SWEAT IT OUT--Days 1, 2 & 3

I never win contests or call-ins or raffles, so imagine my surprise when I won the Shape House Urban Sweatlodge 14 Day Challenge!

But I won!!!!!!! YAAAAYYYYYYYYY

little note:  it's @writedanquah; I don't know who @meridanqua is....but tell her I said "hi!"

OK....what was I saying before that?  Oh yeah....I now have to complete a one hour sweat session every single day for 14 straight days.  No excuses. Whew!  

I had to pay for the entire 14 days' worth of sessions (at full price) up front.  If I meet the challenge and complete all 14 days, Shape House will refund me the entire amount, so the 14 days will be free.

If I miss a session or I'm late--for ANY reason--then I lose the challenge and they keep the money.  I'll still get to use the unused balance of my 14 sessions, but considering the fact that I could've easily purchased 14 individual sessions to use at my disposal for far less money than that via one of their specials or pre-packaged sessions...it's a bit of a punishment.

But I imagine that that's the whole point of this--to prioritize yourself and your health.

Today is Day 4.

Day 1, 2, and 3 completely kicked my ass.  I was too exhausted, totally and throughly wiped out, to even try to blog about it all.  The best I could do to prepare myself to start blogging about the challenge was to import a couple of my posts from the Tumblr blog I'd started a week ago.  (I don't like the fact that visitors to the blog can't comment unless I import or interface with another company/website/service...whatever....it's all too complicated for me.)

But since I have a bit of energy today, let me tell you about the past three days of my life.  But first I should explain what these sweats at Shape House are.  This is what is posted on Shape House's website (www.shapehouse.com):  

Far Infrared is a part of the natural light spectrum just beyond visible light.  You can’t see this band of light, but you can feel it in the form of radiant heat. The heat you feel from the sun, for example, is infrared energy. Don’t confuse it, however, with ultraviolet light (UV), which causes sunburn and damage to your skin. Infrared heat is healthy, natural and a safe therapy for all living things. 

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Infrared energy produces a uniform deep heat penetration without the usual sensation of feeling hot. This is achieved by using a specific Infrared band of energy peaking at around 9.4 micons; a level designed to penetrate beyond the skin (where heat is most acutely felt) to a depth where fat resides. As this subcutaneous fat begins to heat, your body begins to thermo-regulate itself by producing sweat. 

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And in the process of sweating, the multiple benefits are achieved… detoxing, skin conditioning, cardio fitness, relaxation, weight loss, and emotional health.

Sweating is very directly linked to weight loss. The weight that you lose when sweating is water weight. This weight is replaced when you refill your fluids. However, in order to sweat, you need to burn up calories. Sweating uses up energy as your body tries to restore your normal temperature. Sweating works best when combined with a healthy program of balanced nutrition and exercise.​

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You can burn from 1000 to 1200 (possibly more depending on the individual) in each fifty-minute session. Your body will actually continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours due to an increase in its raised metabolic level. Expect to lose one clothing size within 6 to 10 treatments with two to three days between each session.

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Fluids lost during the sweat can be replenished, but the calories are not.  Because fat becomes water soluble at 110 degrees F, subcutaneous fat can be released along with the sweat and toxins. If heavy metals are reduced, this will correct metabolic imbalances that cause poor digestion and weight gain. Also, toxins stored in the fat are decreased making it easier to shed fat and lose weight.

DAY 1

I was almost late to my first session.  Per usual, I got caught up doing a million things and was running around like a chicken with my head cut off--and half of the stuff I was doing was not for me and will not benefit me or my daughter in any direct way.  I thought I was going to have a heart attack as I was racing to Shape House.  But I got there, just in the nick of time, 10 minutes before my session (actually I walked in the door 12 minutes before my session!).  Whew!

In the past, whenever I've gone to Shape House for a sweat, I've used the time to watch this really hilarious television show that was conceived by Ricky Gervais called An Idiot Abroad.  This time, I  

brought along my iPod and listened to a Hemi-Sync selection on Creativity.  I have several of their sleep CDs and they have been invaluable to me during this horrible period of insomnia as a result of peri-menopause and changing hormones.

I thought it would be difficult but it was a breeze.  I felt great. I went home to my evening class, returned home and worked for a bit before finally falling asleep.  Hmmm....what happened to all that hoopla about better sleep?  Anyway....the sleep that I did get was restful, which is not often the case these days.

DAY 2

Ummm.....did the scale really say that I'd lost 6 pounds since when I weighed myself the day before? I stepped on the scale a few times, just to be sure.  I also checked to make sure the scale was properly calibrated, and that it was positioned on a solid surface and not, maybe partway on the bathroom mat.  But no matter how many times I stepped on it, the scale still read the same weight.  I'd lost 6 pounds. 

You're probably thinking, "Oh, that's just water weight."  And you'd be right, but considering that most overweight people such as myself suffer from edema and have water retention problems (partly due to the high amount of sodium in our diets, releasing some of that water is a good thing.  Eventually, the body will start releasing fat stores. 

My sweat session was at 9:40am.  This time I seemed to sweat buckets.  At the end of the session, I was drenched.  But I felt energized.  I went home, showered and got dressed.  My daughter, K, picked me up at noon.  I'd promised to take her and her friend who is visiting from the East Coast, M, to lunch at the Calabasas Country Club.  I'd also wanted to scope out the place because I'll be taking golf lessons there starting next month.  

I could barely keep my eyes open during lunch, though I did manage to hold it together later on through the tour of the facilities that the Membership Director kindly gave us. 

K drove so M respectfully offered me the front seat and volunteered to sit in the back.  I declined and insisted that I be allowed to sit in the back seat.  Within a few minutes, the girls realized why.  I fell asleep straight away. 

It was nearly 3pm by the time the girls dropped me at home.  I went right to bed---and slept for 5 hours.  It was the best sleep I have had in a long, long time.  That night I slept at about 1am, but I woke up 8 hours later feeling so clear-headed and rested.

DAY 3

This was my breakfast:  an egg white omelette with onions, radishes and Manchego cheese.  Yummmmm.......

My weight had not gone up or down.  Whatever water weight I'd lost that first night was still lost.

For lunch, I had a protein shake, to which I added some Maca.  And, of course, I drank lots and lots of water.  I normally don't like drinking so much water, but man am I thirsty these days.

For dinner, I had some oven grilled black cod on a bed of romaine lettuce.  I was still incredibly hungry, so I ate 2 slices of Sara Lee Delightful bread, which is low calorie and low-carb.  And then I started craving something sweet, so I put some coconut milk, frozen blueberries and ice cubes into the blender and came up with some kind of yummy slushy concoction that satisfied my sweet tooth without being too sweet.

Starting with my post for Day 4, I'll take photos of myself just before and just after the sweat.  

I do intend to make it the entire 14 days---if for no other reason than the fact that I want my money returned to me.  Ha ha ha........

Actually, I'm enjoying this very much.  Feeling grateful, blessed and optimistic.

Off to bed now.

Namaste.

 

HEALTHY SKIN

14

MAR

STEPS ON THE ROAD TO HEALTH: Put nothing IN or ON your body that is toxic.  And, basically, don’t put anything ON your body that you wouldn’t put IN your body….because that’s exactly where it’s going to end up once it’s absorbed.

For my facial care, I mainly use products from this California-based company, The Body Deli.  My skin type has recently changed from normal to dry, so lately I’ve been using the Almond Milk Cleanser, the Vital-C Serum, the Rose Body Oil and the Rose Absolute Mist…and I swear by these products.  I even drove the two and a half hours to Palm Desert once, where their flagship store is located, so I could see the place for myself.  It’s very cute, designed to look like an real food deli. 

 (Note:  Some of the body deli products even have to be refrigerated or else they will spoil, just like real produce.  Yes, their products are indeed that fresh and natural!) 

HOW TO MAKE TOOTHPASTE

HOW TO MAKE TOOTHPASTE

STEPS ON THE ROAD TO HEALTH:  Put nothing IN or ON your body that is toxic.

Who could have ever imagined that I’d one day be the sort of person who makes her own toothpaste?  Well, I am.  And it’s really easy.  But before I give you my 2-minute recipe to make a healthier, less expensive and more effective toothpaste, let me give you 5 reasons why, if good health is a priority, you might want to stop using the toothpaste you’re using.

REASON 1:  SODIUM FLUORIDE

It’s a byproduct of aluminum manufacturing and it’s also found in rat poisons and industrial pesticides. Ingesting sodium fluoride can cause dental fluorosis and/or bone fluorosis.  You can read more about sodium fluoride here:  www.bodyunburdened.com

REASON 2:  TRICLOSAN

It shows up a lot in the ingredients of anti-bacterial products—and in toothpaste.  It’s classified by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as a pesticide.  It’s dangerous to humans and it’s also dangerous to the environment.  It’s an endocrine disrupter and it can impair muscle function.  It’s also thought to cause cancer.

REASON 3: SODIUM LAURYL/LAURETH SULFATE (SLS)

The American College of Toxicology says that it has “a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties”.  SLS has the ability to cause a great deal of damage even at a low rate of usage.

Let’s start with the fact that it’s a pesticide that is commonly used to kill plants and insects.  It’s also a detergent and cleansing agent, with corrosive properties, so it can be found in dishwashing agents, garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, most soaps—from car wash soap to the huge brand name bar and, sometimes, even that overpriced bar from the health food store with all the rainforest seeds and berries and African jungle roots and weeds in them.

SLS is really, really, REALLY harmful.  Apparently, it’s so strong that it can permeate the heart, the eyes, the brain and the liver.   

You can read a bit more about it here and here.

REASON 4:  PROPYLENE GLYCOL

It’s an active component in antifreeze.  The fact that the EPA won’t allow the folks who work for them to handle the substance without wearing rubber gloves should tell you something.

It can have adverse effects on your dermal, renal and respiratory systems (skin, kidneys, lungs.  

You can read more about it on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

REASON 5:  DIETHANOLAMINE (DEA)

It’s what makes things (like toothpaste) foam. Diethanolamine is also thought to cause liver and kidney cancer.

E-Z TOOTHPASTE RECIPE

2tbsp baking soda

1tbsp organic virgin coconut oil

cloves tincture (to taste—I usually use half a dropper)

peppermint tincture (to taste—I usually use 3/4 of a dropper)

Mix ingredients until the consistency is a bit thick, like, well, paste.  There are a lot of different recipes online.  Explore and experiment until you find something that works for you.

I store my homemade toothpaste in a little glass jam bottle, the kind they put out at restaurants.  You can buy your own toothpaste squeezers online but all of the ones I’ve seen are made of plastic—and knowing how toxic plastic is, that would defeat the entire purpose.

I’ve been using my own homemade toothpaste for a couple of months now and I have to admit that I actually prefer it to store-bought toothpaste, and I think it gets my teeth cleaner.  

If not now.....?

Today is the day.