What is Normal Eating?

This is something that was given to us during our ZSBC meeting this week:

"Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.  It is being able to chose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it - not just stop eating because you think you should.  Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.  Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good.  Normal eating is three meals a day, or four, or five, or it can be choosing to much along the way.  It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.  Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable.  And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more.  Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.  Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.  

In short, normal eating is flexible.  It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food, and your feelings." (Ellyn Satter, 1998)

So what does this say to you?  To me, this is a gift of forgiveness.  This helps me understand that "normal eating" isn't some impossibly unattainable state of being.  "Normal eating" is what we do to survive.  It accommodates special occasions and whims of fancy.  It does not cover dieting, for dieting is an unnatural way of sustaining life to attain a state of being that can be achieve through "normal eating".  As I learn more and more about what it takes to eat normally, I find it is exactly what I have been doing except for two big differences: 1) portion sizes; 2) food choices.  I have found that super sizing meals may be economical if you compare the quantity of food you get for the money. However, do you really need more food? Also, the food that you should eat defies pretty much everything that Americans are bribed, coerced, and programed to accept as food.  When it comes down to it, the ingredients to your meal should be readily available in nature.  I am very sure that herds of Big Macs are not running wild among the plains somewhere.  If there were, there would be safaris run by Ronald McDonald from the back of his Range Rover.  Can you really see Ronald McDonald with an Elephant Gun?

In short, it tells me that eating is first and foremost needed to sustain life. However, eating should be enjoyed and relished as an experience.

So, what does "normal eating" mean to you?

It's a Small World After All

Tuesday night in ZSBC, Anna told me she saw the post on my blog about MCPO Ballard’s Building Dedication. It turns out that she was part of a Navy JROTC program during her High School career also.  The strange thing is that she was part of the York, SC program and I was part of the Summerville, SC program.  That means that we competed in the same drill meets and rifle matches and participated in the same field trips at the same time and never knew each other.  That is just weird.  We probably met loads of times and just never made a friendship.  It is interesting how you can share certain events with people when you were younger and never strike up a friendship until you are older and in a different part of the country.  It definitely is a small world after all.

Beating the Heavenly Drum

Tonight in Tai Chi we practiced a move called "Beating the Heavenly Drum".  I have tried this move a couple of times before, but have never done it successfully (in my opinion).  The trick of this move is that you have to swing your arms from front to back while you slide your body from a forward bow stance to a back stance.  All the time you are trying to do this you are also rotating your torso from the front when in a forward bow to 45 degrees to the right in back stance.  A lot of things moving at the same time.  I have a problem with swinging my arms fast enough to get them to beat on my chest in rhythm with my body swing and front to back motion.  When I watch Dave (our instructor) it looks so smooth and effortless, but I just have to remember that he must have started where I did all of those years ago.

I did get a chance to learn another move in the solo form which was exciting.  Steve, Jenny, Lise, and I had an opportunity to practice our form together in the last part of class.  Now I think the four of us are on the same level with each other.  It is good to have others at the same level as yourself in order to practice with.

Last week Jenny and I did a vertical push hands move which was fun.  It reminded me of dancing.  It was a major work out for the quads though.  On top of that, I forgot my Tai Chi shoes so Sifu allowed me to attend class barefoot.  I thought this would be fun and it might have been if we were outside.  However, the wood floor in the main room is slick no matter if you have shoes on or not.  I was sliding all over the place.  Rule #1 when packing for class: PACK YOUR SHOES FIRST!!  Hopefully this will be the last time I forget that important piece of equipment.  On to the next class!

Being "Big Stuff"

I had a great time looking after my son during our "Dada & Son" weekend.  Since I come home so late from work and classes every day, I wanted to give my wife a break to let her recuperate a bit.  We didn't do anything fantastic.  We basically followed our set routine and just let my wife lay low.  However mundane you might think that would be, I found the whole experience pretty exciting.  This weekend was one of the few times that I really got to notice how much my son is growing up.  He climbs up on the step stool to be at counter level so he could help Dada fix meals.  He loves running around outside and views new things with a sense of wonder that I have somehow forgotten. I still get tickled when we walk around outside our complex and hangs on my leg as cars roll by.  I know he knows what they are, but at the same time I remind myself that they seem like giants because of his height.

One thing did stand out this weekend.  My son was on his step stool playing chef as I was fixing some water from the refrigerator.  I usually have a large cup of water regularly throughout the day and he enjoys trying to drink out of that cup like Dada, but usually gets most of it down his shirt.  Today was different.  I decided to give him his own water in a cup his size and see what he would do with it.  When I put it in front of him he placed what he was playing with down to the side and firmly grasped the cup in both hands.  He then ever so carefully brought it to his lips as he took a REAL drink.  He didn't try to suck the water out like he would through a straw or try to tip it back like a body shot during Marty Gras.  I was SHOCKED and cheered with my hands above my head.  He just looked up, grinned a huge grin and went back to drinking.  He drank the whole cup without spilling it.  I couldn't have been prouder seeing that the day before he spilt most of a cup of water down his entire shirt.  In the Drinking department my son graduated from being a baby to being "BIG STUFF"!

I am amazed when I see things just 'click' with him.  It is like he tries, and tries, and tries with disastrous consequences.  But with just one slow, methodical attempt that succeeded, he now knows the best way to do tasks that earlier would frustrate the fool out of him.

After thinking through what wonders I saw this weekend, I thought about my trials and tribulations regarding my weight that have plagued me for years.  Really, how different am I with my struggles than my son is with his?  Thinking about it, I have had the tools in front of me for a while now.  I have just not been willing to choose to take a drink out of that cup as slowly and methodically as I can.  I have chosen to run through programs, diets, and exercise camps for the majority of my adult life hoping that the lessons and thoughts would stick to my body at the end.  Only to be disappointed when I find out that for some magic reason, nothing has changed.  It is depressing when you think about it and I know we ALL have thought about it.

I figure it is time to just put down my toys like my son, pick up my cup of health and fitness, and be 'Big Stuff' for once in my adult life.  My life has changed in the past 16 months since we have had this gift of a baby boy.  I need to and feel the urge to man-up and be healthy and fit in order to be around long enough to see him grown up.  I want to experience his wonder and excitement about the world as he experiences it.  The only way to do that is to man-up and be Big Stuff like my son.

I will be posting my fitness goals and weight goals on this blog for all to see.  I have noticed that if I stay in the corner and just keep that stuff to myself, it is easier for me to let things slide.  I would ask you, the reader of this blog, to call me out when you don't see a post of my progress in a while.  If you want to post your PFGs (Personal Fitness Goals) with me, feel free.  Together, we can pull through the hard stuff and get to the land of health and fitness.

'CLICK'!

Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard

   

On May 8^th, 2010, I had the privilege to attend the dedication of the Summerville High School NJROTC Unit building to a great Naval Science Instructor, Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard.  As a NJROTC Cadet from 1991-1995, MCPO Ballard was one of my most influential teachers through my High School career.  The “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way” motto that was posted over the building’s entrance still resonates in my ear today and has helped guide me throughout my life.  Master Chief helped shape approximately 4000 cadets in his many years of service at the SHS NJROTC unit.  Not only was he a good instructor, but he was/is a proud member of our country’s Navy.  He served on may submarine details before retiring from active duty and going into education.  As a person with a proud Navy family tradition, I am proud to call myself a cadet of Master Chief Ballard.  He and Capt. John Foster helped guide me through my High School experience and gave me some principles that I live by today.  I can still remember the “Jack Ass” medal that Master Chief would present to me when I screwed up. It was a medal with a mule facing rearward towards you looking over his shoulder.  I got that one a lot.  I also remember how he would step away from the spot light when myself and other cadets did well.  To Master Chief, it was always about the cadets.

To my relief, this sentiment has continued through to today.  Col. Davis is the new head Naval Science instructor and has made great strides to continue and expand on the traditions of the unit in which he inherited.  One of the tasks he had the current crop of cadets perform was to create scrap books of the hundreds of pictures and news paper articles from all of the past cadet classes.  I have to say that I looked pretty young back then.  Below I have some pictures from a cruise we took on a Mine Sweeper in Charleston harbor.  Boy I was a baby.

So, to all those who have had the privilege to know and be taught by Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard, please help me extend sincere gratitude and appreciation for all he has accomplished.  Thank you Master Chief.  You helped shape us more than you will know. 

 

  

Stepping Up the PAIN!

Last night was another class in our ZSBC experience.  Sifu had a lecture session on "Who are the (5) people you hang around the most and what effect do they have on you?"  To tell you the truth, you can answer this really flippantly, but our task was to really analyze it and recognize the impact it has on our lives.  The bottom line I took away from this session was that you have a choice to associate with almost anyone in the world.  The quality of the people you choose to associate with can help determine your mental stability and success in life.  Even when it comes to your family, you have the choice to limit your interaction with those who do not contribute to your well being or grow closer to those to whom you draw strength from.  Remember that this a mutual benefit type of arrangement as well.  You will find in life that the people that want to associate with you may see you as a source of strength, but you as an individual need to determine if you are getting what you need from the same relationship.  The correct balance of a relationship is when both parties are getting what they need from each other.  Are there draw backs, hiccups, or crap you have to filter through?  You betcha, but what relationship does not have that?  What we have to learn is how to filter the bad things in order to see if the good things are beneficial.

So after that introspective discussion, it was on with the PAIN!  Last class Sifu had us fill out surveys of the program.  To my surprise he went over the results with us before class.  It was interesting to see a split in how people viewed the workouts, but never the less George certainly took them to heart and adapted accordingly.  It was relay race time again, which is always a fun and supportive event in ZSBC.  He split the room up into 3 levels of pain that we voluntarily classified ourselves into: Blue Cones (Insane), Orange Cones (Mostly Sane), and White Cones (Most Sane).  Each level had a non stop work out that was geared for our level of physical fitness.  This is what the majority wanted in the class.  The people that wanted a good sweat got one and the people that wanted to really push themselves, REALLY GOT PUSHED!  Like always, everyone was supportive with clapping and cheering-on their fellow competitors.  I don't think the ZSBC would have the same effect with out that sense of fellowship that has grown since the beginning of the program.  We are all in this together.

Right now, I have a date with some Advil Liquid Gel Caps (my mistress these days). I look forward to next week and I hope you all will as well.

Cost vs Benefit: a Decision of Delayed Gratification

*** THIS IS A DELAYED POST! *** This was written back when I achieved "B" block status with Tai Chi about a month ago. Enjoy! ***

I am sitting here at the Dining Room table thinking about how sometimes you really want something, but to attain that something you must give up something else.  Cryptic I know, but I am having a real life decision at the moment based on my opportunity to move into the Disciple Program at the TPD.  I was fortunate enough to sit down with Sifu today and go over the benefits of this program and of course the costs associated with access to more activities it offers.  The cost increase to move into this program was not extreme by any means, compared to what I am already paying.  In fact, I was all ready to sign the paper to move into the program, but one thing stood in my way.  I could not get a hold of my wife to talk over the increase financial investment and to see how it would impact our current financial plan.  See in our household my wife and I have clearly defined roles in our new single income family.  I make the money and figure out how it can be spent as quickly as possible.  She is the keeper of the family budget and the director of the "Snap Dada back into reality" foundation.  This is a balance that has definitely worked for us so far.

A little back story for a minute.  3 years ago my wife and I started our married life with some substantial debt that we both accrued separately.  We were both working and making good money (for ourselves) at the time, but we also wanted children.  After doing the numbers, we found out that if we both worked and sent our child to day care, that we would basically be taking my wife's paycheck and give it directly to some day care agency.  We looked at that and decided that when we had kids, we both wanted her to stay home to raise our children.  However, in order to do that we would have to pay down a substantial amount of debt to even think about making that into a reality.  So we made a goal.  Pay down the debt to a predetermined amount and then we could start our family.  This way, we would be in a position to live off of one income and take care of our child the way we wanted to.  Now some people would think that is just a waste of effort, that debt comes back regardless of what you do.  Just have the kids when they come and just grin and bare it when it happens (no pun intended ladies).  But to us, this is the cost we needed to incur in order to have the delayed gratification of the life we wanted to live with our family.  So to make a long story short, we downsized our life to fit within my paycheck (which was not a lot for a family to live on) and used the majority of her paycheck to pay off our debt.  It took us two years to pay down the debt, but we did it. Now we have a beautiful and healthy baby boy being taken care of by his Mummum everyday.  Just the way wanted it to be.  

Now how does this fit into my current situation?  It is all about delayed gratification and setting goals.  The increase to my TPD tuition may not be a great amount, but if I do that, what will I have to NOT do in return to balance it out?  There are many things that I know my family needs that takes a lot of money: a new house, a car for my wife (not a new one, just a car), and fixes to our current home to make it sellable in this economy to name a few.  All of these things take priority to something that purely effects me. I may make the money, but I do not just support myself.  

So even though I want to be in a black shirt more than anything, I need to understand that now is not the time for the added expense.  I am still getting a great experience with the Zen Super Boot Camp and myTai Chi classes.  I may not get to some other very neat stuff right now with Tai Chi, but a new home for my growing family means a lot more to me right now.

So I am setting a goal to save towards the Disciple program so that I will not place the added expense on our shrinking credit card debt.  I will continue with the ZSBC and my Tai Chi classes and work to continue the success that I have already started to see in my mental focus as well as my body.  I will be a black shirt, but first I must do the right thing and continue my family's efforts that are currently underway.  In the end, when I put on that black shirt, it is going to feel that much better.

Some of you may be thinking that I am writing this to talk people out of moving into the Disciple or Mastery program.  That would not be further from the truth.  I am writing this post for those like me who struggle with balance in their life.  Who may be faced with a similar decision about moving into the next level of training and feel that everyone else will be moving up and they will be left behind.  I can tell you that I felt that way while thinking this over.  What I want to convey in this post is that you have to make the correct decision for you and your family.  Members of the ZSBC have a commitment of 12 months already.  If you are like me, the time commitment alone limits the amount of activities you can participate in and still have a life outside of TPD and work.  It is ok to delay this decision to move on if you believe it is the right thing for you to do and know you are not alone.  

the Funk...Has Been Crushed!!

Well the Funk was crushed after lunch.  I had a great lunch with my baby boy and the Mummum, which lifted my spirits.  I got my pricing nearly finished and had a rockin' time at Tai Chi to boot!  I kicked it during warm ups and I had a good Chi Gung session with the group.  I was on!

Now I have to perform surgery on the Mummum's mac.  I have to replace the CPU fans.  I didn't know that notebooks used Silver Thermal Paste, but I'm going to be elbow deep in it tonight!

the Funk!

Today I woke up with the strangest mind funk that I have had in a while.  If you don't know what a "mind funk" is, it is when you wake up and something just doesn't feel right.  You are a little more edgie than normal.  You don't really want to do anything in particular, but you know you have to do your normal routine.  That kind of funk.  I think Lise passed her funk mood to me from when she had it a week ago. I guess that's what you get sometimes when you do Tai chi with others.  You have a chance to catch the negative energy that they are trying to get rid of (purely by accident of course).

I'm trying to shake it off, but it is hard today.  I really just want to go play outside with the wife and the little one, however that would not be the best plan for work.  So I have decided just to keep my head down and get through today the best I can.  I believe Tai Chi will help me sort this out tonight.  At least I hope so.  We will see what tomorrow brings!

the Hybrid Project...RESULTS

Well the results are in and the winner is.....going to be announced right after this commercial interruption. 

Discount Tire on South Tryon Street has been an awesome store to work with during this experiment.  I was always met by kind and very informed sales people every time I walked into their location, which has been a lot over the last few days.  If anyone needs tires at a great price and great service I HIGHLY recommend them.  Also check them out on the web at: www.discounttire.com  From there you can check out tires for your make/model of car, check stock inventory, get an "out the door" pricing quote, and even schedule an appointment to get the tires installed all before you even step foot in their location.  If you go to the location on South Tryon, see Wayne.  He was the very helpful salesman that helped me through my little experience. 

Alright, back to our show...

AND THE WINNER IS..........the stock Bridgestone Potenza P165/65R14 tires.

When I went down to Charleston, I ran on the P175/65R14's all the way down there.  The ride was great and the handling was improved in wet weather over the stock P165/65R14's.  However, with two runs on those tires (one to and one from Charleston) the average gas mileage that I achieved was only 39.1MPG.  This is with compensating for the odometer and speed difference.  My computer registered my performance at 43.4MPG, but I knew that this could not be correct because of the wheel diameter difference.  

Now being a true fan of MythBusters (sorry Lise, your husband and I are together on this one) I decided to switch back to the the stock P165/65R14 tires to see if there would be a major difference.  Luckily, right after switching back, I had to take a trip down to Georgia.  This would be a great comparison test.  Well it turns out I did not need to wait that long.  As soon as I got the tires switched, I filled up the car, drove back to work, and then back home.  Just in 22 miles of driving, the car registered my gas consumption at 52.1 MPG.  WOW what a difference tires make!  After I made my run down and back from Georgia, my car stayed between 51 and 53 MPG the entire trip.

Now gas mileage is not the only reason I switched back to stock tires.  I noticed going down to Charleston with the P175/65R14's, that my gas and electric motors would compete against each other when I tried to accelerate up hill while at high speed.  It would unnecessarily down shift and kick in the electric motor to try to maintain speed.  When I did the same thing with the stock tires going to Georgia, the car didn't do any of that while at speed.  This leads me to believe that there is more than just increased wheel traction, wheel diameter, and wheel weight at work when the engineers at Honda created this car.  

I know what the true fans of MythBusters are thinking.  I did not have a dedicated course with the exact same conditions for both sets of tires and that I did not take exact measurements of the gas consumption.  All I have to say is that even though I am a true geek, I still have a life.  This test proved exactly what I wanted to know.  A real test of gas consumption with my hybrid.  

To sum up, changing from the stock P165/65R14 tires to the P175/65R14 tires dropped my gas milage from 52mpg to 39mpg.  To a hybrid driver this is the worst that could happen to our cars (well one of the worst things).  It also shows how much homework that Honda did for this first generation of hybrid cars.  Now I can dispel the incorrect information that sales people are spreading about changing the tires on hybrids.  Where's my cape!?!