too easy for me to stay on my little island.
Emotional / Personal Goals
10.	Play the Accordion well - practice 2x weekly - prepare 6 solo songs for a performance to happen by July 2008	No progress this week. I just need to commit to the time - 1 hour sessions twice weekly. Why is this so hard?
Home / Financial Goals
11.	Pay off credit card and personal debt - Save $4000 to be reserved specifically for debt payment	Saved $80 this week into my holding account -> slowly moving forward on the financial debt goals.
12.	Have an uncluttered home, car, book bag and mind. - Declutter house throughout the year - 1 room every 3 months	No progress this week.

more later,

Chazz

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