# 85 - Before and After

As the Chamberlain of the Cupbearers said to Pharoah, "My transgressions do I mention today..."
Well, I guess it's appropriate to mention our transgressions during this High Holy Day season. Everyone is looking back in regret, and looking forward hopefully in hope.
In my past life, I worked late, ate late, sat too much, moved too little, neglected vegetables, loved chocolate. That was long ago, about a year back.Today, B"H, I exercise, I move, I sleep, I dance. I go go go. And I don't go to the fridge for a nosh. I prefer a salad - really.
But they don't let you forget. Those "transgressions" do they mention daily, even those folks that you don't know.
Pina Chama Before-After
For the past eleven years I have volunteered faithfully in the Pina Chama Soldiers' Hospitality Hut in Gush Etzion. There, we treat soldiers to a hot cup of coffee and a fresh piece of cake, just like in a USO. Over the years, I have taken hundreds of pictures at Pina Chama and have posted many on my blog http://voices-magazine.blogspot.com .
A month ago, the Jerusalem Post contacted me to ask if they could use some photos from my blog in an article they were writing about Pina Chama. "Of course," I said. "Please just remember to give me photo credit."
So what photos do they pick?
Photos of our soldiers? Of our flags? Of our many volunteers?
Of Israel's Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on his recent trip there?
Well, without knowing it (because they don't know me), they used a many-year-old photo of my partner and myself. No, not a recent one where I look very put together and trim. They used this old "before" photo. At first, I choked, "Aghregrrr."
Then I thought, the photo is great, because it really portrays the feeling behind Pina Chama, even if I don't look my best. So, I'll swallow my pride and say, "Okidoke." (Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I couldn't get it right side up, so you can't really see it, but you get the idea...)
And .... it gives me an opportunity to run a before and after picture.
So, that's before, and this is after. Hooray.

("After" picture of yours truly with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and Gush Etzion Mayor Davidi Perl, courtesy of Gush Etzion Mayor Davidi Perl's office.)

# 84 - Thank Goodness for Old Clothes

On the eve of the Rosh Hashana holiday, I had a long list of errands to accomplish.
* Buy more chicken.
* Make another side dish.
* Wash the floor.

* Go to the cleaners.
* Etc.
Thank G-d, I got everything done with a few minutes before the holiday to spare. But suddenly, I realized that I forgot to go to the cleaners.
I was looking forward to wearing my pretty pale yellow suit for the holidays.
Oh no, it was in the cleaners.
I was suddenly very depressed. I had plenty to wear, but I wanted something special!! I mean, it is the New Year.
I tried to set a good example for my children, and not dwell on the yellow suit, but it was difficult to get pasty disappointment.
On the first day of Rosh Hashana, I wore a nice black and white skirt with a black blouse. It was fine, but Rosh Hashana is a light bright upbeat day, not a time to wear black.
So on the second morning, after I sent everyone to synagogue, I rumbled through the closets in my house - mine, my daughter's and my sons' - wondering if I had hung up a stray outfit in someone else's closet.
And on my fourth closet - BINGO!!
I stumbled across a lovely pink outfit that my dearest mother (may she live and be well until 120) had bought me.
I loved it, but I had grown out of it years ago. Perhaps I hung on to it in distant hopes that one day I'd fit into it again.
I tried it on. It fit beautifully. Hooray, I felt like I was wearing a brand new outfit. I looked lovely (blush) in my old outfit, and every time I got a compliment, I replied, "Thank you. This outfit is ten years old and I can finally wear it again."
Everyone was happy for me, and I was happy too. (I sent the photo at left to my mother. She was the happiest of all.)
Thank goodness for old clothes. I hope everyone who is trying to live a healthier fitter lifestyle will one day soon fit into her old clothes.

# 83 - Creative Cheating

Our recent class at the Efrat Women's Health Center took an unexpected turn for the hilarious.We were discussing thing that were difficult for us in the food department.
And one of my friends said she can't stop eating ice cream. "Oh no, what will you do?" someone asked. "I already figured it out," she replied. "I am working it into my food chart. I figure that ice cream is worth about two dairy products and three fruits. So it's all okay."
Everyone laughed. And I laughed the loudest because I realized that I had done it too. 
Many months ago I took my grandchildren out for pizza. The pie had just come out of the oven, and the strong smell tortured me (I am not often tempted by different foods, B"H. I am pretty much beyond that right now, and I hope I'll stay that way. But when something is fresh and hot and the aroma is incredible, I'm in trouble.).
I had a slice. But that was okay, because I figured it into my food plan too, as a sandwich with cheese and marinara sauce.
Another woman loves cake, but knows it's unhealthy to eat a big piece of cake. So she cuts it into smaller pieces, and instead of eating the entire chunk, she eats little pieces, and that seems to be better.
Creative cheating seems to have become an art in my group at the Efrat Women's Health Center. Someone even figured out how to put a glass of wine on her food chart.
Whenever I think of food dieting, I always remember the Bill Cosby stand-up routine in which he makes his children a healthy breakfast - chocolate cake. It has eggs and milk and whatever. Anyway, it will always be the funniest "healthy" routine I've ever heard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRmN4KnfPxQ.

# 82 - Try Harder

When you're exercising and eating right for a year, and folks are telling you that you look lovely, you might feel a little over confident. "I do enough to be healthy." "I try hard enough."
But last night at the Efrat Women's Health Center, exercise instructor Lainie Richler told us it's time to try harder. "If your exercise comfort level is at a 6, it's time to push more and try harder. Push yourself to an 8."
Now, you tell me, who wants to push to an 8? Who wants to pant from exertion or work so hard that you can't talk? Well, not me.
But you know what? I want to be healthy, and healthier. So, I'm willing to try.
After Lainie's try-harder speech, I did pick it up. I raised my knees higher. I jumped a little higher. I raised my hands a little faster. I started flinging beads of sweat around the room. That kind of made me feel happy, although whoever received a little bead was probably not so thrilled.
It's hard to bring up the exercise level when you're alone, but I am determined to listen to Lainie. I'll try to walk faster on the treadmill, and put more sincere energy into my Zumba classes and our exercise sessions.
I'll keep you posted.

Photo by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

# 81 - Breaking Down Barriers

We all have barriers to being healthy and losing weight. A barrier is a kind of wall that seems to stand in the way of our good health goal.

My biggest barrier is eating late at night.
It used to be worse. I used to stay up until 1, 2 or 3 AM every night working. Now I do my best to go to sleep in the 12s. But that's still pretty late, and by 10:30 PM, I usually head to the kitchen for a snack.
Worse than that, when I come home from rehearsal for one of my theater productions (I'm on stage very soon in Esther and the Secrets in the King's Court), I am starving. It could be 10 PM, but I get the just-practiced-all-night-hungries.
To make matters worse, usually I walk through the door and my husband and/or daughter are also in the kitchen - chatting, munching, warming up some yummy food.
So, who wouldn't want to join in the fun together time?
I discussed this barrier last week at the Efrat Women's Health Center, and from my description, our nutritionist Judy Kizer charted out my barrier and how to overcome it. [That's the diagram above left. Sorry that it's on its side. It won't straighten out....Strange.]
Try to follow on the chart above.
* My goal is NOT to eat late at night. Why do I do it? Social pressure (everyone is sitting and shmoozing and noshing together), or I am famished after a good work out, or I'm working late and that makes me hungry.
Here are some solutions that Judy and social worker Alizah Shapiro helped me come up with.
* Don't miss socializing with the family, but CHANGE the location. "Tell everyone, let's sit in the living room", or "The weather is so beautiful, let's sit on the porch." That will get me out of the kitchen.
* If you can't change location, then I have to keep my hands busy. Sitting at the table for a long time makes it very easy to keep reaching for nuts or pretzels or any other food. So, Judy and Alizah suggested that I keep my hands busy - do my nails, write a shopping list, even doodle. I have to reach for a pen, not a piece of pizza.
* I'm up late and I'm hungry. Am I really hungry? Many times when people start yawning and feel the "tired-s" overcoming them, it's a drink of water they need, not a meal. So, next time it's late and I feel hungry, I'm going to get a drink before I reach for a plate.
It won't be easy for me. That's why it's a barrier. :), but I'm going to try to cut out night eating. I'll let you know how it goes.

# 80 - Facebook Advice

I posted my previous blog, #79 - Taking the Vegetable Challenge - to my Facebook page. I told my Facebook Friends the truth. I am vegetable-y challenged, and as I seek a healthier lifestyle, I need help in coming up with ideas to incorporate more vegetables into my life.
Their help was almost instantaneous - sending me everything from advice to recipes to articles that might guide me along.
Judy Simon wrote the praises of Kohlrabi. "It has that crunch of water chestnuts when eaten raw, and a very potatoey feel when cooked. Also, I have a recipe for kohlrabi kugel which tastes exactly like cauliflower kugel, but it's much cheaper and no bug issues."
And she sent me a recipe:
Judy's Kohlrabi and CarrotsPeel 1 large kohlrabi, and slice and slice it into sticks. Peel 4 carrots and slice into sticks. Toss veggies with 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tsps salt and 1/2 tsp basil. Let sit in fridge 1/2 an hour before crunching away. Keeps in fridge for a day or 2. Also, I add a small kholrabi, chopped into cubes, into a regular salad. It adds a great crunch!
Nina Sapir suggested that http://www.facebook.com/ohsheglowsblog has tons of recipes.
Miriam Goodman sent me a recipe for eggplant from her Miriam's Kitchen blog - http://miriamsrecipes.blogspot.co.il/2012/04/eggplant-eggplant-eggplant.html. She said that eggplant is fun. I've never heard it described quite like that.
Yocheved Golani shared a guest column that she wrote about Healthy Comfort Foods - http://nonrecipe.blogspot.co.il/2012/07/healthy-comfort-foods.html
Rochie Hurwitz suggested making some basic salad ingredients, bagging them, and keeping them in the fridge to take out whenever the salad mood struck. Then I wouldn't have to peel, chop and shred all the time.
I received more responses and ideas. I thank everyone for helping me include more veggies in my day. You're not just good Facebook Friends, you're good friends, because you're helping me along my journey to good health.
Graci.

# 79 - Taking the Vegetable Challenge

I know I am vegetable-y challenged. I know it. If you've read my Aim Well Blog # 76, you know it. And from our round table discussions, all the women of the Efrat Women's Health Center know it. 
I have made many positive changes on my road to better health, but the most difficult one is eating more vegetables.
I try to have a giant salad most every day. I've given up Shabbat potato kugel - replacing it with different baked vegetables. But that's just too little. My nutritionist Judy Kizer would really like me to eat about seven servings of vegetables every day. SEVEN?? 
I've finally gotten up to about seven fruits a day, which is TOO MUCH. I know. But I'm eating fruit instead of cake, instead of cookies, instead of something less healthy.
When I eat a fruit, I feel sweet, tingly, happy...fruity. When I eat a vegetable, I feel a bit green and sometimes mushy. Not amazing, like that fruity-feel.
But Judy wants me to switch some of the fruit for some vegetables.
Okay!
So, this week at the Women's Health Center, I decided to take THE VEGETABLE CHALLENGE.
BTW, I'm the only one participating (unless YOU join me :) ).
Judy and our Social Worker Alizah Shapiro had asked us to write down our goals for the next three months, and then share them with the gang.
I wrote - Eat more vegetables instead of other things.
Then we had to break down our plan. 
I wrote: 
* Prepare veggies in the morning (in plastic bags or containers). Truthfully, this is a task that I hate. I'm not the domestic type and I can't see wasting a half hour of my time, but then again... I want to be healthy, so I'll try.
* Ask husband to make salad if I have no time :) (well, why not? he's great in the kitchen!) My husband has been humongously helpful throughout my journey to good health, and he's always willing to pitch in to help me, so, I guess this one will be easy. 
* Buy more different kinds of vegetables so it's more interesting. Some folks like to make the same dinner every night to simplify things. I usually do too, but I'm not such a vegetable-o-phile. If I can try all kinds of great vegetables, perhaps I'll find some winners and build up a nice vegetable repertoire. (BTW, if you've got any suggestions, please send them to me.)
* Try to rotate vegetables (tonight string beans, tomorrow baked potato, the next day asparagus). 
* Bake veggies at the beginning of the week, so they're on hand at home.
* Buy extra vegetables on shopping trips.
So, I woke up on my first day of my Vegetable Challenge. I wanted to take my sweet daughter and granddaughters to the museum. I was running around the house like a whirling dervish, and I remembered the vegetables. I called upstairs to my daughter, "Would you mind peeling carrots for me?" Well, she did it happily. We put them in a bag and took them along for everyone to share.
Then I had my customary salad for lunch. And when I got home for dinner, I took out all the leftover vegetable side dishes that were in the fridge, heated them all up, and ate Chinese vegetables, sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower. Yum. I was going to put a protein in there, but it was such an interesting vegetable medley, I couldn't think of any protein that would fit. So, I ate my veggies, cleared my plate and am at my desk chatting with you.
Tomorrow, IY"H, I'll try to start the day cutting vegetables again. This time, I think I'll add in some cucumbers and celery. How's that for variety? Well, it's only the beginning.