Tag Archives: Mayo Clinic

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Walking the Walk

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Day 188 in my walk towards my main mouse Mickey  (8 months and 1 day to go!)

If you been following my blog lately, then you know what a tough time I’ve had walking.  My toe is definitely on the mend, but it is happening slowly.  My plan for today was to research a reasonable walking plan, so I can get started again.  I am on vacation next week, (Woo Hoo!) which I think is a great time to get started.  I can go to the Lake Bluff Health and Fitness Club, or I can just walk out my front door and take a brisk walk.

My thanks go to the Mayo Clinic again for this do-able plan:

Week     Walking Schedule (time, # of days a week)      Weekly Total

1                15 minutes, 2 days                                                         30 minutes

2                15 minutes, 3 days                                                         45 minutes

3                20 minutes, 3 days                                                         60 minutes

4                 25 minutes, 3 days                                                        75 minutes

5 & 6        30 minutes, 3 days                                                        90 minutes

7 & 8        30 minutes, 4 days                                                      120 minutes

9 & 10     30 minutes, 5 days                                                      150 minutes

Looks pretty good, right?  So on Monday I will begin.  Although I may take my toe on a brief pre-walk this weekend to see how it does.

Wish me luck, my peeps.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Be Still

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Day 174 in my healthier lifestyle as I wend my way toward meeting up with Mickey  (8 months and 14 days to go!)

Today’s plan was to take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment online.  Done!  It’s part of my health insurance plan.  Each year I can earn $150 in Wellness Dollars by taking the assessment.  The money is loaded onto a dedicated credit card and can be used to pay for any medical expenses.  Mike is also on my plan so he can do the same.  That’s $300 in out of pocket health costs paid just by taking the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment.

Once I have completed the assessment, I can begin to qualify for another $350 (and so can Mike) by doing some activities and recording the results online.  This is what put me on the sugar-free road last year.  And it actually got Mike to eat a healthy breakfast for six weeks in a row.  So all totaled we can earn $1000 toward those out of pocket health costs.  We’d be crazy to NOT do this, right?

It’s a bit tougher this year.  Our choices are:

  1. Be Still: Tend to my emotional well-being through daily prayer practice for 6+ weeks
  2. Keep a Fitness Journal: Tend to my physical well-being by tracking physical activity for 10+ weeks
  3. Keep a Food Journal: Tend to my physical well-being by tracking all food and drinks for 10+ weeks.

The Fitness Journal seems like a no-brainer, since I am already trying to increase my activity level, but honestly, I think I need the Be Still path.  I believe that my emotional well-being had a lot to do with the weight I’ve put on in my life.  I think some more concentrated God-time can only benefit me.  So that’s the plan.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I think Mike will choose the Fitness Journal, since he’s swimming four to five mornings a week.  🙂

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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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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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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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Getting Honest

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Day 9 in my quest toward Disney

Today my plan is to start getting honest with myself.  I want to see what proper portions look like.

  1. So this morning I measured my three quarters of a cup of cereal and my cup of milk.  It was a surprise to find that that portion was enough.  It satisfied my hunger, and I didn’t feel overly full.
  2. I measured my tuna (packed in water) and peas (low sodium) for my lunch.  And I measured the peanut butter (ingredients: only peanuts) for my apple.
  3. I will measure out my portions of tonight’s shrimp, brown rice and broccoli dinner, too.

It’ll be good for me to eat these proper portions of healthy foods.  It will be good for my body.  But it will also be good for my mind to know that I am eating healthy food in healthy portions.

And since it’s Monday (blurg!), I will do 20 minutes of Tai Chi when I get home from work today, plus 6 minutes of Shake Weight.  I am trying to move every hour and not just sit at my desk all day, too.  And miracle of miracle, I’m still sugar-free!  One week down and four more to go for my Mayo Health Clinic pledge.  🙂

Thank you, dear readers, for your support.  See 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.