Well I checked my weight this morning, shockingly I haven't gained as much as I thought. With all the crap I've been eating I thought for sure I would be upwards of 180 but I'm at 173.5. I've still got a couple of days to hit 175:).
Being a cyclist as well as a Lance Armstrong fan, I like to support his Livestrong organization. This was on my email this morning (click here). I think after you look at one "how to lose" article, you've looked at them all. I think (my own personal opinion) if you just cut out the sugar and cut way down on serving size, then your bound to lose some weight. If there's a soda sitting in your desk right now, hmmmm, no comment. Go get some water or some green tea. Add some exercise to that then your good to go. Remember, your heart rate has to be elevated for at least 30 minutes to make any sort of dent in your conditioning.
It's a pain in the rear to do this, but keep a log of everything you eat throughout the day. You will be amazed at how the calories just add up. Also look at the quality of the food your eating. If its full of words you cant pronounce then work on adding more natural foods to your diet. You can't go wrong eating food that is nourished by the sun.
Have a super day. Gotta go shovel some snow.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Movin Right Along
Went to Phoenix last night with my 8 year old to watch our first hockey game. It was so cool. We've been to a bunch of D-Back games and were definitely a baseball family but I'll take watching a hockey game live any day. There were no dull moments. Always something going on. The action was awesome!
Anyway, while I was down there, my phone beeped with our first official challengers. I am loving some of the names people are coming up with, Skinny Me, Monkey, Big Mamma, PinkBerry, and Big Mac!! I love it!!! I'm looking forward to getting started. I just found out today that my wife wants to be on a team with me. Though I'm not allowed to win, this could get dicey. My wife, God love her, has the motivation of a turtle and I've never ever seen her try and commit to a diet. It could be interesting.
Remember that as we move forward I'd like for you to send me updates as to your current weight. Just use the mail@alphaoxymed.com address and be sure to sign it with your challenge name. I'm going to check my weight at the office tomorrow. I bet I've gained at least ten lbs since Thanksgiving. I'll be sure to let you all know.
I'm not sure how personal I should make this blog but for now I'll just type away whatever I'm thinking about. Now if some of you see me at the hospital (the 39 yo guy with the "frosted" hair (midlife crisis) and delivering some sort of DME product) don't hold any of this against me.
Typically I never (and I mean never) go without a shirt, not even at home (don't ask), but last night at the hotel, brushing my teeth before bed, in front of the mirror, and yes with no shirt on, I thought to myself "Dear God is that another roll or am I just leaning over a bit more than usual. I've never had a six pack for abs, but for once, I would just love to see some sort of definition around my midsection. Last year I paid a trainer to help me with my abs (therapy for my back). We were upwards of about 500 reps of total ab work every day. I could do crunches all day long, yet you couldn't see one ounce of muscle any where near my gut. There was absolutely no point to all that babbling but like I said, just gonna type what I'm thinking.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the challenge. If for anything, to see how many of you progress towards your goals. If you feel like sharing any of your goals with me, please send me an email or comment at the end of this post. Hope you have a good evening. Looking forward to seeing how much snow is on the ground in the morning. Good night.
Anyway, while I was down there, my phone beeped with our first official challengers. I am loving some of the names people are coming up with, Skinny Me, Monkey, Big Mamma, PinkBerry, and Big Mac!! I love it!!! I'm looking forward to getting started. I just found out today that my wife wants to be on a team with me. Though I'm not allowed to win, this could get dicey. My wife, God love her, has the motivation of a turtle and I've never ever seen her try and commit to a diet. It could be interesting.
Remember that as we move forward I'd like for you to send me updates as to your current weight. Just use the mail@alphaoxymed.com address and be sure to sign it with your challenge name. I'm going to check my weight at the office tomorrow. I bet I've gained at least ten lbs since Thanksgiving. I'll be sure to let you all know.
I'm not sure how personal I should make this blog but for now I'll just type away whatever I'm thinking about. Now if some of you see me at the hospital (the 39 yo guy with the "frosted" hair (midlife crisis) and delivering some sort of DME product) don't hold any of this against me.
Typically I never (and I mean never) go without a shirt, not even at home (don't ask), but last night at the hotel, brushing my teeth before bed, in front of the mirror, and yes with no shirt on, I thought to myself "Dear God is that another roll or am I just leaning over a bit more than usual. I've never had a six pack for abs, but for once, I would just love to see some sort of definition around my midsection. Last year I paid a trainer to help me with my abs (therapy for my back). We were upwards of about 500 reps of total ab work every day. I could do crunches all day long, yet you couldn't see one ounce of muscle any where near my gut. There was absolutely no point to all that babbling but like I said, just gonna type what I'm thinking.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the challenge. If for anything, to see how many of you progress towards your goals. If you feel like sharing any of your goals with me, please send me an email or comment at the end of this post. Hope you have a good evening. Looking forward to seeing how much snow is on the ground in the morning. Good night.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Motivation
Just wanted to show you this. Elden (also know as the Fat Cyclist) has allowed me to show you these pictures of himself. He used to have a Weight Loss Challenge on his website that really motivated me to start something around here. Here is his before and after shot. It's very impressive. By the way, talk about someone affected by cancer. He lost his wife last year to metastatic cancer.
Before
After
Truly Impressive!!!!
If you have a chance to read his blog, it's very entertaining. This guy is awesome!!!
Lifestyle Change
Sometime around Thanksgiving, I was doing really well with my diet. I'm not sure what happened to make me slide (besides all the holiday goodies sitting around). It's got me to thinking though, why is it so hard for us to make a lifestyle change that we know would make us feel better?
This past year we (Alpha Oxy-Med) were blessed to be offered the Hospice contract. It has been a ton of work and a ton of man hours but it is has truly been worth it. The people we have met have been amazing. Hospice isn't all about cancer but the majority of patients happen to be diagnosed with some type of cancer. A cancer diagnosis doesn't only effect the patient but effects the entire family. No matter the type, it is a devastating disease. To see what it can do to a human body is just overwhelming.
Back to my original question of why is it so hard to make a lifestyle change. I've been reading a really good book called AntiCancer A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber MD. Look at the way the American diet has changed over the years and compare that to how much the cancer rate has increased. Look at a food label and see if you can pronounce all the words. Its incredible to see the chemicals we put into our bodies and deny they're going to have some negative effect. I, myself am just as guilty. I'm naive to all the steroids and chemicals given to the cattle that produce our milk. Or the same chemicals that are given to fatten up the beef we eat. What's even more crazy is that the FDA allows it. Have you seen the commercial for high fructose corn syrup? This stuff is in everything!! And it's horrible for you. Read this article about HFCS (click here). Yet they claim in their commercial its ok in moderation. Cmon folks, it's in everything we eat so how can it be in moderation. I just heard a while back that Gatorade finally took HFCS out of they're products, good job!!!
Sugar, sugar, suger!!! We eat a ton of it! A German biologist won the Nobel Prize in medicine for his discovery that the metabolism of malignant tumors is largely dependent on glucose consumption.(Servan-Schreiber pg61). White flour, processed foods, we all are guilty of eating it, yet it's proven that it's not healthy. Yet!!!!! We still fill our faces with it. If your thinking of joining in on the Challenge, then cut out sugar and white flour and see how much weight you lose. And yes that includes all the crap you put in your coffee. Try a flavored green tea with some Agave Nectar as sweetner instead. Speaking of Green Tea, one think I learned is that it should be steeped for 8-10 minutes in order to release the catechins.
Believe me, I am not holier than thou when it comes to dieting. I love my cinnamon dulce latte from Starbucks, but come January 1, it's all tea for me baby.
When it comes down to it, you can't look at dieting as a diet, but should look at it as a lifestyle change. Look around people, look at the foods you eat, look at the ingredients, most of us have a lot of room to change. Come January 1, plan on a healthier 2011. Give it 4 months and see how much better you feel.
This past year we (Alpha Oxy-Med) were blessed to be offered the Hospice contract. It has been a ton of work and a ton of man hours but it is has truly been worth it. The people we have met have been amazing. Hospice isn't all about cancer but the majority of patients happen to be diagnosed with some type of cancer. A cancer diagnosis doesn't only effect the patient but effects the entire family. No matter the type, it is a devastating disease. To see what it can do to a human body is just overwhelming.
Back to my original question of why is it so hard to make a lifestyle change. I've been reading a really good book called AntiCancer A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber MD. Look at the way the American diet has changed over the years and compare that to how much the cancer rate has increased. Look at a food label and see if you can pronounce all the words. Its incredible to see the chemicals we put into our bodies and deny they're going to have some negative effect. I, myself am just as guilty. I'm naive to all the steroids and chemicals given to the cattle that produce our milk. Or the same chemicals that are given to fatten up the beef we eat. What's even more crazy is that the FDA allows it. Have you seen the commercial for high fructose corn syrup? This stuff is in everything!! And it's horrible for you. Read this article about HFCS (click here). Yet they claim in their commercial its ok in moderation. Cmon folks, it's in everything we eat so how can it be in moderation. I just heard a while back that Gatorade finally took HFCS out of they're products, good job!!!
Sugar, sugar, suger!!! We eat a ton of it! A German biologist won the Nobel Prize in medicine for his discovery that the metabolism of malignant tumors is largely dependent on glucose consumption.(Servan-Schreiber pg61). White flour, processed foods, we all are guilty of eating it, yet it's proven that it's not healthy. Yet!!!!! We still fill our faces with it. If your thinking of joining in on the Challenge, then cut out sugar and white flour and see how much weight you lose. And yes that includes all the crap you put in your coffee. Try a flavored green tea with some Agave Nectar as sweetner instead. Speaking of Green Tea, one think I learned is that it should be steeped for 8-10 minutes in order to release the catechins.
Believe me, I am not holier than thou when it comes to dieting. I love my cinnamon dulce latte from Starbucks, but come January 1, it's all tea for me baby.
When it comes down to it, you can't look at dieting as a diet, but should look at it as a lifestyle change. Look around people, look at the foods you eat, look at the ingredients, most of us have a lot of room to change. Come January 1, plan on a healthier 2011. Give it 4 months and see how much better you feel.
Monday, December 27, 2010
New Year is Almost Here
Ok Ok OK!!!! I realize it's been a while since I posted something here. Other than the typical excuse of being super busy, I really have no excuse. I've finally decided to have another weight loss challenge. I'm hoping to have even more doctor's offices involved this year. For those that stay tuned to this blog, I'm gonna have even more give aways throughout the challenge. So for those of you considering the challenge, just sign up and plan on having a good time.
I have yet to weigh myself but I'm thinking I'm around 175 lbs and would like to get to 160 or 165. The only plan I have right now is to cut out white flour (and all products with it), simple sugars (candy, goodies, etc), and even coffee. I'm going to go back to drinking mostly green tea (the flavored ones) with my favorite being the Jasmine sweetened with agave nectar. . I was doing pretty well with this diet before the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays rolled around. Once they arrived, it was pretty much down hill from there.
If your struggling with your weight, join us for the challenge. You've got nothing better to do:)
I have yet to weigh myself but I'm thinking I'm around 175 lbs and would like to get to 160 or 165. The only plan I have right now is to cut out white flour (and all products with it), simple sugars (candy, goodies, etc), and even coffee. I'm going to go back to drinking mostly green tea (the flavored ones) with my favorite being the Jasmine sweetened with agave nectar. . I was doing pretty well with this diet before the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays rolled around. Once they arrived, it was pretty much down hill from there.
If your struggling with your weight, join us for the challenge. You've got nothing better to do:)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Ability to Help Someone
There have been somethings happening lately that have really caused me to take a step back and remember why I started AOM. When I was younger, I spent the majority of my time with my grandparents. I remember my grandmother sitting at the kitchen table going through the bills and worrying either how she was going to afford her medications and/or even going without recommended tests. Being young and naive, I never really made sense or comprehended the struggle.
When my grandparents passed away, first my grandpa and then a few years later my grandmother, I was right there with them. Over the years, I've realized that it's people like my grandparents with whom I really want to make a difference. People on medicare and on a fixed income shouldn't have to struggle in order to maintain a normal quality of life.
Just today, we were able to get one of our patients a portable oxygen concentrator. This allows the patient to go fishing, to go camping, etc, without the stress of taking a bunch of tanks. We made no money on the purchase but the satisfaction of making this guys life just a little better is all worth it.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Good Ol Medicare
2010 has shown to be a pretty good year so far. Not so much financially due to continued medicare cuts as well as most other commercial insurance cuts, but staff and the overall business has been really good. We started the year off with a few new people. One, KH is in accounts receivable and is doing an outstanding job. The other whom I'll refer to as DW is our new customer service/delivery driver. He has totally impressed me. He's a very hard worker who pays great attention to detail. He strives toward the best customer care possible. I couldn't be more happy than with the team we have now.
Medicare has been a challenge to deal with. With the federal government being out of money and trying to rob more from Medicare, they are going through every physician order with a fine tooth comb. One example happened this week. Two years ago we provided a medicare patient with a power chair. This patient is a C4-C5 quadriplegic, meaning he has little or no motor control of any extremeties. Just last week, Medicare contacted our office requesting more documentation to justify a power chair. We sent 24 pages of documentation in hopes that it will be enough to justify giving a man who cannot move his arms or legs, a power chair.
I can understand that Medicare is trying to come down hard on fraud. It needs to be done, but is it too much to ask to use a little common sense. It's sort of like the TSA pulling an 80 year old man aside to be searched before boarding a plane. Cmon, are you kidding me?
It amazes me how irresponsible our government can be. Take the blinders off and address the real problems. Don't change our system of health care, but go after the insurance companies and raise our premiums every year yet pay for less and less.
Medicare has been a challenge to deal with. With the federal government being out of money and trying to rob more from Medicare, they are going through every physician order with a fine tooth comb. One example happened this week. Two years ago we provided a medicare patient with a power chair. This patient is a C4-C5 quadriplegic, meaning he has little or no motor control of any extremeties. Just last week, Medicare contacted our office requesting more documentation to justify a power chair. We sent 24 pages of documentation in hopes that it will be enough to justify giving a man who cannot move his arms or legs, a power chair.
I can understand that Medicare is trying to come down hard on fraud. It needs to be done, but is it too much to ask to use a little common sense. It's sort of like the TSA pulling an 80 year old man aside to be searched before boarding a plane. Cmon, are you kidding me?
It amazes me how irresponsible our government can be. Take the blinders off and address the real problems. Don't change our system of health care, but go after the insurance companies and raise our premiums every year yet pay for less and less.
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