Tag Archives: Health Coach

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In the Sweet Spot

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Day 97 in my exciting adventure toward my date with Mickey

My plan for today was to meet with my Health Coach, and I did.  My two goals for the next four weeks are:

  1. Try out walking at the Lake Bluff Health and Fitness Center sprung track.  It is right on my way home from work, so no excuses to not drop in there.  The sprung track will make walking easier on my sore joints.
  2. Research and adjust my holiday recipes, so they are more nutritious and not so filled with empty calories.

Friendly little facts that are making my life exciting:

  • I always weigh myself before I talk to Alex, my heath coach.  And…tan-ta-ta-a-da…I made my 30 pounds this morning!!!  So exciting! I’m very happy about that.
  • OMGosh…Starbuck’s has a Skinny Peppermint Mocha.  I got one yesterday with decaf.  It might be my favorite treat EVER!
  • Jake & Emi (our kid)s, Eliza and James (their spouses), Mike (my amazing husband) and I are booked into Old Key West for our vacation in October.  I have our 5-day Park Hopper passes in hand.  And they are all connected up on “My Disney Experience.”

So right now, gentle readers, life is very good at the Jarvi household. Meet you the Kingdom!

BTW: Shout out to Chris, my wonderful work partner.  (Prayers coming your way, my friend! )  She fell and broke her wrist yesterday.  If you have a sec, offer up a quick prayer for her today.  Thanks, all y’all!

 

 

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Tooth Matters

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Day 89 in my moves to be healthier when I meet up with Mickey

My plan for today is to go to the dentist and have them work on making my smile healthier.  I leave work today at 2:30 for a dentist appointment.  Ironic, right?  2:30 & tooth hurty?  As a pre-diabetic, oral hygiene becomes rather critical, because any type of  infection takes much longer to heal.  So I will go to be poked and prodded and scolded and cleaned and humbled.  But my teeth will feel better (with a little time) when I’m done.

How is your smile, gentle readers?  I’m convinced that the world needs more smiles and less suspicious glances.  Let’s just do it.  Let’s just be so grateful for all God is and does that we smile more.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Date with a Dude

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Day 76 in my undertaking to be as healthy as possible, for a woman my age in the condition I’m in, when I meet Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October 2015

I have a date at 3:30 today with my personal Mayo Clinic Health Coach.  I have been blessed to meet with Alex by phone four times already and I have two more complimentary sessions.  As always he will want to hear any measurable progress, so here is what I have for him today:

  1. My emotions appear to be on a much more even keel.  I like living without the sugar highs and the inevitable lows of sugar crashes.  I find I have more patience with others and even with myself.
  2. I have more focus at work.  I can formulate plans and then follow through to accomplish tasks much more efficiently.
  3. I have more energy than I have had in a very long time.  I used to be exhausted at the thought of doing anything outside the norm.  Now I actually get excited about deviations from my schedule.  I think, “Ooh, what does God have for me today?” and I am more open to new ideas.
  4. And as a side-effect of making healthier choices, my scale says I’ve lost 24.8 pounds as of this morning.  But oh, what I have gained!

Thank you for reading, dear friends.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Whistling While I Work (Around the Soreness)

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Day 49 in my moves toward meeting Mickey

When I spoke with my Mayo Clinic Health Coach on Wednesday, we decided on a two step goal for the next three weeks.  1) I would attempt to walk for 20 minutes three days a week, and 2) I would dance while listening to my iPod for five minutes every hour on my days off while I putz around the house.

Since I’m off today, my plan was going to be a 20 minute walk and some dancing. However, I think I hurt myself yesterday with my rather vigorous trek at the mall.  My back and side are very sore today.  (Although the side might be my diverticulitis kicking in.)  So instead, I will cook Mike and myself a primo turkey breast dinner tonight with baked sweet potato and steamed green beans, with plenty of fresh veggies and hummus dip.  And I will research a menu for this next week with at least two new, healthy recipes.  Thanks to Eliza, I have found some new recipes in “I Quit Sugar” by Sarah Wilson.  I hope to make a “Breakfast Casserole” for dinner one evening this week.  The recipe has rutabaga in it, should be interesting.

I’m off to research, dear readers.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: The Destination Channel is playing shows about Walt Disney World today.  Woo hoo!  I’m loving seeing some of the new things to see and do on our trip!  Instant inspiration!  And a great reminder of why I’m on this quest.  🙂

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More Moving

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Day 31 in my quest to move toward Mickey

When I last spoke with my Health Coach we set two goals for the next three weeks:

  1. When I am at work I will get up and move for five minutes out of every hour.  I can accomplish any tasks I wish as long as they involve standing and moving.
  2. On days when I am not working (Sundays excluded), I will spend at least five minutes of every hour standing and doing some household task.

Those are lofty goals for me.  But I just feel the need to get up and move more.

Here’s today’s plan: It’s a work day, so I’m working on the 5 minutes up for every hour at my desk today.  I can feel the difference.  It becomes much easier to get up and move when I haven’t been planted in my chair all day.

I just heard on the news this morning that “Sitting is the new tobacco.”  It’s the next big thing that is bad for our bodies.  Seems like I’m getting on this just in time…58 years later.  🙂

Thank you for reading, dear friends!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Stepping to the Kingdom

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Day 27 in walking toward Lake Buena Vista

I had a great call with my Mayo Clinic Health Coach last night.  He encouraged me, and let me know that I am on the right track.  It makes such a difference when a complete stranger knows what I am up to and sees the value in it.  I feel a renewed sense of purpose, and I have a clearer vision of where I want to be in 13+ months.

Here is my plan for today: I will go over my notes from last night’s discussion with my Health Coach, and devise a plan of action to take the next steps…literally, the next steps.  I want to increase the number of steps I walk each day.  It’s time to break out my dusty Fitbit and start counting my daily steps again.  Fitbit is a fabulous tool that keeps count of the steps you take when you wear it.  It does a lot more than that, but that is how want to use it for now.

The kids gave Mike (my very amazing husband) a Fitbit for Father’s Day.  He set his goal at 10,000 steps a day.  He rarely walks less than that, and several times the Fitbit has called him an overachiever for walking way more.  Case in point, last night he got a message from his Fitbit because in the course of his work day, he had walked over 13,000 steps.  Wow!  I figure he’ll be fine walking around Walt Disney World.

Me?  Not so much.  Not yet.  But that’s why I’m here blogging, right.  I still have 13+ months to get myself walking more.  So, here’s to more…steps that is.

Thank you for taking the journey with me.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Working Toward Wellness

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Day 26 as I walk towards a Mickey meeting

Whew!  I had a pretty rough couple of days.  Today I am fever-free, and my stomach feels much better.  So…hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go. **whistle* Hi ho, hi ho.

Today I am being very gentle with myself as I try to recover the energy that was sapped away the last couple of days.  So, here’s the plan: 1) I am moving around at work as much as possible.  2) I ate a wonderful left-over salmon lunch.  3) I will chat with my Health Coach tonight and make a plan for the next few weeks.  4) Tonight after a rehearsal, Mike and I will dine out.  I will have a salad with dressing on the side.  5) I will get a good night’s sleep tonight and pray that I have more oomph tomorrow for bigger and better things.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers the last two days.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Mayo Clinic Health Coaching

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Day 5 in the trek to a healthier mind and body for me (and Mickey).  🙂    I did my Tai Chi last night.  I had it wrong though.  The dvd is in 20, 40 or 60 minute increments.  I did 20 minutes of sit-down Tai Chi, then I did 6 minutes of “Shake Weight.”

Are you laughing now?  There’s something about the motion of that exercise device that is a little naughty.  🙂  But, I can sure feel it in my arms today.

Today’s Disney Dreams step is talking to my new health coach.  I know…who can afford that right?  Again through my benefits at work (I am a secretary in an ELCA church), I qualify for a personal health coach.  Here’s why: weight, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes.  Not a very fun trifecta!  However, I am going to make use of that free resource!

Here’s what they say: “You qualify for Mayo Clinic Health Coaching. Take advantage of this phone-based service at no cost to you and let an experienced coach help you reach your health goals. You choose the health areas most important to you — then team up on an action plan personalized to your life. You’ll learn proven techniques to change habits for good and get help with challenges along the way.”

Here’s the plan: Talk to my health coach for one half hour today, and set up an action plan.

And I am still sugar-free.  The headache is subsiding.  Only a dull ache now.  🙂

A special shout out to my bestie, Jean, for sending me the book, “Trim Healthy Mama.”  I am so blessed and grateful to have you in my life!!  Love you.

Thanks for caring enough to read.  Meet you at the Kingdom.