Tag: health

Posted in Uncategorized

MILESTONE: 2 Years!

Posted on by nlchronicles

In the latter half of August 2018, I decided to really work on my health and find more natural approaches to do so. This was after an expert in PCOS basically told me that I could just stay on birth control pills to manage it for the rest of my life! 😱

I came across the keto diet and did that for 3 months. However, since I have slow digestion, the program has WAYYYYY too much meat for me and I never felt hungry. But the keto diet was a great kick start to transition to paleo, which is basically what I still follow. Keto helped me stop a lot of junk cravings but I still wanted to feel better.

I started working with a nutritionist who specializes in PCOS in January 2019. And while working with the nutritionist involved revamping everything I had known in terms of food, what would work for me, motivation and habits, it was sooooo worth it.

When I started mid-August 2018 to make a total change and find something that was a permanent solution, I weighed about 245 pounds. Fairly accurate as I went to a gym and used the scale there. I’ve included a couple of before pics from earlier in 2018.

Summer 2018
April 2018 at a gala

Since that time, I’ve lost 81.8 pounds to date. This is the first time that I’ve ever released weight and actually been able to keep it off!! Ever! And no, I’ve had no surgeries or used any gimmicks. I just had to make real, sustainable changes with the guidance of my nutritionist.

I have improved health in so many ways – better sleep, more energy, less brain fog, better walking ability with osteoarthritis, less PMS, clearer skin, less hirtuism, better digestion, very few junk food cravings, and more confidence because I feel much better! I’m still a work in progress and have more goals that I want to reach but I’ve included recent pics from this month.

Summer 2020
August 2020 birthday celebration

I hope this inspires you to reach your goals! You can do this. And if you veer off track, the next day is a new one; the next meal is another chance to do better. Until next time, 🥂 to your good health!

Posted in Uncategorized

Dehydration Dangers

Posted on by nlchronicles

Sooooo…I live in the southern states of the United States and in the summer, it gets HOT. I mean, hot with humidity that makes you sweat instantly. And while I love hot weather, it can be extreme.

That leads to the downward slope into dehydration. My go to exercise is walking, especially since gyms were closed in my area due to coronavirus and I don’t know that I would go even if they were. I think I’ve been running slightly dehydrated for some time but it was not overwhelming.

Until this past weekend. I had started walking later in the morning. Mistake #1. While I drink a ton of water, I was not adding beverages specifically with electrolytes or foods that would supply these. Mistake #2. I was still wearing exercise pants to walk in because all of my shorts are too big. Mistake #3. And the list goes on…

I began feeling really dizzy Thursday evening to the point that I needed my mom’s help that night. The next morning, I was so weak and dizzy that just walking to the bathroom was taxing. My parents eventually called EMS because getting down the stairs would have been impossible. And the testing at the hospital confirmed moderate dehydration so a drip IV was needed.

Why do I mention all this? Because I don’t want the same thing to happen to anyone else. I am ALLLLL about staying healthy in all weather but be aware of the extremes. I even came across an article today that discusses making better choices when walking in the heat. The link is: https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/6-hot-weather-hacks-to-keep-walking-through-the-summer/?utm_source=mmf&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MMWalk_Newsletter_20200728

Please check out the article and stay healthy everyone. 🥂to your good health. Until next time …

Posted in Uncategorized

Feeling Festive

Posted on by nlchronicles

Today I am celebrating progress! 🥳 so many times, we (and especially me!), focus on how much further we have to go. But I decided that I’m going to start measuring how far I’ve come and making victory laps of baby steps.

Yes, I’m still in physical therapy but I can finally raise my head to a neutral position. Yes, I need to tone up more, but I’m down approximately 104 pounds from my highest weight. Yes, I still rely on a cane when needed, but I don’t need a knee replacement today.

Rejoice in celebrating life!! 🎉🎊🎆

🥂to your good health! Until next time …
Posted in Uncategorized

Grass, trees and trails – oh my!

Posted on by nlchronicles

Allergic to alll greenery outdoors but I love walking and exploring so do it anyway 😂😂

I’m always looking for good walking areas and I found a couple of locations to go to: flatter trail closest to home and a split trail that goes to two parks about 10 minutes away. With the advent of the coronavirus, the walkways been more congested than usual so I try to go at odd times and hotter parts of the day. My joints LOVE heat so this is a win-win.

Community trail that is closest to home. One day I will conquer the entire trail!
Trail leading to Gold Park
Strolling through River Park

Getting outdoors allows for a change of scenery and can produce endorphins to make you feel better. And I love warmer weather so getting in a sweat is a plus! My acupuncturist is all about walking outdoors as nature, especially green and trees, relaxes the body. And with stress levels through the roof, who doesn’t need a way to relax?!

I truly hope this finds you well, safe and healthy. Have you found a place to get away? If so, drop a line below; I’d love to hear from you! 🥂 to your good health.

Posted in Uncategorized

Ergonomically Working from Home

Posted on by nlchronicles

Today’s blog post will be the last installment of working remotely as multiple states seek to re-open soon. I believe that many employees who did not have the opportunity to work remotely prior to coronavirus may be able to moving forward as companies see that employees can be productive and save on overhead while working from home.

One of the aspects of working from home that I did not consider when I began is ensuring that I used ergonomic products. Now, I’m the beginning, my health was not 100% so I worked from the comfort of being in bed …or so I thought. Not using the appropriate office furniture and equipment definitely took a physical toll on me – even to the point of now doing physical therapy for spine and neck. Yikes!

What would I have done differently if I could go back on time? I would have actually used the desk that I had but rarely used. Then maybe I would’ve noticed other products that could help along the way. I’ll share the two that I purchased since beginning physical therapy.

This is my stand to hold my laptop. It ensures that my eyes are actually at the appropriate level so my neck, shoulders and spine can attempt to be in alignment. The stand is adjustable in height as well and can work for either laptops or computer monitors. While this is not an endorsement, I purchased it at Staples before the outbreak of coronavirus.

My desk has a keyboard holder that slides out as well. Purchasing a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse was a game changer. Before I held my shoulders up as I placed my forearms on the desk to type. Wrong, wrong, wrong said my physical therapist. Using the keyboard has decreased neck and shoulder tightness and tension. Again, game changer. This is not a super fancy keyboard. I picked them up at Target immediately after a physical therapy appointment. The combination of both purchases was well under $100 so I consider them great investment tools.

Health is a priceless wealth. Invest while you can.

Bryant McGill

What suggestions might you have regarding ergonomic products? Has anything helped you? We would love to hear your feedback! As always 🥂 to your good health. Until next time …

Posted in Uncategorized

Remote work, part 2

Posted on by nlchronicles

I work remotely 75% of the time so I am sharing tips from my “normal” as so many are adjusting to this current reality.

This week’s advice:

– show your manager that you are working by picking up a side project.

Yes, that may sound odd when you have your regular work responsibilities so let me give you my example. When I am not working from home, I travel a great deal, sometimes every week for months at a time. Since all of my travel has been canceled through at least the end of April, I have much more time to fill during work hours. I decided to work on a procedure manual for my role. The job that I hold never existed before so I know there is nothing written down documenting what I do, how things are accomplished, the appropriate contact people, etc.

Not only does this self-given project fill my work hours, it also demonstrates initiative, being a self-starter, makes a great use of time- and your manager will know that you have been working. You may not travel, but you could use the time typically spent on meetings that are now conducted via email.

I hope this helps. Any other suggestions that may assist others?

Posted in Uncategorized

Working Remotely

Posted on by nlchronicles

I work from home about 75% of the time so I’m sharing tips as a remote employee during coronavirus.

If your job has moved to remote working during this crisis, these tips may help-

  1. Keep a schedule closely aligned with your regular schedule;
  2. Do not work in the bedroom to keep work/life separate;
  3. Find time to exercise – a walk around the block to get fresh air and a change of scenery;
  4. Make time for lunch. Sometimes, I blow right through lunch without realizing it because it’s so easy to do at home;
  5. Keep in touch with others. Working at home can be isolating so I make sure to call, text or video chat with some one during work breaks. And it might brighten their day!
  6. Use your normal commute time to pursue something that you would love to do but usually don’t have time for;
  7. Get dressed. It seems simple but it helps put me in the mindset for work.

I hope this helps! Any other suggestions that may assist others? Add yours as we adjust to this new “normal.” It is a blessing to be able to have to the option to work from when so many in the service and hospitality industries have not been able to. Stay healthy, maintain social distancing and until next time …🥂

Posted in Uncategorized

Slashing the Comfort Zone

Posted on by nlchronicles
Source: Shutterstock

I mentioned a few blog posts back that I was invited to be on a panel at a health conference. So this weekend was the panel! It was held in the Santa Cruz area which was my first visit there. I’d definitely go again when it’s a bit warmer.

While I travel and speak to groups for work, this was WAY out of my personal life comfort zone. I’m typically the one behind the scenes or giving contributions through activities like writing- like this blog. Being part of a group was helpful so that I wasn’t the only person sharing my story. Whew! That could’ve been really stressful and anxiety producing but I just took a deep breath and reminded myself why I was there.

In wanting others to be healthier or work toward optimal health, I have to work on the mental health aspect of myself to do so. I’m probably about half extroverted and half introverted so I need time to myself to recharge. I’m not good at small talk but I have had a lot of practice with my current job so I’ve gotten better. Its just that I want to share my health journey with others so that they can know what is possible through proper testing, supplements, quality food, exercise and just living life.

And I was super excited to meet my nutritionist in person. All meetings are conducted virtually because I’m on the east coast and she’s on the west. That may seem odd but it works really well when I made the commitment to change. So after making the changes and having this yearlong journey to be better, meeting her and her team was rewarding.

Me and Robin, my nutritionist

So I didn’t just step out of my comfort zone, I cut a slash into it! And hopefully, this will continue to prepare me for what’s next in my future. Today’s lesson- it’s okay to move outside of my comfort zone sometimes to experience something new. The feeling of accomplishment afterward is a great boost for mental health, at least for me. And visiting a new place is always good! Share a time when you’ve stepped out of your own comfort zone-maybe leaving a comment can be a first step. 🥂 to your good health. Until next time…

Posted in Uncategorized

Excuse or No Excuse

Posted on by nlchronicles

One of the things that I hear the most is that eating healthy is expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Now, I choose to eat as much organic that I can when purchasing groceries but I’m a singleton and make enough to do so. I’m not bragging; before my current position, I only got organic produce when it was on sale but I still tried to buy healthy food. And you may still think- but healthier food is still more! But is it? Let me explain.

My aunt has really bad acid reflux. I mean, she’s had to go to urgent care several times. And she doesn’t make much money with super crappy insurance. (I could write lots of blogs on how bad insurance is but I digress…) so each urgent care visit has an unexpected associated cost plus time missed from work. This is in addition to the monthly premium that she pays, any meds needed and follow up care. Thankfully after her last visit, she listened to the doc and has not had more crisis events. But these events add up!

She eats healthier and more appropriate foods that avoid illness. She’s also started losing weight as a result. And I totally get that. She’s not allowing excuses to stop her progress. And that’s my goal. I travel all the time for work, my sleep patterns can be all over the place, I don’t always have access to quality food… the list can go on and on. But I decided that I didn’t want to be in pain forever, getting sicker and weaker. And I had to literally write down the excuses that I was telling myself every day and then counter them with true statements. It’s so easy for the mind to resist change, even if it’s positive change, and hang on to hang ups.

So everyday I have to make a choice to be healthier, regardless of the piece of chocolate that I had yesterday or the egg biscuit sandwich I had while at the airport; true from this morning in Atlanta! I will still take my supplements because they help in the long run. I’ll still make sure to get in at least a mile of walking even though I’m on a 5 hour flight; not doing so will leave my joints way too stiff and painful. And I will do what I can to continue to be healthier, without falling back on excuses.

So have you let excuses stop you from moving forward? Have you found a way to mitigate excuses? Share and let’s discuss. 🥂 to your good health. Until next time …

Posted in Uncategorized

Greetings!

Posted on by nlchronicles

I love love LOVE the holiday season! The festivities, the holiday lights and everyone seems a bit kinder. I included Christmas tree pictures from my recent travels- there were even trees at the gym!

Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, enjoy this time of fellowship and gathering. It’s one of the best remedies for the seasonal blues- laughter, hugs and enjoying others’ company.


But this is also a somber time for many and the holidays can be rough. You are loved, you are heard and you are not alone. We need you and the unique gift that you have to offer.

May you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and beautiful holiday!