Saturday, July 05, 2003
Getting things done
I've been studying various methods of getting things accomplished and I think I've found some valuable information. First of all, it's important to write down everything that needs to be done - no matter its importance. Then, pick three of the most important things needing accomplished and write them down on a separate piece of paper. Put the "big" list away and then just focus on the three important items - don't think about the others or attempt to do them until the those three items are completed. It takes total focus.
I've been studying various methods of getting things accomplished and I think I've found some valuable information. First of all, it's important to write down everything that needs to be done - no matter its importance. Then, pick three of the most important things needing accomplished and write them down on a separate piece of paper. Put the "big" list away and then just focus on the three important items - don't think about the others or attempt to do them until the those three items are completed. It takes total focus.
Weekend status report
Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July holiday! It's been a little tough to try and diet and celebrate the holiday, but so far - so good. Went to see Terminator 3 on Thursday night (the official beginning of my three day weekend), skipped the popcorn, candy, and soda and just bought a bottle of water ($2 !!). We had a cook-out Friday (the 4th) afternoon - I had one hamburger patty on a fresh baked wholewheat bun, a tiny little smidge of ketchup and Mayo and some sliced onion. Besides the burger, I ate some slices of red, green, and yellow bell peppers. This diet has been easier than I though, I am really focusing on eating vegetables and fruits with just a little meat (mainly white meat of chicken). Gonna' try some fish recipes next week - I love seafood but nobody else in my family does. I feel better than I have in months (like 6 or so), have more energy, no headaches or aches and pains, my skin is even glowing and looking much healthier. My face has gotten thinner - not bad, considering I've only been at this less than a week now.
I have realized that it is much easier to regulate what, how much, and when I eat - during the week when my schedule is more routine. The weekends are sorta' chaotic and so it a little harder to think about dieting.
I start the exercise phase of my program on Monday and I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to the increased energy that it will produce and for it to elevate my mood and general attitude. Already, because of my increased energy, I've gotten some things accomplished around the house this weekend that I had been putting off for a long time. I'm now in the organizing and planning stages for everything left that I have to do - gonna' prioritize and then go for it!
Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July holiday! It's been a little tough to try and diet and celebrate the holiday, but so far - so good. Went to see Terminator 3 on Thursday night (the official beginning of my three day weekend), skipped the popcorn, candy, and soda and just bought a bottle of water ($2 !!). We had a cook-out Friday (the 4th) afternoon - I had one hamburger patty on a fresh baked wholewheat bun, a tiny little smidge of ketchup and Mayo and some sliced onion. Besides the burger, I ate some slices of red, green, and yellow bell peppers. This diet has been easier than I though, I am really focusing on eating vegetables and fruits with just a little meat (mainly white meat of chicken). Gonna' try some fish recipes next week - I love seafood but nobody else in my family does. I feel better than I have in months (like 6 or so), have more energy, no headaches or aches and pains, my skin is even glowing and looking much healthier. My face has gotten thinner - not bad, considering I've only been at this less than a week now.
I have realized that it is much easier to regulate what, how much, and when I eat - during the week when my schedule is more routine. The weekends are sorta' chaotic and so it a little harder to think about dieting.
I start the exercise phase of my program on Monday and I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to the increased energy that it will produce and for it to elevate my mood and general attitude. Already, because of my increased energy, I've gotten some things accomplished around the house this weekend that I had been putting off for a long time. I'm now in the organizing and planning stages for everything left that I have to do - gonna' prioritize and then go for it!
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Mental Category:
Our mental state of mind is extremely important. Stress, lack of sleep, alchohol, drugs, smoking - they all affect our brain to some extent - all for the negative. When we feel ourselves slipping into depression (everyone does to some extent), we need to do something radical to shake it off. I've discovered that if you "nurse" depression, just ignore it and let it slowly creep up on you - it will try to take total control. Did you know, that people who have suffered from depression for a great deal of time - acutally feel guilty or weird when they aren't depressed?
I know all of this for a fact - I've been dealing with clinical depression since I was a teenager, I've taken medication for it off and on since 1986. I've also discovered, that most depression is caused by situations or a crisis that has occured in our life, and/or it's also caused by guilt from doing something wrong. I really think that the medical field has done a real disservice to patients who suffer from depression by telling them it's just a chemical imbalance in their brain and that it's a genetic thing. I do believe that people do have these imbalances and that it can happen because of genetics but I don't think it's the cause in most cases. I firmly believe that just giving someone a "magic" pill is not the answer, I think counseling, exercise, fresh air, prayer, and dealing head-on with our past mistakes is what it takes to fight off depression.
If you don't suffer from depression - that is awesome! But, what about stress? Does life to move to quickly these days? Do you seem to have much more to do than you can humanly keep up with?
I think it's time to step back, take a good look at your life, determine what the most important things are - and forget about the rest! Slow down - the pace of current society is maddening, it's even spilled over to small town life here in Clovis, New Mexico. People are starting to drive like maniacs, rudeness abounds, civility is quickly becoming a thing of the past - why, everyone seems to be in a hurry to get nowhere!
I've decided for myself, to leave a few more minutes earlier for an event or meeting, take my time driving (the speed limit) instead of trying to rush through town and then taking out my anger on my fellow citizens - when it's my fault in the first place that I'm not on time!
I've had to learn to say "no" to people (mainly relatives and friends) who ask me to to things for them. Typically, they act as if what I need to do for them is extremely important - but quickly lose interest in the subject when I suggest ways that they could accomplish those things themselves; or I simply say "no". All of a sudden, those things aren't so important. I grew up as a "people pleaser" and just about wore myself out trying to make everyone happy - guess what, it's not possible to make everyone happy. "Everyone" has their own issues, there are folks who could be handed a million dollars and they still wouldn't be happy because it wasn't two millon dollars! Been there, experienced people like that - quite often in my life.
I've often craved for the entire world to just STOP for a short period of time. Time enough to catch-up, to get my breath, to re-group, guess what - it "ain't" gonna' happen. SO, we have to do whatever it takes to pull back, regroup, re-evaluate the direction in which our life is taking - and start over - totally, if that is what is required. We have to figure what is important and what isn't and go from there.
People - If I have learned anything these past 44 years is that certain people are like cancer. They spread their poison amongst anyone willing to become involved in their life. As a Christian I'm obligated to help people when I can but I'm also smart enough to know when to say "enough is enough", I'll keep praying for them but that's all I can do. These people are high maintenance - they assume that when they walk into a room full of people, that their needs take priority over all of the other people, they assume that if people are talking quietly amongst themsevles, that they must be talking about them. The only people they care about are themselves - although what they say might be otherwise. These people judge everyone they come into contact with - with an extremely high standard, one that is not acutally reachable, yet - these folks have no standard for themselves. They take, they take, and they take - but give very little back in return. I call them "blackholes" - they are like a vacuum and will suck every bit of life out of you if they can. They are the kind of people who wear you out - you leave their presence feeling totally exhausted. These people leave a wake of destruction in their paths and don't even stop once to look behind them - if they did stop and take a look, the destruction wouldn't be their fault anyway - just ask them. They never apologize for anything because they have no concept of right and wrong (unless it pertains to other people). These folks feel no obligation whatsoever to stand on their own two feet, to be accountable for their own actions, or to be willing to suffer the consequences for their deliberate wrong actions - punishment is just "meaness", or that someone trying to take away their fun or put them down - it's unfair, or it's better if someone else suffers the punishment for them.
Bottom line here is: IF you have people like this in your life - RUN! Either run from them, disassociate yourself from them or RUN them out of your life! If you don't, the poison will continue to flow, it will continue to damage your life, it will continue to reap destruction upon everyone involved with them.
Enough said? ;0)
Our mental state of mind is extremely important. Stress, lack of sleep, alchohol, drugs, smoking - they all affect our brain to some extent - all for the negative. When we feel ourselves slipping into depression (everyone does to some extent), we need to do something radical to shake it off. I've discovered that if you "nurse" depression, just ignore it and let it slowly creep up on you - it will try to take total control. Did you know, that people who have suffered from depression for a great deal of time - acutally feel guilty or weird when they aren't depressed?
I know all of this for a fact - I've been dealing with clinical depression since I was a teenager, I've taken medication for it off and on since 1986. I've also discovered, that most depression is caused by situations or a crisis that has occured in our life, and/or it's also caused by guilt from doing something wrong. I really think that the medical field has done a real disservice to patients who suffer from depression by telling them it's just a chemical imbalance in their brain and that it's a genetic thing. I do believe that people do have these imbalances and that it can happen because of genetics but I don't think it's the cause in most cases. I firmly believe that just giving someone a "magic" pill is not the answer, I think counseling, exercise, fresh air, prayer, and dealing head-on with our past mistakes is what it takes to fight off depression.
If you don't suffer from depression - that is awesome! But, what about stress? Does life to move to quickly these days? Do you seem to have much more to do than you can humanly keep up with?
I think it's time to step back, take a good look at your life, determine what the most important things are - and forget about the rest! Slow down - the pace of current society is maddening, it's even spilled over to small town life here in Clovis, New Mexico. People are starting to drive like maniacs, rudeness abounds, civility is quickly becoming a thing of the past - why, everyone seems to be in a hurry to get nowhere!
I've decided for myself, to leave a few more minutes earlier for an event or meeting, take my time driving (the speed limit) instead of trying to rush through town and then taking out my anger on my fellow citizens - when it's my fault in the first place that I'm not on time!
I've had to learn to say "no" to people (mainly relatives and friends) who ask me to to things for them. Typically, they act as if what I need to do for them is extremely important - but quickly lose interest in the subject when I suggest ways that they could accomplish those things themselves; or I simply say "no". All of a sudden, those things aren't so important. I grew up as a "people pleaser" and just about wore myself out trying to make everyone happy - guess what, it's not possible to make everyone happy. "Everyone" has their own issues, there are folks who could be handed a million dollars and they still wouldn't be happy because it wasn't two millon dollars! Been there, experienced people like that - quite often in my life.
I've often craved for the entire world to just STOP for a short period of time. Time enough to catch-up, to get my breath, to re-group, guess what - it "ain't" gonna' happen. SO, we have to do whatever it takes to pull back, regroup, re-evaluate the direction in which our life is taking - and start over - totally, if that is what is required. We have to figure what is important and what isn't and go from there.
People - If I have learned anything these past 44 years is that certain people are like cancer. They spread their poison amongst anyone willing to become involved in their life. As a Christian I'm obligated to help people when I can but I'm also smart enough to know when to say "enough is enough", I'll keep praying for them but that's all I can do. These people are high maintenance - they assume that when they walk into a room full of people, that their needs take priority over all of the other people, they assume that if people are talking quietly amongst themsevles, that they must be talking about them. The only people they care about are themselves - although what they say might be otherwise. These people judge everyone they come into contact with - with an extremely high standard, one that is not acutally reachable, yet - these folks have no standard for themselves. They take, they take, and they take - but give very little back in return. I call them "blackholes" - they are like a vacuum and will suck every bit of life out of you if they can. They are the kind of people who wear you out - you leave their presence feeling totally exhausted. These people leave a wake of destruction in their paths and don't even stop once to look behind them - if they did stop and take a look, the destruction wouldn't be their fault anyway - just ask them. They never apologize for anything because they have no concept of right and wrong (unless it pertains to other people). These folks feel no obligation whatsoever to stand on their own two feet, to be accountable for their own actions, or to be willing to suffer the consequences for their deliberate wrong actions - punishment is just "meaness", or that someone trying to take away their fun or put them down - it's unfair, or it's better if someone else suffers the punishment for them.
Bottom line here is: IF you have people like this in your life - RUN! Either run from them, disassociate yourself from them or RUN them out of your life! If you don't, the poison will continue to flow, it will continue to damage your life, it will continue to reap destruction upon everyone involved with them.
Enough said? ;0)
Life Categories:
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I beleive that we can break our lives down into basic categories. If we then tackle each category and try to improve it - we can positively affect our life, dramatically.
Spiritual
Mental
Physical
Financial
Relational
Communal
Vocational
Spiritual - Our relationship with God (that's His name - not some indistinguishable celestial being, but a specific being, the creator of the universe) is very important. When we are "out of sorts" with our creator, it just throws our whole life out of whack. Believe me, it's taken me a very long time to realize that. All it takes to have a personal relationship with God is to have a relationship with His son - Jesus Christ. You establish that relationship, get water baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, start reading and studying the Bible and fellowship with other believers - that's it. It will make a world of difference in your life - it doesn't make your life perfect, it doesn't solve all of your problems - but it does give you hope for the future, an unbelievable optimism, a strength greater than your own to pull from, and supernatural guidance to steer you through life.
I mess up all of the time - but, I get back on the horse and try again. God knows and understands that we are just human, we are not perfect like His son was - He just doesn't want us to give up trying. We ask for forgiveness and try again - it's that simple.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I beleive that we can break our lives down into basic categories. If we then tackle each category and try to improve it - we can positively affect our life, dramatically.
Spiritual
Mental
Physical
Financial
Relational
Communal
Vocational
Spiritual - Our relationship with God (that's His name - not some indistinguishable celestial being, but a specific being, the creator of the universe) is very important. When we are "out of sorts" with our creator, it just throws our whole life out of whack. Believe me, it's taken me a very long time to realize that. All it takes to have a personal relationship with God is to have a relationship with His son - Jesus Christ. You establish that relationship, get water baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, start reading and studying the Bible and fellowship with other believers - that's it. It will make a world of difference in your life - it doesn't make your life perfect, it doesn't solve all of your problems - but it does give you hope for the future, an unbelievable optimism, a strength greater than your own to pull from, and supernatural guidance to steer you through life.
I mess up all of the time - but, I get back on the horse and try again. God knows and understands that we are just human, we are not perfect like His son was - He just doesn't want us to give up trying. We ask for forgiveness and try again - it's that simple.
I feel great today!
I'm now four days into my diet and I feel really good. I think I've been able to flush out all of the toxins out of my body. My vision is clearer, my mind is sharper, I have more energy AND I've slept much better the past two nights - which sure makes a difference in day to day living! I may not have lost much weight this week but I feel lighter and thinner - my stomach has shrunk up some and so it does not stick out as bad as it did last week.
Food for thought (no pun intended): If I can master my own body then I can master my own life. To master my body takes the ability to master my emotions, cravings, desires, etc. - with this ability I should be able to tackle just about any project, crisis, or situation that arises and even have some reserves left-over.
I sure hope that anyone who reads these entries will be inspired to take control of their own lives.
I'm now four days into my diet and I feel really good. I think I've been able to flush out all of the toxins out of my body. My vision is clearer, my mind is sharper, I have more energy AND I've slept much better the past two nights - which sure makes a difference in day to day living! I may not have lost much weight this week but I feel lighter and thinner - my stomach has shrunk up some and so it does not stick out as bad as it did last week.
Food for thought (no pun intended): If I can master my own body then I can master my own life. To master my body takes the ability to master my emotions, cravings, desires, etc. - with this ability I should be able to tackle just about any project, crisis, or situation that arises and even have some reserves left-over.
I sure hope that anyone who reads these entries will be inspired to take control of their own lives.
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Oops!
I think I may have come off the total fast a little too quickly. I've consumed quite a bit of Apple and orange juice, along with some Aloe Vera tea, and some raw vegetables and fruit. I had an "explosive" bowel movement and had to go home from work and get cleaned up (how embarrasing). Lesson learned: come off of a total fast (especially after 2.5 days) slower - a little juice at a time (maybe 2 ounces?), maybe wait until later in the day for raw vegetables, give the body time to acclimate itself to whole food again.
I'm doing much better this afternoon.
I think I may have come off the total fast a little too quickly. I've consumed quite a bit of Apple and orange juice, along with some Aloe Vera tea, and some raw vegetables and fruit. I had an "explosive" bowel movement and had to go home from work and get cleaned up (how embarrasing). Lesson learned: come off of a total fast (especially after 2.5 days) slower - a little juice at a time (maybe 2 ounces?), maybe wait until later in the day for raw vegetables, give the body time to acclimate itself to whole food again.
I'm doing much better this afternoon.
By the way...
If you haven't noticed by now, I'm using this Blog as a motivational factor in my endeavor. IF I know that I need to write something everyday in this Blog, then I am more prone to stay focused on the tasks required to accomplish my goals. A secondary benefit (sounds selfish though), is that someone who just may stumble across this Blog, may become motivated to take action for their own "Radical Transformation". I'm hoping and praying, that in maybe a year from now - I'll re-read everything that I have written and will be doing so from a "new" person/body. That I will have accomplished all of my goals and will have completed the tranformation process. I then hope that I will be able to promote this Blog in such a way that it would significantly impact the lives of hundreds maybe thousands of other people!
If you haven't noticed by now, I'm using this Blog as a motivational factor in my endeavor. IF I know that I need to write something everyday in this Blog, then I am more prone to stay focused on the tasks required to accomplish my goals. A secondary benefit (sounds selfish though), is that someone who just may stumble across this Blog, may become motivated to take action for their own "Radical Transformation". I'm hoping and praying, that in maybe a year from now - I'll re-read everything that I have written and will be doing so from a "new" person/body. That I will have accomplished all of my goals and will have completed the tranformation process. I then hope that I will be able to promote this Blog in such a way that it would significantly impact the lives of hundreds maybe thousands of other people!
"Physical"
As I wrote earlier, I have broken my life up into categories and within each category I am going to create a plan of attack that will help me improve that particular area of my life.
The "Physcial" category contains four sub-categories:
1. Diet
2. Exercise
3. Hygiene
4. Rest
Today, I'm going to focus on the "Exercise" sub-category.
Monday - Friday of each week:
6:30 a.m. - Stomach crunches, AbWheel sets, push-ups, leg lifts (about 20 minutes total).
* These exercises are peformed in the mornings so that my metabolism will be sped up for the rest of the day. An increased metabolism will help me to burn calories, thus lose weight; it will also give me more energy and help my brain to function more fully (alertness).
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday:
7 p.m. - Work-out with weights at GymX fitness center. Probably about an hour each session.
* Focus will be legs, biceps, chest, forearms, and back.
Monday, Wednesday & Friday:
12 noon - Fast walk (2 miles), bench dips (park bench), and streching routines.
* Change clothes at work, work-out, cool off and re-dress for work.
Weekends:
Hiking, walking, yard work, home repair work, occasional work-out at GymX.
With all of this physical activity combined with my diet, I should see a dramatic reduction in my weight and my overall health in the next few months.
As I wrote earlier, I have broken my life up into categories and within each category I am going to create a plan of attack that will help me improve that particular area of my life.
The "Physcial" category contains four sub-categories:
1. Diet
2. Exercise
3. Hygiene
4. Rest
Today, I'm going to focus on the "Exercise" sub-category.
Monday - Friday of each week:
6:30 a.m. - Stomach crunches, AbWheel sets, push-ups, leg lifts (about 20 minutes total).
* These exercises are peformed in the mornings so that my metabolism will be sped up for the rest of the day. An increased metabolism will help me to burn calories, thus lose weight; it will also give me more energy and help my brain to function more fully (alertness).
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday:
7 p.m. - Work-out with weights at GymX fitness center. Probably about an hour each session.
* Focus will be legs, biceps, chest, forearms, and back.
Monday, Wednesday & Friday:
12 noon - Fast walk (2 miles), bench dips (park bench), and streching routines.
* Change clothes at work, work-out, cool off and re-dress for work.
Weekends:
Hiking, walking, yard work, home repair work, occasional work-out at GymX.
With all of this physical activity combined with my diet, I should see a dramatic reduction in my weight and my overall health in the next few months.
Energy
In recent months I have found myself without absolutely any energy whatsoever. It seems like I have just enough energy to drag myself out of bed, drive to work and then park my fat butt in a nice cushy office chair for the rest of the day, well the day is broken up when I take a 45 minute nap at lunch. THEN, I go home, eat dinner, sit in my comfy big recliner and snooze for about 45 minutes. Occasionally, I'll go for a walk with my wife but more often than not, I end up watching television (channel surfing) or mindlessly surfing the Internet until the wee dawn hours - what an incredible waste of time and how unproductive can that be - VERY.
I've learned that to have energy, we must expend energy (exercise). I've also learned that our body uses energy in four different systems:
The brain
The Heart
The digestive system
The muscular system
If our systems are not operating correctly, we are in trouble. When one system is not working correctly, it causes the other systems to work less efficiently. What causes an energy deficiency in our bodies? Stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and not enough sleep are the key culprits. For stress, there is counseling and prayer - there is also the concept of tackling the stressful issue head on and resolving it, so that it no longer can take a toll on us. As far as diet goes - getting rid of the junk food, the sugar, the alchohol, the empty carbohydrates and replacing them with high protein foods and fruits and veggies will ALWAYS do the trick. Taking vitimans and supplements on a dialy basis also makes a very big difference - I'll talk about that later down the road and testify to the difference that they have made in my life.
We are a society of malnourished, dehydrated, obese, lazy, stressed out citizens. Ticking time bombs ready to go off at any time. I find it hard to believe when I hear the latest health reports stating that Americans are living longer - it should be more like Americans are living LARGER (I'm including myself here!). Just a casual walk through Wal-Mart proves the latest statistics that over 75 percent of American adults are overweight - obese in fact. The really scarry thing now is, that so many children are now obese. The playgrounds are virtually empty these days (even during summer vacation), I just don't see kids out playing basketball or riding their bikes like a used to. I think they are all inside their cozy little homes, watching cable and videos, playing video games, eating lots of junk food and drinking way too much soda pop!
I cannot believe the number of parents that I witness giving their children junk food - as the main course! The children of today are drinking "pop" instead of water, they were fed whole milk or "formula" instead of breast milk as babies, they are allowed to pick and choose whatever they want to eat - no matter the health consequences. I'm not saying that we need to go back to the day of "don't leave the table without clearing your plate" - but, what would it hurt to make sure that our children eat from the basic food groups and in the right percentages. What's wrong with saying "you cannot have a piece of pie unless you eat the food that is good for you first". What about replacing potato chips with apples and oranges?
I grew up in a Sicillian family. The members of my family were all "hearty" eaters - but because of that they are almost all very obese. My grandfather was only 56 when he died of a massive heart attack! I have aunts and uncles who are/were extremely large. IF, I succombed to the mind set that it's all in my genes, that I'm just genetically pre-disposed to obesity and there is nothing that I can do about it - then I'd weigh 350 to 400 pounds probably. The potential is easily there for that to happen and so I'm having to fight it constantly!
I've decided I'm going to eat to live instead of live to eat. I've decided that under any condition (stress, happiness, turmoil, whatever) - If I can go through those situations FAT - then I can go through them THIN also - I'm no longer going to use the current circumstances of my life to excuse the condition of my health and body. I'm no longer going to use food as a tranquilzer, mood elevator, trouble forgetter, comforter, or escape - it's no longer permittable in my life!
In recent months I have found myself without absolutely any energy whatsoever. It seems like I have just enough energy to drag myself out of bed, drive to work and then park my fat butt in a nice cushy office chair for the rest of the day, well the day is broken up when I take a 45 minute nap at lunch. THEN, I go home, eat dinner, sit in my comfy big recliner and snooze for about 45 minutes. Occasionally, I'll go for a walk with my wife but more often than not, I end up watching television (channel surfing) or mindlessly surfing the Internet until the wee dawn hours - what an incredible waste of time and how unproductive can that be - VERY.
I've learned that to have energy, we must expend energy (exercise). I've also learned that our body uses energy in four different systems:
The brain
The Heart
The digestive system
The muscular system
If our systems are not operating correctly, we are in trouble. When one system is not working correctly, it causes the other systems to work less efficiently. What causes an energy deficiency in our bodies? Stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and not enough sleep are the key culprits. For stress, there is counseling and prayer - there is also the concept of tackling the stressful issue head on and resolving it, so that it no longer can take a toll on us. As far as diet goes - getting rid of the junk food, the sugar, the alchohol, the empty carbohydrates and replacing them with high protein foods and fruits and veggies will ALWAYS do the trick. Taking vitimans and supplements on a dialy basis also makes a very big difference - I'll talk about that later down the road and testify to the difference that they have made in my life.
We are a society of malnourished, dehydrated, obese, lazy, stressed out citizens. Ticking time bombs ready to go off at any time. I find it hard to believe when I hear the latest health reports stating that Americans are living longer - it should be more like Americans are living LARGER (I'm including myself here!). Just a casual walk through Wal-Mart proves the latest statistics that over 75 percent of American adults are overweight - obese in fact. The really scarry thing now is, that so many children are now obese. The playgrounds are virtually empty these days (even during summer vacation), I just don't see kids out playing basketball or riding their bikes like a used to. I think they are all inside their cozy little homes, watching cable and videos, playing video games, eating lots of junk food and drinking way too much soda pop!
I cannot believe the number of parents that I witness giving their children junk food - as the main course! The children of today are drinking "pop" instead of water, they were fed whole milk or "formula" instead of breast milk as babies, they are allowed to pick and choose whatever they want to eat - no matter the health consequences. I'm not saying that we need to go back to the day of "don't leave the table without clearing your plate" - but, what would it hurt to make sure that our children eat from the basic food groups and in the right percentages. What's wrong with saying "you cannot have a piece of pie unless you eat the food that is good for you first". What about replacing potato chips with apples and oranges?
I grew up in a Sicillian family. The members of my family were all "hearty" eaters - but because of that they are almost all very obese. My grandfather was only 56 when he died of a massive heart attack! I have aunts and uncles who are/were extremely large. IF, I succombed to the mind set that it's all in my genes, that I'm just genetically pre-disposed to obesity and there is nothing that I can do about it - then I'd weigh 350 to 400 pounds probably. The potential is easily there for that to happen and so I'm having to fight it constantly!
I've decided I'm going to eat to live instead of live to eat. I've decided that under any condition (stress, happiness, turmoil, whatever) - If I can go through those situations FAT - then I can go through them THIN also - I'm no longer going to use the current circumstances of my life to excuse the condition of my health and body. I'm no longer going to use food as a tranquilzer, mood elevator, trouble forgetter, comforter, or escape - it's no longer permittable in my life!
Re-learning the "Basics":
I've decided that during the initial phase of this intense fasting, dieting, and exercise regimen which will last about 3 months (then it will be vacation time), I am going to re-teach myself the basics of eating.
1. Eat slowly (helps with digestion and we eat less).
2. Chew food completely (again, helps with digestion).
3. Eat smaller portions (we are "Supersizing" ourselves to death!).
4. Eat right - a well balanced diet, avoiding fried and fast foods, sugar, alchohol, caffiene, and empty carbs. Eating a high amount of vegetables and fruits daily. The meat that I eat will be lean meats like chicken (white meat), fish, premium grade steak, etc. I'm going to avoid high fat ground meat (I'll miss those burgers!), hotdogs, lunchmeat, and sausages (all full of fat, preservitives and who knows what else!).
I've decided that during the initial phase of this intense fasting, dieting, and exercise regimen which will last about 3 months (then it will be vacation time), I am going to re-teach myself the basics of eating.
1. Eat slowly (helps with digestion and we eat less).
2. Chew food completely (again, helps with digestion).
3. Eat smaller portions (we are "Supersizing" ourselves to death!).
4. Eat right - a well balanced diet, avoiding fried and fast foods, sugar, alchohol, caffiene, and empty carbs. Eating a high amount of vegetables and fruits daily. The meat that I eat will be lean meats like chicken (white meat), fish, premium grade steak, etc. I'm going to avoid high fat ground meat (I'll miss those burgers!), hotdogs, lunchmeat, and sausages (all full of fat, preservitives and who knows what else!).
Dangerous dental work?
I've been hearing some distrubing things about dental fillings. I hear that up until recently (and still in some places), fillings contain Mercury. Mercury is very bad for the human body - very bad. I understand that Mercury was/is used because it 's EASIER to get the filling material to fill up the holes in our teeth. So, "easier" justifies endangering our health? Hmm, I wonder what the affects are of mercury CONTAMINATED fillings sitting in our mouths for years? I only have two fillings in my teeth - both done at the same time when I was 6 years old! Bet they contain mercury and what a coincidence that all of my health problems started at the age of 6 !! I'm going to look into the cost of having those fillings removed and replaced with something else, something not made-up of a health hazardous element!
I've been hearing some distrubing things about dental fillings. I hear that up until recently (and still in some places), fillings contain Mercury. Mercury is very bad for the human body - very bad. I understand that Mercury was/is used because it 's EASIER to get the filling material to fill up the holes in our teeth. So, "easier" justifies endangering our health? Hmm, I wonder what the affects are of mercury CONTAMINATED fillings sitting in our mouths for years? I only have two fillings in my teeth - both done at the same time when I was 6 years old! Bet they contain mercury and what a coincidence that all of my health problems started at the age of 6 !! I'm going to look into the cost of having those fillings removed and replaced with something else, something not made-up of a health hazardous element!
Here's another thought that came to mind:
I'd much rather look like a Samuri Warrior than I would a Summu Wrestler, right now I look a lot more like the later.
I'd much rather look like a Samuri Warrior than I would a Summu Wrestler, right now I look a lot more like the later.
A few thoughts to share:
Lately, with all of the hype about the "Incredible Hulk" movie premier - I've started calling myself "The Incredible Bulk", hopefully that won't be a truly descriptive term in the not so distant future.
Lately, with all of the hype about the "Incredible Hulk" movie premier - I've started calling myself "The Incredible Bulk", hopefully that won't be a truly descriptive term in the not so distant future.
Self-programming - sounds a little weird but it works for me. What I did was to create an audio file on my computer - it runs about 5 minutes. I have recorded myself making positive statements about my life, my goals, and my lifestyle. For example, I say on CD/Tape that I created things like "I weigh 190 pounds and am in excellent physical condition." - and "I hate sugar and so I avoid all foods that contain sugar."
All I simply did, was based on my goals I wrote out a script of statements that would help me reprogram my brain. I've read lots of studies that have shown that IF we repeat the same statements over and over and also visualize in our minds these things, our brain will soon starting thinking along those lines. That even subconsciously, our minds will start motivating us to accomplish those things and we won't even realize it at times (or until it happens).
I recorded this file repeatedly onto a cassette tape, I just play it over and over and over in the backgroud (low volume). Currently, I'm working on recording it to CD and mixing it with music - the ears and brain will still pick-up the positive statements and they will be embedded into my subconscious!
All I simply did, was based on my goals I wrote out a script of statements that would help me reprogram my brain. I've read lots of studies that have shown that IF we repeat the same statements over and over and also visualize in our minds these things, our brain will soon starting thinking along those lines. That even subconsciously, our minds will start motivating us to accomplish those things and we won't even realize it at times (or until it happens).
I recorded this file repeatedly onto a cassette tape, I just play it over and over and over in the backgroud (low volume). Currently, I'm working on recording it to CD and mixing it with music - the ears and brain will still pick-up the positive statements and they will be embedded into my subconscious!
"Dailies"
After much thought and consideration, I have determined that there a number of things that I need to do everday that will help me accomplish my goals and to successfully navigate the rest of my life. Here are what I've now entitled my "Dailies":
1. Listen to my "Self-programming" CD/Tape (I'll explain later)
2. High protien breakfast
3. Morning vitimans and supplements
4. Plenty of sleep at night (7-8 hours)
5. Daily "cat nap"
6. Drink lots of water
7. Eat a good lunch
8. No sugar
9. No caffiene
10. Exercise of some kind
11. Prayer (normal & in tongues - I'll explain later)
12. Bible Study
13. Devotions (personal and with my wife)
14. Ministry to others (prayer, hope, encouragement, witnessing, etc.)
15. Mid-day vitimans & supplements
16. Calcium/Vitiman C at night
17. Daily dose of fresh air & sunshine
18. Fasting once a week (Mondays)
19. Maintaining a high percentage of fruits and vegetables in my diet.
20. Focusing on a high protien intake and a very low carbohydrate intake.
If I can do these things everyday, I believe that my life will be significantly impacted.
After much thought and consideration, I have determined that there a number of things that I need to do everday that will help me accomplish my goals and to successfully navigate the rest of my life. Here are what I've now entitled my "Dailies":
1. Listen to my "Self-programming" CD/Tape (I'll explain later)
2. High protien breakfast
3. Morning vitimans and supplements
4. Plenty of sleep at night (7-8 hours)
5. Daily "cat nap"
6. Drink lots of water
7. Eat a good lunch
8. No sugar
9. No caffiene
10. Exercise of some kind
11. Prayer (normal & in tongues - I'll explain later)
12. Bible Study
13. Devotions (personal and with my wife)
14. Ministry to others (prayer, hope, encouragement, witnessing, etc.)
15. Mid-day vitimans & supplements
16. Calcium/Vitiman C at night
17. Daily dose of fresh air & sunshine
18. Fasting once a week (Mondays)
19. Maintaining a high percentage of fruits and vegetables in my diet.
20. Focusing on a high protien intake and a very low carbohydrate intake.
If I can do these things everyday, I believe that my life will be significantly impacted.
A new life!
Over the past few months, I have contemplated and prayed about my life and where I am. I don't want to be "here" - I want a better life, better quality - I want to be much more productive than I am. Most "normal" folks are just happy to have a home to live in, a family, a few nice things and maybe a hobby or two. I just can't seem to be happy with that - I want to do something significant, not for acclaim or personal promotion though. I want to do something that radically affects (for good) my community, my fellow man, and that pleases God. I've always felt, even in the lowest of times and in the most pain, that I was meant for something important, I'm not sure what - but something. I have at times moved above the status-quo of ordinary life. I spent a few years writing Christian poetry and prose and received a lot of recognition for it - in the form of people writing and saying how blessed they were from reading the material. Some churches and minsitries have even used the pieces in their church bulletins and on their Web sites. I have most of everything that I have written posted on the Web at http://www.4U-LORD.com/inklings - the site is called "The Shepherd's Ink". I've also now been writing for over a year and a half a weekly newspaper column about the Internet, it's the entitled "Internet Safari" and it appears in the Clovis News Journal, Clovis - New Mexico. I've posted all of my columns at http://www.trackertom.com - I hope to someday write a few books based on my columns and my experiences in the Internet technical/customer support field.
Here are my personal goals that I have established:
01. Grow spiritually, develop my relationship with God.
02. Increase the quality of my marriage.
03. Pay off all debts and to live totally debt free.
04. Be financially independent (from investments, self-employment, savings, etc.)
05. Fulfill all dreams and desires in my "Dreams and Goals" Book (I'll list them later).
06. Grow and increase effectiveness of my ministry (personal minitry to others).
07. Complete all of my writing goals (books, plays, screenplays, etc.)
08. Complete all audio goals (producing audio books on CD, tapes, etc.)
09. Freedom to travel whenever and where ever I like.
10. Sow meaningfully (financially) into other ministries.
11. Help other people succeed in their endeavors and goals/dreams.
12. Be a blessing to those who are in need.
13. Be a blessing to everyone in my family.
14. Continue to learn new technology skills.
15. Complete all of my video production goals.
16. Obtain an Amatuer Radio License (Technician with morse code cert.)
17. To excel at my vocation (job).
18. Total relationship restoration with my daughter Rachel.
19. To be an awesome grandfather to all of my grand-children (7 so far).
20. To have an excellent relationship with all of my step-kids (6 of them - ages 18-30)
21. To have a great relationship with my father (remaining parent) and to be a blessing to him.
22. To have a great relationship with my brothers (2) and my sisters (2).
23. To own and operate my own business (Internet related).
24. To be in execellent physical condition and to weigh no more than 205 pounds.
In the future, I will establish a plan of attack for each of these goals. They will go into my "Operation Phoenix Rising" binder and will be used as a roadmap to help me accomplish each goal.
Over the past few months, I have contemplated and prayed about my life and where I am. I don't want to be "here" - I want a better life, better quality - I want to be much more productive than I am. Most "normal" folks are just happy to have a home to live in, a family, a few nice things and maybe a hobby or two. I just can't seem to be happy with that - I want to do something significant, not for acclaim or personal promotion though. I want to do something that radically affects (for good) my community, my fellow man, and that pleases God. I've always felt, even in the lowest of times and in the most pain, that I was meant for something important, I'm not sure what - but something. I have at times moved above the status-quo of ordinary life. I spent a few years writing Christian poetry and prose and received a lot of recognition for it - in the form of people writing and saying how blessed they were from reading the material. Some churches and minsitries have even used the pieces in their church bulletins and on their Web sites. I have most of everything that I have written posted on the Web at http://www.4U-LORD.com/inklings - the site is called "The Shepherd's Ink". I've also now been writing for over a year and a half a weekly newspaper column about the Internet, it's the entitled "Internet Safari" and it appears in the Clovis News Journal, Clovis - New Mexico. I've posted all of my columns at http://www.trackertom.com - I hope to someday write a few books based on my columns and my experiences in the Internet technical/customer support field.
Here are my personal goals that I have established:
01. Grow spiritually, develop my relationship with God.
02. Increase the quality of my marriage.
03. Pay off all debts and to live totally debt free.
04. Be financially independent (from investments, self-employment, savings, etc.)
05. Fulfill all dreams and desires in my "Dreams and Goals" Book (I'll list them later).
06. Grow and increase effectiveness of my ministry (personal minitry to others).
07. Complete all of my writing goals (books, plays, screenplays, etc.)
08. Complete all audio goals (producing audio books on CD, tapes, etc.)
09. Freedom to travel whenever and where ever I like.
10. Sow meaningfully (financially) into other ministries.
11. Help other people succeed in their endeavors and goals/dreams.
12. Be a blessing to those who are in need.
13. Be a blessing to everyone in my family.
14. Continue to learn new technology skills.
15. Complete all of my video production goals.
16. Obtain an Amatuer Radio License (Technician with morse code cert.)
17. To excel at my vocation (job).
18. Total relationship restoration with my daughter Rachel.
19. To be an awesome grandfather to all of my grand-children (7 so far).
20. To have an excellent relationship with all of my step-kids (6 of them - ages 18-30)
21. To have a great relationship with my father (remaining parent) and to be a blessing to him.
22. To have a great relationship with my brothers (2) and my sisters (2).
23. To own and operate my own business (Internet related).
24. To be in execellent physical condition and to weigh no more than 205 pounds.
In the future, I will establish a plan of attack for each of these goals. They will go into my "Operation Phoenix Rising" binder and will be used as a roadmap to help me accomplish each goal.
Today is the third day into my "radical transformation" process. I've spent the last two days fasting and just drinking water. Today though, I've added fruit juices (NOT from concentrate and it's 100 percent pure!), green tea (decaffinated), and whole fruits and vegetables. The fruits today are apple, watermelon and grapes, the vegetables are celery, carrots, and grape tomatos. The fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants which attack the bad free-radicals that are in our bodies - these free radicals attack our cells, crack them open and burrow inside them, making our cells easy prey for sickness and disease. I've also taken some Acidopholous - which is the good kind of bacteria that helps our digestive systems. So many of the foods, medicines, and junk that we drink (soda, alchohol, milk, etc.) destroy the good bacteria and leave the bad bacteria to have free rain inside of our bodies. I'm also taking a number of doses of garlic today, the garlic is very good at destroying the bad bacteria, and it's good a destroying any kind of "bug" that might be present in the body.
I'm feeling very good at the moment. My optimisim is slowly returning and my energy level seems higher. I'm going to work on my course of action today - planning on how I'll do things the rest of the week and into next week (I start exercising then). This weekend is going to be tough at staying on my diet/regimen. It's the 4th of July on Friday and then I'm traveling down to west Texas to visit my brother and his family. They have lots and lots of junk food at their house - I'm going to have to be very strong and determined. I'm going to take my own food with me (vegetables, fruits, and nuts). By the way, I have learned recently though several different sources, that of the nut family - regular peanuts and cashews are the worst for you. Not exactly sure why though - I'll try to research that.
I recorded my weight and my physical measurements on Sunday (June 29th), they are as follows:
Weight: 280 (I am 6 feet tall with a large bone structure)
Neck: 18"
Chest: 52"
Stomach (across the belly-button): 53"
Waist (where my pants ride): 48"
Forearms (both the same): 13"
Biceps (both): 16.5" (unflexed, arms hanging)
Thighs (both): 28"
Calves (both): 17"
I'm not a small fella'. I was 5'11" and weighed 160 by the time I reached the 6th grade - I felt like Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies. When I graduated high school in 1977, I was 6' tall and weighed 175. In the year following my graduation, I worked full-time for Sears doing appliance delivery - I put on muscle and fat. By the time I entered U.S. Coast Guard boot-camp in 1978, I weighed 230 pounds. During the 9 weeks of "vigorous" training in boot-camp my weight dropped down to 180 pounds. During my military career (9 years), I kept my weight pretty much between 180-190. It didn't take long after getting out of the military (1987) for my weight to go way up - in fact, by 1991 - I had reached 300 pounds! In 1992, I spent the summer working out and dieting and lost 40 pounds - I kept that off for quite a long time.
These past months as my weight started spiraling up towards 300 (280 currently), I started to panic. There is NO way I want to be that heavy and uncomfortable again!
I'm feeling very good at the moment. My optimisim is slowly returning and my energy level seems higher. I'm going to work on my course of action today - planning on how I'll do things the rest of the week and into next week (I start exercising then). This weekend is going to be tough at staying on my diet/regimen. It's the 4th of July on Friday and then I'm traveling down to west Texas to visit my brother and his family. They have lots and lots of junk food at their house - I'm going to have to be very strong and determined. I'm going to take my own food with me (vegetables, fruits, and nuts). By the way, I have learned recently though several different sources, that of the nut family - regular peanuts and cashews are the worst for you. Not exactly sure why though - I'll try to research that.
I recorded my weight and my physical measurements on Sunday (June 29th), they are as follows:
Weight: 280 (I am 6 feet tall with a large bone structure)
Neck: 18"
Chest: 52"
Stomach (across the belly-button): 53"
Waist (where my pants ride): 48"
Forearms (both the same): 13"
Biceps (both): 16.5" (unflexed, arms hanging)
Thighs (both): 28"
Calves (both): 17"
I'm not a small fella'. I was 5'11" and weighed 160 by the time I reached the 6th grade - I felt like Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies. When I graduated high school in 1977, I was 6' tall and weighed 175. In the year following my graduation, I worked full-time for Sears doing appliance delivery - I put on muscle and fat. By the time I entered U.S. Coast Guard boot-camp in 1978, I weighed 230 pounds. During the 9 weeks of "vigorous" training in boot-camp my weight dropped down to 180 pounds. During my military career (9 years), I kept my weight pretty much between 180-190. It didn't take long after getting out of the military (1987) for my weight to go way up - in fact, by 1991 - I had reached 300 pounds! In 1992, I spent the summer working out and dieting and lost 40 pounds - I kept that off for quite a long time.
These past months as my weight started spiraling up towards 300 (280 currently), I started to panic. There is NO way I want to be that heavy and uncomfortable again!
July 1, 2003
Had a really bad night last night. I get these severe muscle spasms in my colon area – normally I get about 2 a month and it's been going on since I was 21 (I'm now 44). Last night I had two of them at two different times (2 a.m. and 5 a.m.). The pain is excruciating and the only relief is getting into a bathtub full of very, very hot tap water. Something about this fast has triggered the spasms but I don't know what.
I have had multiple health problems since the age of 6 – starting with Hypoglycemia and very poor vision (I had to have glasses), by the age of 8 I had severe arthritis in my ankles - so bad, that at times I could not walk without using a cane or having one of my ankles put into a cast. At about the age of 10 I started suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the arthritis had moved up into my knees. By the time I reached my teen years, I was suffering from anxiety attacks, depression, and the arthritis had moved into my lower back. The back pain was so bad at times (often monthly), that I could not even get out of bed and go to school. I also started suffering from spasms in my neck which caused it to lock up and give me a great deal of pain. From my teenage years through now I've suffered from chronic prostate problems, ulcers, manic-depression, and arthritis in my back and neck. I am almost always in pain from one of my maladies. The only medication that I take is Lexapro (an anti-depressant) and Advil (for the pain). I just cannot bring myself to take a large number of perscription medications every day.
Today, I am again fasting from food. I am allowing myself to drink more than filtered water today, green tea (decaffeinated) and an Aloe Vera drink. My mind is very, very clear and even though I’ve had no food to eat since about 10 p.m. Sunday night (today is Tuesday), I have quite a bit more energy than I normally do. I don’t feel sluggish or like my body is being pressed down to the ground. The swelling, that is normally present in my hands is gone. I sincerely believe that a lot of the food that we eat suppresses our energy and clouds our minds. We tell ourselves that some of the food that we eat is “good� for us, or makes us feel better, when all along that very food is working against us. Allergic reactions are probably the number one reason that food negatively affects us - but I also think our bodies just plain don’t care for some of the artificial ingredients, preservatives, and empty carbohydrates that most of our food contains. After this fast, I plan on avoiding sugar, caffeine, artificial sweetners, white flour, pasta, peanut butter, fried foods, and dairy products. The meats that I eat will be mostly lean meats like white chicken, fish, and high-grade steak and hamburger.
Newton’s scientific theory (which did not deal with the human body) “A body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body a rest tends to stay at rest..� can be used to describe exactly what happens to us when we get lazy and out of shape. The less that we do, the less that we feel like doing. Did you ever notice, how hard it is to get into good physical shape and yet how quickly we can get out of shape? I know, for me – I’m going to have to do something physical (exercise) just about everyday of the week or I will slip back into the “do nothing� rut again.
Had a really bad night last night. I get these severe muscle spasms in my colon area – normally I get about 2 a month and it's been going on since I was 21 (I'm now 44). Last night I had two of them at two different times (2 a.m. and 5 a.m.). The pain is excruciating and the only relief is getting into a bathtub full of very, very hot tap water. Something about this fast has triggered the spasms but I don't know what.
I have had multiple health problems since the age of 6 – starting with Hypoglycemia and very poor vision (I had to have glasses), by the age of 8 I had severe arthritis in my ankles - so bad, that at times I could not walk without using a cane or having one of my ankles put into a cast. At about the age of 10 I started suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the arthritis had moved up into my knees. By the time I reached my teen years, I was suffering from anxiety attacks, depression, and the arthritis had moved into my lower back. The back pain was so bad at times (often monthly), that I could not even get out of bed and go to school. I also started suffering from spasms in my neck which caused it to lock up and give me a great deal of pain. From my teenage years through now I've suffered from chronic prostate problems, ulcers, manic-depression, and arthritis in my back and neck. I am almost always in pain from one of my maladies. The only medication that I take is Lexapro (an anti-depressant) and Advil (for the pain). I just cannot bring myself to take a large number of perscription medications every day.
Today, I am again fasting from food. I am allowing myself to drink more than filtered water today, green tea (decaffeinated) and an Aloe Vera drink. My mind is very, very clear and even though I’ve had no food to eat since about 10 p.m. Sunday night (today is Tuesday), I have quite a bit more energy than I normally do. I don’t feel sluggish or like my body is being pressed down to the ground. The swelling, that is normally present in my hands is gone. I sincerely believe that a lot of the food that we eat suppresses our energy and clouds our minds. We tell ourselves that some of the food that we eat is “good� for us, or makes us feel better, when all along that very food is working against us. Allergic reactions are probably the number one reason that food negatively affects us - but I also think our bodies just plain don’t care for some of the artificial ingredients, preservatives, and empty carbohydrates that most of our food contains. After this fast, I plan on avoiding sugar, caffeine, artificial sweetners, white flour, pasta, peanut butter, fried foods, and dairy products. The meats that I eat will be mostly lean meats like white chicken, fish, and high-grade steak and hamburger.
Newton’s scientific theory (which did not deal with the human body) “A body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body a rest tends to stay at rest..� can be used to describe exactly what happens to us when we get lazy and out of shape. The less that we do, the less that we feel like doing. Did you ever notice, how hard it is to get into good physical shape and yet how quickly we can get out of shape? I know, for me – I’m going to have to do something physical (exercise) just about everyday of the week or I will slip back into the “do nothing� rut again.
June 30, 2003
Today I begin a journey – a journey that will eventually make a radical transformation in my life. Right now, I don’t like my life very much – in fact, I’m quite miserable. I’m under a lot stress, my wife and I live with my father who is physically disabled. He has had one medical issue after another arise, he falls easily and often – I worry about him constantly. All of this right on the heals of my mother’s death from breast cancer a year and a half ago. Watching her deteriorate and age 30 years in three and a half months took a great tool on me. I find it very frustrating, that even though my parents are/were relatively young (mid-60’s), and should have had quite a few “good” years left to enjoy life together – it’s not happening that way.
But that’s the story of my life.
My weight has ballooned, which has caused a number of related things to happen, no less than my clothes are all getting to tight, I have trouble breathing, and performing physical tasks is very, very, difficult; I’m depressed, tired, sick very often – catching one “bug” after another, and have absolutely no energy or motivation. Sleeping problems abound, I have a very hard time falling asleep and when I do eventually nod off, my sleep is very, very restless. My sex drive is just about non-existent. I feel as if I’m at the bottom of this deep, deep pit and the sides are closing in on me. I don’t even have the energy to try and climb up the sides.
My hope is dwindling, my faith is lacking, my optimism is just about all gone.
I’m a mess.
I’ve had some revelations as of late, which has lead me to this point – to today. The first revelation is that there is no miracle pill, there is no magic wand, there is no astronomical alignment of the planets that is going to just miraculously and suddenly change my life – it’s simply not going to happen. Although I’m a Christian and I believe in an all powerful, all caring, all loving Father God – I do believe, that because of the “free will” issue – we are responsible, to a certain degree for how we live our lives. In how we handle the situations that confront us, in the toll that we allow life to take out on us. With that in mind, I have to make a decision – either just keep living the same way I am now, day in and day out and just stay miserable OR do something different. Either roll and over and “take it” till it kills me or make changes in my life and lifestyle that will make a difference, that will allow me to be productive and proactive instead of being destructive and reactive. This choice is absolutely, totally mine.
The second revelation that I have had is that my life can be broken down into categories and that each of the categories on it’s own merit makes a significant impact on my life - but, I’ve also realized that each of these categories directly affects each other category. Why is this an important revelation you may wonder? Because, in the past – when I’ve tried to improve my life, I’ve normally only tried improving one aspect (category). Being totally focused on one category is good for that category but does not benefit the others, and since the other categories are being neglected or even damaged – they actually fight against my attempts to improve in the focused category. Does this make sense?
After much prayer, contemplation and thought – I’ve concluded that my life is made up of the following categories: mental, physical, spiritual, relational, financial, vocational, and communal. I will explain my concept of each category in a later posting.
I’m starting on the “physical” category today. It is my hope that as I improve my physical condition it will put me in a better frame of mind (mental) to then begin working on the other aspects of my life. I’m working on a plan of attack – it’s entitled “Operation Phoenix Rising”. It’s a long term plan of attack to help facilitate the radical transformation that I want in my life. Over the past few months, I have written down personal and professional goals that I want to accomplish before the end of my life (whether by death or by the Rapture). The person that I am, and the life that I live now, are not what I envision for myself.
As far as the physical aspect of my plan goes, I begin today by fasting from all food. The only substance I’m consuming today and tomorrow, is water – bottled water that has been filtered of impurities. After reading the book entitled “Toxic Relief”, I’ve learned that our body’s need a break occasionally. By fasting, we give our digestive systems a rest – a time to recover from all of the work that we put it through. We also allow our liver, which detoxifies our bodies to rest and recover. With all of the artificial substances that is in our food, also the peservitives and chemicals – things that were not present when God created mankind, our livers are deluged with “gunk” that it is supposed to filter out and remove from our bodies. My plan is to water fast for two days to rest my organs and to detoxify my body. I will then add fruit juices and vegetables to my “water diet” for an additional three days.
Today I begin a journey – a journey that will eventually make a radical transformation in my life. Right now, I don’t like my life very much – in fact, I’m quite miserable. I’m under a lot stress, my wife and I live with my father who is physically disabled. He has had one medical issue after another arise, he falls easily and often – I worry about him constantly. All of this right on the heals of my mother’s death from breast cancer a year and a half ago. Watching her deteriorate and age 30 years in three and a half months took a great tool on me. I find it very frustrating, that even though my parents are/were relatively young (mid-60’s), and should have had quite a few “good” years left to enjoy life together – it’s not happening that way.
But that’s the story of my life.
My weight has ballooned, which has caused a number of related things to happen, no less than my clothes are all getting to tight, I have trouble breathing, and performing physical tasks is very, very, difficult; I’m depressed, tired, sick very often – catching one “bug” after another, and have absolutely no energy or motivation. Sleeping problems abound, I have a very hard time falling asleep and when I do eventually nod off, my sleep is very, very restless. My sex drive is just about non-existent. I feel as if I’m at the bottom of this deep, deep pit and the sides are closing in on me. I don’t even have the energy to try and climb up the sides.
My hope is dwindling, my faith is lacking, my optimism is just about all gone.
I’m a mess.
I’ve had some revelations as of late, which has lead me to this point – to today. The first revelation is that there is no miracle pill, there is no magic wand, there is no astronomical alignment of the planets that is going to just miraculously and suddenly change my life – it’s simply not going to happen. Although I’m a Christian and I believe in an all powerful, all caring, all loving Father God – I do believe, that because of the “free will” issue – we are responsible, to a certain degree for how we live our lives. In how we handle the situations that confront us, in the toll that we allow life to take out on us. With that in mind, I have to make a decision – either just keep living the same way I am now, day in and day out and just stay miserable OR do something different. Either roll and over and “take it” till it kills me or make changes in my life and lifestyle that will make a difference, that will allow me to be productive and proactive instead of being destructive and reactive. This choice is absolutely, totally mine.
The second revelation that I have had is that my life can be broken down into categories and that each of the categories on it’s own merit makes a significant impact on my life - but, I’ve also realized that each of these categories directly affects each other category. Why is this an important revelation you may wonder? Because, in the past – when I’ve tried to improve my life, I’ve normally only tried improving one aspect (category). Being totally focused on one category is good for that category but does not benefit the others, and since the other categories are being neglected or even damaged – they actually fight against my attempts to improve in the focused category. Does this make sense?
After much prayer, contemplation and thought – I’ve concluded that my life is made up of the following categories: mental, physical, spiritual, relational, financial, vocational, and communal. I will explain my concept of each category in a later posting.
I’m starting on the “physical” category today. It is my hope that as I improve my physical condition it will put me in a better frame of mind (mental) to then begin working on the other aspects of my life. I’m working on a plan of attack – it’s entitled “Operation Phoenix Rising”. It’s a long term plan of attack to help facilitate the radical transformation that I want in my life. Over the past few months, I have written down personal and professional goals that I want to accomplish before the end of my life (whether by death or by the Rapture). The person that I am, and the life that I live now, are not what I envision for myself.
As far as the physical aspect of my plan goes, I begin today by fasting from all food. The only substance I’m consuming today and tomorrow, is water – bottled water that has been filtered of impurities. After reading the book entitled “Toxic Relief”, I’ve learned that our body’s need a break occasionally. By fasting, we give our digestive systems a rest – a time to recover from all of the work that we put it through. We also allow our liver, which detoxifies our bodies to rest and recover. With all of the artificial substances that is in our food, also the peservitives and chemicals – things that were not present when God created mankind, our livers are deluged with “gunk” that it is supposed to filter out and remove from our bodies. My plan is to water fast for two days to rest my organs and to detoxify my body. I will then add fruit juices and vegetables to my “water diet” for an additional three days.
