Another reason why Nemo could save your life.

Motivation:

"Don't judge those who try and fail,
judge those who fail to try."
~unknown

"Mom, I'm Swimming - I'm Swimming!!"
Yes, You are such a good swimmer. Yeah!

So this last weekend was a busy one. My family was in town, bringing new clothes (mostly hand me downs from my skinnier brothers). We took some new pictures, and I am starting to see some physical changes. Nice to see. During the new clothes "fashion show", I tried on some of the Hong Kong suits. Last time I tried them on they were still too small. This time, my sister stated "the shirts are too big. the pants are too big. the sports jackets are too big, the leather coat - still works. " So, the shirts were packed up to be used by someone else. So long Sitlani shirts.

One of the highlights was swimming with my niece at the hotel pool. First time swimming since ?? years. I had so much fun. I really could get back into swimming, when the time is right.

I also got a chance to catch up with with my original weight-loss counselor. While no longer associated with the clinic I go to for check-ups, she is still in my corner and will be a cheerleader. She indicated that she wants to go to the 5K run and see me finish. Great!

On Tuesday night, I had another first - my first real movie theater movie in about a year. My friend Kurt took me to see Ratatouille. On my way to the film, I received a call from my cousin Trent, who gave me a good recommendation of the movie, and I totally agree with his assessment. I would recommend this movie to anyone, although I must say that the kids who were at the theater did not seem to enjoy the movie as much as the adults. It isn't really a cartoon, it is a full feature movie, so younger kids may not enjoy it as much as older kids and adults.

One of the lines, without spoiling the movie, dealt with the main character and his father. The father is trying to convince his son that "Nature never changes", when the son replies "Nature IS change, dad!" After a debate, the main character walks away. "Where are you going?" asked the father. "Forward." remarked the son as the scene ends. It was a very good scene and reminded me that change is possible, especially if the next step is a step in the right direction.


Last weekend, I had a bit of mixed messages from the world. One of the messages I received was written on a fortune cookie paper. It said "Conceptualize. Organize. Sell. Do." It was very concise, and that appealed to me. There was no deep thoughts, as others around the table had received. My fortune was pretty basic. Do these things. (Unfortunately, by the end of the day I forgot the word "Conceptualize", and somehow it became "Collaborate", which then became "Collabora-cion Pichatani" by those around me - never mind.)

Then on Sunday, my church sermon notes indicate the following message (just a little setup, my pastor has been preaching on "Discipline" and what that means to us in today's world):
"We become so preoccupied with doing that we don't see things right in front of us. The business of "doing things" can get in the way of "having relationships". "Relationship" is mostly about patience, caring for, listening to, waiting for, being near, and loving others, and while these are action words, they have nothing to do with "doing things" or completing some project. These are activities that require us to stop our projects and devote our attention on someone else. This can be tough for us in today's world, but essential for our spirituality.

We rush rush rush to experience more and more "activities". Our schedules are jam packed with "the next big thing" that we think we should experience "the best in life", go to every outdoor baseball park, visit every zoo, water park, finish every puzzle, more and more things that are on our to do list.

Did it ever occur to you that doing more quantity doesn't mean anything about quality? Just because you visited every single presidential library, do you remember anything about any of them? Did you form any connections along the way?

Have you ever considered that "Being is more important than Doing?" Have you ever been in a group of people who are deciding what to do or where to go, and someone says "I don't care where we go, just so we can be together." What if we stopped filling our schedules with things and started emptying space just to have time to appreciate the time we have. Live for the moment sounds corny, but when was the last time you just soaked in your environment and saw something happening there that was more than visible. If we slow down just a little bit, will we see things that have been within our eyesight, but we were just to busy that we missed it every time?"


This message has been heavy on my heart all week. "Being is more important than Doing." I am so wrapped up in my quest to run the 5K that I feel like I am leaving other normal social things forgotten. I have been trying to simplify my life through physical and mental decluttering. I am trying to be a positive influence to those I work with and others around, not a downer looking for bad things. I think I need to appreciate where I am and who I am with a little more. I will continue to think about this process.

I still believe that people are good by nature and are seeking for a way to be connected with each other in a meaningful way. This cannot be more evident than the reaction to what happened this week in Minneapolis.

On Wednesday at 6pm, a major bridge collapsed at Interstate 35W and Washington Ave. I cannot imagine what this type of event would be like, nor do I wish it. During this crazy event, I heard news that I remember hearing during the tragedy in New York on September 11, 2001. Amidst all of the devastation, there were regular citizens who were standing in lines around the block to give blood. Even after being told that no more blood could be stored, the banks were full, there were still people who were lining up to give. On Wednesday evening, I heard stories of this happening in Minneapolis. People were jumping at the chance to give and volunteer to help. They didn't know what to do, but just wanted to "be helpful", to make a difference. According to the Red Cross, they are being "inundated by people who want to help in some way."

It makes me glad that I am in a country that has this attitude. We are a country of people who are desperately trying to find a way to make a mark and help our community at times of trouble, and that is not bad. I pray that we, as a nation and as individuals, can find ways to help each other, even when there is no tragedy.


#Diary#

So, this week I did really good - I am into this 5K training. I lost 3lbs this week, and am feeling like I have energy for most of the day and no hunger.

I have updated the stat in the right-hand bar ---> and have added a new feature. Did you find it? Look for the item called "Current 5K Training Diary". This is one of the benefits of technology. I am using my Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS wristwatch when I run, and it tracks a lot of "stuff". If you look at the links over there, it will show you my route, my pace, the temperature (and precipitation), and other charts. The map is really cool if you have Google Earth, then you can turn the map 90 degrees and virtually follow my route. It is fun. I can't wait to try it again on Monday.


5K Training for Week 2:

For those planning on running the 5K:

This week do the following:

• Sunday = Rest
• Monday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk.
  Alternate 90 seconds of jogging & 120 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Tuesday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Wednesday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk.
  Alternate 90 seconds of jogging & 120 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Thursday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Friday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Saturday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk.
  Alternate 90 seconds of jogging & 120 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Sunday = Rest - go to church or spend time with your family and friends. Have fun.
  

For those planning on walking the 5K:

• Monday = Rest or walk easy
• Tuesday = 15 minute brisk walk
• Wednesday = Rest or walk easy
• Thursday = 15 minute brisk walk
• Friday = Rest or walk easy
• Saturday = Easy walk for 1.5 miles
• Sunday = Alternate 5 minutes of brisk walk & 5 minutes of easy walk for a total of 60 minutes.

Finding Nemo (part III): "Return of Trans Fatty"
So, last month I spoke about how Nemo reduced my portions. Now the fish is saving my insides through Omega 3. I have been taking Omega 3 based on recommendations from my doctor, my weight-loss clinic, my parents, and reading articles about it in magazines and online.

This week, I read two more articles about new studies with Omega 3 EFAs and thought it would be timely to repeat it. I truly believe that Omega 3s are one of the big reasons I lost weight and I think they have helped regulate my depression along the way. I highly recommend them to anyone who has a concern for their health. Read on to understand why:

Information From the Nutrilite website:

"Estimates from studies in Stone Age nutrition and modern-day hunter-gatherer populations suggest that humans have consumed a diet consisting of fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables for thousands of years. This diet was much lower in saturated fatty acids than our current diet and contained small amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, in a 2:1 ratio.
But in the past 100–150 years, things have changed. Our diets are now disproportionately high in omega-6 fatty acids, with some ratios as high as 30:1. Why is this?

• We fill up on omega-6 rich foods like cereal, bread, crackers, cakes, and cookies while eating minimal amounts of omega-3 rich foods like dark, leafy greens, flaxseed, walnuts, and fish.
• Trawling and refrigeration have increased the popularity of white fish, like cod and haddock, over fatty shoreline fish like herring and sardines. White fish contains much lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Production-oriented agricultural practices have decreased the omega-3 content in green leafy vegetables, eggs – and even farm-raised fish – compared to the amounts found in the wild version of these same sources.
• Widespread efforts to lower cholesterol by replacing saturated fats with omega-6 corn and safflower oils have resulted in a dietary imbalance of omega-6 oils. This imbalance can increase the risk of certain health conditions.

Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can complement each other if they are in a healthy balance with each other. One way to restore the ratio is to increase omega-3 levels. But studies show that it's equally important to lower omega-6 intake, overall. This was the conclusion of a 1999 Workshop on the Essentiality of Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which was attended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Omega-3 fatty acids in their natural triglyceride (TG) form are more easily and immediately digested into your system. Omega-3 fatty acids occur as triglycerides in natural fish oils. Your body is accustomed to handling fatty acids in this natural TG form and therefore they are more easily and immediately digested. Omega-3 fish oils that have not been converted back to the TG form are commonly available but are not efficiently converted by your body to the form you need to acquire the nutritional benefit. Triglycerides are natural molecules containing three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone. In a TG form, the chain is structured in the natural state, making it more bioavailable.

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid)

• DHA is the most highly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acid found in nature. DHA is critical for developing and maintaining the brain and eyes of the fetus, infant, child, and adult.
• DHA is an important building block of the brain, nerves, and eyes. It is found in 40–50% of brain lipid material and 60% of retinal material.
• DHA supports normal mental function and optimal memory, learning, and focus. Your ability to think, learn, and remember can be influenced by the amount of DHA in your cells. In a fetus and infant, DHA is critical for brain and vision development. DHA helps the brain's billions of cells transmit electrical signals, ultimately shaping your thoughts, actions, and mood.
• Brain-cell membranes that develop using trans fatty acid building blocks have a different structure and are less fluid than membranes built using DHA. This loss of fluidity makes it difficult for the brain cell to carry out its normal functions and increases the cell's susceptibility to injury and death. Your body uses omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to form the outer walls of every cell. This healthy cell structure helps maintain vital metabolic functions. And since your body cannot produce DHA or synthesize it from food, you need to add it to your diet or take DHA supplements.
• Your ability to think, learn, and remember can be influenced by the amount of DHA in your cells. Increased DHA fuels production of serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, and can help support normal brain function.
• During pregnancy, DHA plays a key role in the normal development of the baby's brain and eyes. Breast milk also contains DHA, which is believed to be a factor associated with infant brain development.
• Scientific studies have also found that low levels of DHA have been associated with reduced brain function and are linked to a number of mood problems.
  

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid)

• EPA helps in the synthesis of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, with benefits for cardiovascular and joint health.
• Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• EPA also plays a role in supporting the natural movement of joints.
• Your body uses omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to form the outer walls of every cell. This healthy cell structure helps maintain normal metabolic functions. And since your body cannot produce EPA or synthesize it from food, you need to add it to your diet or take EPA supplements."
  

Major benefits of taking Omega 3 daily:

• Blood Lipid Levels: When included in the diet, VLDL and cholesterol levels decrease.
• Blood Pressure: EPA and DHA may lower blood pressure, specifically the systolic pressure.
• Platelet Aggregation: The proportion of disc-like platelets in the blood, a change which promotes blood flow. Fish oil reduced fibrin deposits which are linked to heart disease (fibrin is an insoluble protein formed during blood clotting).
• Inflammation (response of body tissue to injury or infection): Omega-3 fatty acids may lower the incidence of inflammation.
• Cancer: Omega-3 fatty acids may limit tumor growth in colon, stomach, and intestine cancers while omega-6 fatty acids may promote the spread of tumors.
• Others: DHA plays an important role in eye and brain development in the infant. EPA may help reduce ulcer formation in the stomach and help reduce the risk of preeclampsia (toxemia of late pregnancy).

Here are more links that you need to review if you are interested in Omega 3:

• Men's Health Magazine, The Government's Big Fish Story
  
• Omega 3 and Omega 6 Information - from the Better Life Institute
  

• I use Ocean Essentials. It is the best Omega 3 product I can find and currently use in my weight loss and nutrition regiment.
  

more later,

Chazz

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