Health Forum Day

It's Saturday October 19th and you know what that means. Health Forum Day! I love this day. I look forward to it every year. I change my work schedule for it. I plan for it a year in advance. The Cancer Connection of Juneau has put on two health forums a year for as long as I've known about it (5 years and I don't know how long they've actually done it) In April they do a Men's Health Forum that I've been trying to convince my husband to go to for years. In October they do a Women's Health Forum that I've attended a few times.

I love love LOVE the women's health forum. Even if the topic isn't something you originally think will interest you, you always walk away with great things and vast amounts of awesome relevant information that you use over the next year to improve your health and those of others. Even if the topic isn't something you want, you go for the booths. Over a dozen booths are set up by different companies around Juneau from fitness places, to wellness places. Chiropractors, Public Health, Yoga Studios, Massage Offices, Community Health Groups. There is something for everyone. I love the booths. I always leave with a bag full of goodies and a pile of information that I spend the next year and years after, sharing with my friends and family and well basically anyone who'll listen to me. I always learn valuable things at those booths. Things that I take when me and retain for years. Like adding different vitamins into my diet and why. I make contacts that I keep for years at those booths and I find out about great community resources.

Last fall my husband decided that he would be interested in attending the Men's Health Forum this year and I looked about for information on the date and topic up the forum. No matter where I looked, I couldn't find any information. I finally talked to someone from cancer connection who told me they were combining the two forums into one community health forum this year in hopes of getting a better attendance. I was surprised by this news. The women's health forum was always backed with every chair full and every meal taken (they always provide a free healthy lunch). The hallways and entrance way was always packed and you usually had to stand in line for some of the better booths. Like the one last year that did a complete body assessment for free. They even gave you a print out that told you about your body fat percentage and your hydration level. It was awesome. But I had heard before that the men's health forum just doesn't get as good attendance so on one level I could understand why they would combine them. So, no problem, my husband was perfectly happy at the thought of joining me for the health forum come October.

We put the date in both our schedules and went about recruiting friends to join us. I was so excited. I would be going with a group of like minded people who wanted to learn more about health. We changed work schedules around and worked family events around the upcoming health forum. We even got a couple family members excited to join us. I talked about my plans to have a booth at the one in 2014 representing my health coaching business that I'll have by then. I added it to my goals and started putting together a support group who would assist me with it in 2014.

As the date got nearer I started really looking for information. What was this year's topic? Were their going to be new booths this year and by who. Who was the speaker this year? Every year they bring up someone from down south and you can google them and find out more about them, their knowledge and their history. I was finally able to track down the topic. "The Importance of Cancer Screening: Why you should get tested and when" Ooook. Well that wasn't something I was interested in. I'm 30. But hey they always have good information you take away and maybe a future client could use something I'll learn there. So the health forum was still on.

Knowing how I felt about the topic I figured other people my age will feel the same way. So as I spread the message about the upcoming event I made sure to remind people to go anyways. They would get something helpful in the lecture but they should really go for the booths. They would get a lot of great information from the booths and then stay for the lecture and get a free healthy lunch. That is what really got the guys. They would sit with the other guys and get a free meal and maybe pick up some good information along the way.

This year I gave up my dream of going to the Alaska Day Festival in Sitka with my drumming group. My husband also almost gave up an opportunity to drive a really cool vehicle he got special training for from the military in the Alaska Day Parade. It was a big deal for him to give up going to the health forum to volunteer to do that with the National Guard. But we decided it would be better for him to do that and come to the health forum with my next year. I would take a ton of notes and share it with him when he got back. Then the government shutdown happened and they cancelled the Sitka trip. He was once again excited to be joining me at the health forum.This was a pretty big deal. My husband never wants to join me in my pursuit of health knowledge, he supports it but he doesn't want to sit on his butt during a lecture that will probably bore him.

Today dawned dark and dreary. We heard the rain pouring down before we even got out of bed. One person cancelled joining us. But that wouldn't stop our joy. We got up and got dressed. Eating a light breakfast. We packed our water bottles and I reorganized my purse to make sure I would have pens and a notebook to take the tons of notes I was sure I would be taking. A couple plans changed and we picked up my younger brother on the drive downtown. There was excitement on the car ride and not just for the game the guys were talking about during the drive.

We pulled up at Centennial Hall and looked around confused. There weren't many cars there. They had changed the time of the forum this year. Instead of 10-3 it was 11:30-2. I thought that was really odd. In the past I would get there at 10 and still barely have time to get through all the booths I wanted to and get a set before the lecture started. I always end up sitting in the back. It's not like I ask a lot of questions or talk to them a lot. I just like to see all the information that is presented. So I was worried about only getting to check out a few booths this year before the lecture. I was also curious why there were two key note speakers instead of one and both of them were local doctors not some specialist from down south.

We crawled out of the car and headed into the building. We opened the doors and I stopped to look around. Usually you can hear the roar of the crowd before you open the doors but there was a mere quiet murmuring coming from the distance. The entrance way was empty of booths. OK. Maybe they had less booths this year because the topic would have a smaller turn out AND they didn't have as much time. We wondered on, my notebook clutched to my chest, my cheeks pink with excitement. I couldn't wait to greet old friends and make new friends and see what this year's venue was.

We walked into the main entrance room and looked around puzzled. I understood why the  majority of the crowd was of an older generation. The topic would appeal to them and a number of them were into health and nutrition. What I didn't understand was why there were so few people and why there was only the one table by the doors to the lecture hall. The table belonged to cancer connection and they just had a few things on it. A donation box, a couple brochures and the pamphlet that said what was being served for lunch.

We strolled to a corner of the room and looked around disappointed. They guys immediately told me they were ready to go. They had mostly come for the booths and the free lunch and without the booths, the lunch just wasn't much of a draw since the topic wasn't one that interested us much.  Part of me wanted to stay. Surely there would be something good to know from the lectures. But most of me was confused where were all the booths? Where was everyone? I waited for a break in the almost non existent crowd and went over to the table to ask the people manning it about things.

They polity informed me that since a lot of those booths were represented at the city health thing that goes on (what city health thing?) and a lot of the same people attend that and get free health screenings (free health screenings? thats the thing that is mostly put on by the hospital. I went to it once, there was no free health screenings. Every itty bitty thing costs money. Anywhere from $10 to $170. I didn't get anything valuable out of that thing and I've never gone back. I've also never heard anything positive from anyone about the event) Also the space they use for the events costs money and since they're depended on things like donations they want to spend that money on other things like the apartment. This last bit about the apartment was rather pointedly and defensively said to me.

Now I understand that they're a not for profit and that funds are small because of the recession and all. And Cancer Connection does a lot of other good things. The apartment thing mentioned is this apartment they rent in Seattle for people and their families when they're going through Cancer treatment. It costs so much money to fly people out of Juneau down to Seattle and make them stay there for so long to get treatment. It's great that Cancer Connection has that apartment there for them that helps lesson the cost and stress of the families going through that horrible thing. That is a great great thing that they do. But no men's health forum, no booths full of information, no out of town great speaker and not even a topic that is going to appeal to a lot of people. Oh and no mention anywhere that for format was going to be different then how they've done it in the past. I was, am still so increadibly dissapointed.

I feel like I wasted my time and the time of others. I also feel like a fraud. I told people to go to the event even though they might not be interested in the topic. Go, I said, Go and meet the people at the booths and listen to the lecture. You'll get something good out of it, I promise. That's right, I promised people. I don't make promises unless I keep them. I believe that promises should only be made if you will keep them no matter what. Except if you die.

So I'm terribly disappointed and I'm not ashamed to say that I left. Why would I stay? Because I might, just might get some kind of information that I'll appreciate in the future, or that someone else will. Well blah. I'm going home, I'm venting online and I'm taking this thing out of next year's schedule. If the topic looks good, I'll go. I might even suffer through the stupid non-city city health thingy. Maybe.

Dietbet

I've never done a diet bet before. I only recently heard about them from one of the people I follow on facebook who've lost a lot of weight. Now another person I follow on facebook who's lost over 200 pounds is starting a diet bet. So I joined. Me and my impulses. Well maybe it'll help motivate me to do it. Anyone feel like joining me? Heres the link to the facebook of the person who set it up. It's open to anyone to sign up.

From Fat to Fit Chick

Countdown to Skinny Jeans

So Sparkpeople.com is doing this 30 days to skinny jeans challenge thing. So far its kind of cool but Oh-My-God it isn't exactly easy. Not for me anyways. I know after a month of doing these daily tasks I'm not going to be able to fit into my "skinny jeans" but then, my skinny jeans are from being 90 pounds less then I am right now. But maybe I'll have actually committed to something for a while week and I'll be able to fill good about that. As well as having tried some new exercises and I'll have lost some weight or started using muscles I didn't know I had.

Take today for instance. So every hour I try to get my butt up out of my chair for at least a minute. I walk down the hall, walk around my office or go down and back up a flight of stairs. So today since day one of the challenge is these four exercises you do for a minute each. I added one exercise to each stair set. So at 9am I walked down the stairs and back up and then did the exercise. OK that wasn't easy but it wasn't so hard. Then at 11a I did my stairs again (now my body is starting to whisper at me about how lazy I've been and how out of shape I am) and then went to do the second exercise. Ow. My inability to do the exercise was laughable. But I still tried and I did it to the best of my ability. I want to be able to keep this up.

I have huge dreams. But this month I'm just taking it one nice comfortable step at a time.

Come join me on the skinny jeans challenge on sparkpeople. Its bound to be fun.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/skinnyjeans

Today is Day 2 but I'm doing day 1's stuff as well as day 2 so I can catch up. Becides, I need the extra exercise. So yeah, here is the day one exercise and phoooy I could barely get my butt off the ground on the second exercise.

Exercise Junkie

I am an exercise junkie. I blame it on my mother. I recently found out that my mom exercised every single day she was pregnant with me. Every Single Day. I think that does something to a kid. Seriously, getting introduced to endorphins that early on. THAT is how you get kids addicted to the good kinds of drugs.

Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, she actually encouraged me to play outside and use my imagination when I was a child! ~gasp~ Outside?!? Playing in the sun, rain and snow. Burning energy and increasing my mental capacities all at the same time. Why, oh why would someone want to encourage me to exercise and make friends? To breath fresh air and observe the wonderment that is the natural world around us? Mom, what were you  thinking? How dare you encourage and teach me to grow up strong and healthy. Oh horror.

On a side note: What if more parents these days encouraged that? Would we be in this obesity epidemic? I know there are a lot of things that factor into where we are as a nation these days, but I strongly believe that healthy habits (like exercise) creates healthier brains which of course helps us make better decisions. So if we could make better choices and teach our young to make better choices, then perhaps we as a society would make better choices?

I am happiest when I'm out in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by nature and my dogs. Endorphins cruising through my body and giving me a high you can't get anywhere else. Where is your happiest place on earth?

Incredible me

Today is the first day of my classes through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. As I was reading through my materials, watching videos and listening to lectures I found myself overwhelmed with excitement for this upcoming year and the possibilities this training opens up for me. I quickly opened another tab and posted on Facebook about what I was doing. After I pressed "post" I had a sudden sense of dread. A worry about what other people will think when they read my post.

I've always been a very active person. Yoga, bellydancing, horseback riding, hiking, mixed martial arts, karate, modern dance, drama, running, cross country, soccer, basketball, volleyball, backpacking. I love being outside and active. But I've also always loved food and I'm an emotional eater. So despite my high level of activity I've always been heavy. None of that compares to the weight I gained a couple years back and have horribly maintained. With the added weight came a extreme lowering of self confidence. So despite my passion for exercise, health and nutrition. I always feel like such a fraud talking to people about it. I mean surly they're listening to me and then looking at me and thinking "yeah right, like you know anything. If you know so much how come you're such a fat ugly cow?"

So that is what popped into my head the second I posted my plans to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach and better my own health and those of the people around me. "Oh dear God what have I done?!?" The panic set in. So I got up and walked away from the computer. I've been listening to these pre-classes for school and I was choosing to ignore that negative voice that says I can't do something. Haven't people since I was a child told me how stubborn I used to be? How I refused to accept limitations and therefore blew threw the pre conceived limits proving that nothing is impossible. That's right! Just because I look one way on the out side right now doesn't mean that is how I am inside!

That burst of self-confidence didn't last very long. I found myself back at the computer ready to delete my post. But in that little time things had changed. Already numerous friends had liked the post and many people had posted positive uplifting comments. Holy crap! Dose that mean people don't look at me and think all the negative things I always assume they think about me? Mind blowing!

So my thought for the moment. Don't always assume the worse. All you do is convince yourself of limitations that don't really exist. Whats the worse thing that could happen? Can you accept that? Is it something you can live with? Whats the best thing that could happen? How does that make you feel? Then freaking go for it!

Yeah, that's right. I'm going for it. I refuse to accept no for an answer. This is my life and I'm tried of living it a certain way out of fear for what others think. From the sticker on my lap top from college: Those who are different, change the world. Those who are the same, keep it that way.

Be different. Change the world. One person at a time and watch the world ripple.

Being positive

Was it the12 hours of sleep I got? Maybe the days of sunlight that we've had lately. Or possibly the exercise I got yesterday? Maybe the fact that I stayed within my calorie limit yesterday and didn't feel hungry or starved or even had to try hard to do so. Honestly, I don't really know why I feel like this but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. I feel awesome! Great! Fantastic! Amazing, positive, enthusiastic and just plan good. I feel wonderful today. I don't have that over the top feeling of fantasticness, like nothing can go wrong. I just feel really good. I know things aren't perfect, but that's ok. I'm about to take my break and go walk the track at work for 15 minutes. Which is known to be painful for me. But within 15-30 minutes afterwards, I feel fine, good, great. And one day, one day I won't even be in pain or tired after a 15 minute walk. One day it'll be like nothing. It'll be the short walk that it is and I'll be wishing I could do more.

I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. But I'm not going to live here forever. I'm tired of taking it for granted. This summer, this next year. I'm going to start getting out there and enjoying what this place has to offer. I'm going to stop taking it for granted and ignoring it because I've seen it every day for the last 20 years. I'm going to go out and enjoy it, relish in it. I'm going to really take a look at the beauty of the world around me.

Stupid Stairs

I've been having a good morning. Despite my youngest becoming rather stuck to my side since my husband boarded the plane this morning for another week long drill. My youngest will be 2 in May. Hes the cutest little fuzz ball that you've ever seen. He's a dog by the way. He was being so spastic and needy this morning I decided to take him to work with my when I finally headed out the door at noon. The weather has been rather erratic lately but I figured with his thick almost husky coat, he should be fine. Plus this way he gets a short walk during the middle of the day!

So I'm feeling pretty good. I took my husband to the airport early this morning. Came home and re-familiarized myself with where the swords and guns are in the house, you know, safety first :) Got dressed, made the good chai tea with lots of sugar, extra strong and some french vanilla creamer. It's awesome. I got to talk to my husband on the drive to work. I found out that my nature's box that I paid for on the 1st and they finally shipped on the 8th is FINALLY in town. So it should be dropped off either today or tomorrow. It sucks that it takes almost a month after ordering to get to Juneau. Every time so far it gets as far as Federal Way Washington and then sits there for a week or two before it leaves for Alaska. Stupid USPS.

So I park all the way across the parking lot. Not that its a very big parking lot and not just because little Ares will guard my car against anyone who gets near it but also for the little bit of extra walk that I could get in. I'm feeling on a health kick today. I'm going to get exercise and feel good about it. I'm getting rid of this extra weight! So in the spirited frame of mind I'm in I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Its not like it's a lot of extra work but I'm not carrying my lap top and all that extra weight in my bag today and I was feeling spunky so up the 3 flights of stairs I went.

It's been a half hour and I'm only now feeling like I can settle down and really get back to work. I always get a little winded going up the stairs. My legs ache and I feel out of breath but today with my heart pounding and I felt to hot and a little sweaty after I sat down at my desk. Lame, super lame. Now, no matter how I feel that day I'm going to walk up those stupid stairs. Everywhere I go, I'm taking the stupid stairs. Until I nolonger feel winded just from walking up the stupid stairs. Stupid stairs.