Step #2: My Health Covenant

My Daniel Plan Health Covenant
I make this committment to myself, my group, and God:

• I will complete the Daniel Plan small group study
• I will join a group for support in my health goals
• I will go to http://www.danielplan.com/ for the next 52 weeks and follow advice given each week.
• I will be part of the Daniel Plan medical study by anonymously submitting my basic health measures throughout the year.

Crystal Hansen 1/16/2011

One Page Miracle

"I do not run without a goal."(1 COr. 9:26)

Pg3 of the Daniel Plan workbook is a section called the one page miracle. I have recorded the answers to my one page miracle here.

The only rule: All answers must be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

My One Page Miracle

What do I want? What am I doing to make it happen?

RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: At the end of these 52 weeks I would like to have a more passionate relationship with my husband. I want to discover activities that we both like to do together and I wan to do them. I want to try to learn one couples stylised dance together: salsa dancing, swing dancing or country would all be neat. I also want to learn one new sport with him... rock climbing, tennis, mountian bike or hike with him in beautiful places. I want to do at least one adventureous activity with him a month. (Trapeeze school would be awesome!)

Children: I want to be more active with my children and have shared activities that dont involve a screen. I want to pass a legacy of activity to them and I want to play together as a family. I want ot have discovered 10 new sports with my family by the end of the year.

Friends: I want to have quarterly get togethers with my friends that dont revolve around food. I want to plan 2 group beach camping tripswhere we hike, bike ride and swim and one mountain trip where we hike and rock climb.

Work

I want to create a career that I love. I want to work with children and excercise my creativity daily with a career that is flexible and accommodates my family while serving Christ.

Finances

Short Term: I want to rehabilitate my school loan so that I can go back to school and finish my degree.

Long Term: I want to be debt free and committed to the 80, 10, 10 principle by the end of this year.

Health

Physical health: I will lose 50lbs by December. Thats 4.16 lbs a month. 1.04 lbs a week. I will also train for and complete the Big ROck sprint triathlon in april.

Emotional Health: I will comitt to journaling and taking reglar time out for myself to encourage greater balance in my life. I will also take a womans retreat and seek couseling for issues that may be holding me back in life. By the end of this month I will take an assessment of my life balance and create a schedule that makes balance and margin a priority.

Spirituality

Connection with God: I want to spend daily quiet time reading the word. Placing God as my first priority. I will guard my mind and soul by being not watching r rated television and movies and listening to music that encourages my spirit towards healthy thoughts that honor God.

My lifes meaning and purpose: I will attend a peace mission trip information night and go on at least one peace trip out of the country. I will also develop my ministry to military families and have my 1st military outreach by august of this year. I will continue to make 2 new contacts a month in the area of military families. I will take at least one risk a month that scares the pants off me.

My passions:

Daily I will make sure that I pursue something that makes a difference for the Kingdom of God. I will create and find beauty in life.

Step 1: My motivation....

My Grandma Grace is my motivation. She was an amazing woman, incredible Christian and there isnt a day that passes that I dont miss her terribly. She died suddenly on March 19th, 2003 from an aneurysm caused by untreated hypertension and diabetes. Diabetes is a killer that takes too many too soon in my family and it breaks my heart to hear that type 2 diabetes- as nasty of a disease that it is, is entirely avoidable.

Three generations in my family have died early deaths because of this disease. Our German bred addiction to carbohydrate saturated sweets, cakes, candies and breads has left its mark on many, many generations. I see its affects slowly taking ahold of my mother too and although she isnt diagnosed I know, if her habits go unchecked, she too will eventually die from the disease too.

I dont want to die young because I refuse to eat healthily. All it would take to not have to deal with high blood pressure, needless amputations and funerals for people who are too young to earn social security are simple life style changes and I am committing to make them NOW. I commit to, Lord willing, live to see my grand children and great grand children. As much as I have to do with it, I chose today to be the day that I begin to live with self control, a life that honors God.

A re-education: The slow carb diet

After listening to all the doctors speak last Saturday I've been looking for ways to put their advice into practice. Since the online portion of the Daniel Plan doesn't say much in the way of how one should eat I decided to do a bit of research myself and discovered the slow carb diet.

In effect, its a diet that limits high glycemic (read sugary or sweet) foods (actually it forbids them) and encourages lean protein and veggies. If I am recalling correctly, this is exactly the kind of diet that Dr Hyman and Dr Amen were talking about: no sugar, no white starches and refined foods.

I looked around online and found that one of my most favorite authors (Timothy Ferris- author of the 4 hr work week and 4 hr body) actually lives his life this way and maintains 6% body fat, not to mention his rather extreme lifestyle. While Im not looking for 6% (in fact that's not even healthy or suggested for a woman) I would definitely like to lower it from the percentage that I am undoubtedly carrying. (I have a friend who has a bodyfat calculator- I'll use it this week and record the numbers.... look at me using the 3rd principal of real change: evaluation. lol)

What I like most about his method is the super simplified meal guidelines. Although they do lack a bit on the imagination. Actually, that's not the whole truth. Although I like the simplicity- what I like the most is the cheat day. Sunday will be cheat day for me! And then I dont have to worry about not eating doughnuts with my girls in the morning or having to skip my honeys amazing lasagna at night! Also this Sunday funday mentality will allow me to stick to the plan all the other days of the week!

One commenter on Tim's blog described what I could expect on the slow carb diet- esp at the beginning and I am appreciative at the realistic look. I've highlighted the parts Ive found to be the most informative. Here's a quote:

"Frank, this diet is very healthy. It contains lots of vegetables, healthy, lean proteins, and refined starches/sugars are almost nonexistent. Everyone can benefit from a diet like this. Eating this way will even out bloodsugar, provide lots of phytonutrients, is high fiber, and offers quite a few essential fatty acids.

I personally would consider this a method of eating that is sustainable for the rest of your life (which will also probably be a considerably longer life eating this way).

That being said, if you are suffering from type 2 diabetes or are borderline, you may want to restrict all carbs for a few weeks/months and then gradually move to this type of diet.

Also, someone who is extremely overweight/highly metabolically resistant might still not lose weight on a high-protein/moderate fat/slow carb diet. The reason being that protein can be converted to glucose (from what I understand). Fat however, cannot. Your body can burn fat directly. This is why some diets (like atkins) stress lots of fat in the beginning. You don’t want to be eating lots of lard, though. :) When your body no longer has any glucose left (this can take from two to six days because your muscles store a form of sugar for energy called glycogen), it will switch to fat burning mode full time. This may very likely be unpleasant at first, but you get used to it, and its temporary to fix your body’s insulin resistance. Contrary to some folks’ opinion (probably all carb addicts by the way), this state (ketosis) is not dangerous to a healthy individual. They mix up ketosis with a dangerous state caused by kidney failure called ketoacidosis. Not the same thing. Also, there has been no record of a low carb, high protein diet causing kidney failure in a previously healthy individual, ever.

Bottom line, if you are only moderately overweight (i.e. not morbidly obese), then this diet should work great for you, in combination with regular strength training and aerobic exercise. If you are morbidly obese, then I’d suggest looking at a diet like this as your long term goal. In my opinion, you want to start out much more restrictive on the carbs, eat lots of healthy fats and protein, and work your way up to this type of eating as your long term maintenance/lifestyle plan.

For more information, pick up Dr. Atkins’ book. I highly recommend it. Most folks seems to miss Dr. Atkins’ point that you want to start out with a highly restrictive diet and move to include slow carbs in phases. The highly restrictive diet helps to eliminate your sugar/carb cravings and increase insulin sensitivity. It kind of tears you down and builds you back up in a healthy way. By the end of the diet, you’ll be eating lots of berries, nuts, beans, and other healthy carbs, once you are moving towards life-time maintenance mode. It also stresses whole foods and lots of vegetables.

I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, just someone who has had a weight problem their whole life, done a lot of research, and who is trying to be as healthy as possible."

I will start the slow carb meal plan tomorrow and let you know how it is going. For now, Im off to figure out my measurements for week one's log in.

Mindshift.... true beauty

As I honestly look at my motivation towards getting healthier I cant deny all the unhealthy thoughts and mindsets that infiltrate my most earnest attempts at worshipping the Lord with my body. I have been wrestling with feelings inadequacy and body image my whole life. Thinking of the image of my "goal body" in my mind and if Im being honest I have a hard time separating the medias image of beauty from what I know God has planned for me. I found a song with these lyrics and it touches me so deeply that I almost cried when I heard it. I am certain I am not alone in this feeling.

More beautiful you by Johnny Diaz.

And I hope this video by Dove called Evolution might help to adjust the lies you have held as a standard of beauty for so long. Bye bye magazine clippings on the fridge. Im replacing you with Proverbs 31!

What it takes....

...to really change is the part three of Pastor Ricks "New You for a new decade" sermon series. It is also the message for week one of the Daniel plan. (My week one at least) I enjoyed the message and found a few insights along the way. Even though you can watch the series live online as well as get the notes for yourself, I thought I would touch on the highlights for my own sake and to be able to have a record to go back to during the week- for meditation and inspiration. Please not that the "my application" portions of the message are my two cents about how I see the rubber really meeting the road in my life.

What it takes to really change... Romans 12:1-12
1. Dedication to commit my body to God.
Physiology affects your psychology and if you want to create a lasting change it must start with the physical. If you want to pay attention in class, sit up straight. If you want to get healthier, get moving.

FIRST LAW OF CHANGE: Change is always my choice. No one can do it for you and with the right motive (to worship God) it can be an act of worship to Cleanse your body (detox), Care for it, and to control it.

My application: Often, I believe we make life more difficult than it needs to be by thinking we must have the right workout equipment, clothes, gym membership or fully stocked pantry. Life isn't perfect. I wont always have everything I need... If I wait until I do- I'll never get started. If I want the Daniel plan to take root in my life permanently I must GET OFF MY BUTT AND DO SOMETHING. Its that simple. Move more. Play more. Eat less crap. It really is that easy.


2. Concentration: Refocus my mind
Refocus on Gods goals for you and the positive. Metamorphosys (complete transformation) involves a putting off of the old and a putting on of the new. (Attitudes, habits & Actions)

SECOND LAW OF CHANGE: To change my life I must change my model.

My application: True change begins with an examination of my motives. So often I have gone on diets to mold my body into what I think the world says is attractive. I cut out pictures of "the perfect abs" or that adorable victoria's secret model. Every time I have tried with this mindset I lose motivation to continue. I'll never be Kate Moss. I don't even want to be but I can be the best me God has created me to be and if that means I will be more effective for him, then I want it. I want it badly! As I study the word this week I will look at how God sees me and begin to align my theology of myself with that picture. I want to be God's butterfly and at the end of these 52 weeks I know I will be an entirely different person from where i am at now: mind, body and spirit.

3.Evaluation: Humbly assess my current state
By taking an honest look at where you are you can establish an origin point for yourself and from THERE you can then begin to create a road map to where you want to be. If you never realistic look at where you are starting you'll never even begin to be able to plan for where you want to be.

THIRD LAW OF CHANGE: I can manage only what I measure.

My Application: This blog will be an honest record of my 52 week journey. The before pictures and progress pictures are going to be blatantly honest. The numbers 100% real. I will avoid the temptation to make myself seem more perfect by omitting the failures and setbacks that I will inevitably encounter. Hopefully this will allow me to connect with others in a more authentic way and allow myself the ability to dust myself off and keep trying. The goal is commitment not perfection. This blog is also an application of this law. I will post the journey- keep exercise goals and logs. Food logs and emotional journals. Heart Mind soul & strength.

4.Cooperation: I must get group support
FOURTH LAW OF CHANGE:Change requires community

My application: The more support I get, the more likely I am to succeed. I need to talk with my hubby about doing this together. I know how much his support/ attitude affects my desire to implement change but I will also lean on my family as well as my small group for encouragement. I chuckled to myself when Rick noted that "even the Lone Ranger had Tonto."

5. Affirmation: Fill my life with Love.
Love can change the unchangeable.
My application: By loving others enough to support them through their change and metamorphosis God will take care of me. If I set my heart on change in response to the Love God has shown me I will find endless amounts of motivation.

6.Motivation: Nurture my enthusiasm
Positive thinking is simply not enough. You need God. To have enthusiasm you need to be En (in) theos (god)

My application: By keeping God as my hope, my source, my strength and my supplier I will emerge at the end of these 52weeks a newer, better, healthier me.

A new perspective

So today I realised that if the Daniel Plan is going to last it has to be a life change not just a fad diet or anything else. For it to be a lasting change I'll definitely need to work on my thoughts and attitudes that keep me from being my best self. Dr. Aymen calls them ANTS- which essentially are self defeating thoughts that sabotage your best intentions. One of my ants is the notion that healthy food is bland, bad tasting and gross. This thought gives me permission to eat all the unhealthy food in the name of taste. Buy you and both know this thought is false- there are PLENTY of good tasting, good for you foods and I vow to give myself the freedom to explore them and find new favorites. Today, in the name of eating more veggies, I am going to make a portabello mushroom burger- which usually means a huge meat patty with a few mushroom slices on top. lol Not today. Not anymore. Today I am making a substitute that uses avocado, mushroom and whole wheat buns.... and Im excited! I found the recipe here. Bon Appetite!