In this Kaiser Healthy Balance program I am in, we each have our own mantra. I work a lot on Lean principles in my workplace (eliminate wasteful practices and steps in your job function and department and incorporate consistent, better practices to have a more effective and efficient company), and thought it fitting to combine the Lean business practices with lean life practices in what I eat and how I take care of my health.
By exploring the application of this in my food choices and activities, I have found that my relationship to food and exercise has changed. It begins with identifying what’s the current situation – at the time I was exercising when I felt like it (never), consciously eating healthy things but also a whole bunch of other things too, and letting my feeling about my job drive all other decisions.
The program helped me to start over, write things down, commit to actions.
Exercise: charted current (last 2 weeks, then started to plan each time I would exercise for next week into the next month with milestones in between). Food – yes, a food diary did help. Damn they were right. Writing down something I didn’t really want made it less satisfying and something that was really just stupid and wasteful to eat anyway since I didn’t particularly want it. Also, the eating plan for the first month gave me the freedom to have unlimited something, asked me to try new things, and try replacing my typical starchy go-to’s with something different – and for me, different is cool. Nope, there was no cheese. But Kefir.. . I dig kefir. Unlimited veggies may not sound exciting, but I can work with enticing my stomach with color and texture and flavors, and veggies have lots of color and textures. Plus spices and condiments have minimal calories, so I put money that would have gone to a dinner out and bought some fresh herbs and interesting spices.
I needed a kick in the pants, so I signed up for a ride to support MS research. A month to train to ride 25 miles from a starting point of … 0 miles? Bring it.
Yes, this ride had taken the focus of my emotional life away from the stresses of work and inadequacy, where I am doing my best but it’s not getting me anywhere, to the challenge of milestone accomplishments, where I am more than adequate and in fact surprise myself with my endurance and stubborn will. Forget not wanting to exercise – I can’t ride 15 miles on a Sunday before a 25 mile ride, without building up my stamina on hills and strengthening main muscles. That’s just not an option. I can’t stay at a weight that makes my heart race; that’s not an option.
Now the action-driven weekly planning turns my 5S mentality (sort,set in place, shine, standardize, sustain) toward my relationships. Sort out what is happening with Gustavo, set up some boundaries that we both find will be satisfying, work on it, get some routine we can rely on to look forward to, and keep going. Friendships? What do I currently have going on, what is adding to my life and could add more if I am present and plan ahead? What if I came on time to events, spent one on one time with one person every week? Became more others- minded?
I’m scatterbrained and this is just a start. But it’s making a difference to me. Thank you God.
y former manager Bob’s last words still haunt me – “It’s not the right fit for you.” Plans for a new house, parenthood, secure job to see us into 2016, not coming true. I’ve needed three months of weekly counseling to get through the muck of anxiety that my unexpected termination caused in my life, of losing my center, my sense of partnership with Gustavo, my sense of self and of adventure. The rollercoaster sensation again, now in motion: I can’t control where life is going and if I try, I’ll get derailed. Things that make me question myself and lose faith in Jesus, in the unknown, and in the ability to have a fulfilling life with Gustavo. What is the right fit for me, God?
Viewpoints from the Horizon 