Church Requel Blog - Writings of Mark Pierce

Real Age Test Motivates Me Toward Healthier Choices

Mark Twain said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." A century and a half ago Mark Twain didn't have the benefit of RealAge.com. Today my real age is more important than my actual age. Knowing my real age and working to lower my real age requires not only my mind, but my attention and discipline as well.

According to RealAge.com, I'm seven years younger than I actually am. The amazing thing about this is that when I began my exercise and diet routine on January 17th this year, my real age was slightly above my actual age. Without any science fiction time travel I've become younger as I've aged these last ten months!

In June I wrote about the five primary things I've done this year to improve my health. In August I shared an app that has helped me tremendously. In this post I'd like to share the Real Age Test itself and why knowing your real age is so much more than knowing the number of candles on your last birthday cake.

The test itself took me about 30 minutes to complete. I was asked a series of lifestyle, genetic, and health history questions. Some of the questions were what I expected: What is my weight? What is my waist size? What is my blood pressure? However, there were a lot of questions that I didn't expect.  For example, How many relatives do I see or hear from on a regular basis each month? Does anyone rely on me to do something for them every day? What is my marriage like? How hot-tempered am I?

According to Dr. Keith Roach the new Real Age Test is based on recent scientific studies that tell us more than we've ever known before about the aging process.  "In the last 2 or 3 years, a group of big, long studies wrapped up one after the other, which changed much of our knowledge about what makes you grow old too fast -- and what makes you stay young longer."

My Fitness Pal Helps Me Lose Weight

Yesterday morning I enjoyed a pleasant surprise when I stepped on the bathroom scale. For the first time in many years the first digit was a "1"! So far this year I've dropped 30 pounds. Much of that loss came with the aid of a calorie counting and exercise tracking app called My Fitness Pal.

My Fitness Pal boasts nutritional information on over a million foods, and I believe it. I have yet to find a food that's not already included in theIr database. The genius of this tool is that several times throughout the day I enter the foods I've eaten into the MFP diary. Using the free mobile app available for iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows devices, recording the foods I've eaten is fast and easy.

There are no restricted foods or particular diets to follow. Simply being aware of the nutrition I've consumed combined with my exercise is enough to keep me on track for weight loss. Keeping a daily journal is the key for me and many others. Studies have shown that those who maintain a daily diary of their eating lose twice as much as those who don't keep a journal. I know that one of my biggest challenges has been eating junk late at night. Now, with my food journal as close as my phone, I have learned to just say no.

One of the other things that's been really helpful to me is the community aspect of MFP. I am reminded regularly by the app that those involved in like-minded community lose more weight. I have about a dozen friends who also use MFP. They have given me permission to follow their progress and I have given them the same permission to hold me accountable. The MFP app provides a page for my friend's comments. There are lots of encouraging words that flow back and forth as a result. This friendly accountability really came through for me in a big way when I quit for about a week. I received texts, emails and phone calls encouraging me to get back on track. For those who want it, MFP also offers a group feature.

One does not need to have a smart phone app to use MFP. The MFP website provides the same food and exercise database along with access to one's network of friends. However, the MFP mobile app is the secret sauce for weight loss as far as I'm concerned. My sister-in-law told me last week that she thought recording her foods all the time was a tedious chore. (Yet, she is sticking with it!) I wondered about that for a while until I remembered that she does not own a smart phone with data access. Therefore she has to turn on her computer every time she wants to make a diary entry. Yes, that would require a bit more dedication.

One of the best things about the MFP mobile app is the barcode reader. More than half of the time I don't type anything in to the app. Rather I focus my iPhone camera on the barcode on the food package and the MFP app automatically brings up all the nutrition info for me. One more click adds the food to my diary. Simple. Easy. Convenient.

Finally I love all the help and advice that is offered on the website. There is a full featured and active forum where anyone can ask a question and receive answers quickly. There is something really cool about a community of helpful people supporting one another as they experience the trials of weight loss together. I would highly recommend these posts for anyone just getting started.

If you are wanting to lose weight and get yourself into better physical shape, I can't recommend My Fitness Pal highly enough. I don't know how they keep it free. I've never experienced any solicitations or ads on the mobile app. Honestly, when you consider the alternative costs that result from poor health, this app alone is worth the cost of your phone and data plan!

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5 Steps To Personal Health Care Responsibility

Later this morning we will all hear the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Health Care Act. Either way it goes I've already realized that my health is largely a factor for which I'm responsible. And I'm taking steps to turn realization into actualization. In this post I'd like to consider my personal health care reform: the difference between realization and actualization.

Realizing my health is my responsibility. It's no secret that health issues are different after age 50 than before. It is remarkable, however, just how easy it is for me to keep my head in the sand. For half a century I lived a health care-free life, where the consequences of my habits were not serious. I could eat and easily work off the excess calories. Exercise was more or less a take it or leave it, do-it-when-I-feel-like-it ocassion. I could gain weight and then lose it quickly.

Now at age 55 the free ride is over. Everything I do has consequences for my health. That's the first half of realization. But there's more. I am not without choices and opportunities. I can take daily steps to hold on to or get back to good health and to make the most of the rest of my life.

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules today, or how Congress responds, or who is next elected president, my future health - or lack thereof - will largely come to me from my own actions today. I am responsible for my health: not the government, not the health care industry, not the insurance companies.

Actualizing good health habits. Not only is it remarkable how long I was able to keep my head in the sand on the realization side, I have a remarkable ability to ignore my own realizations. In other words I can realize but not actualize. We've all done this to ourselves, right? That's what tomorrow is for - as in I will start "tomorrow." No more. Today is my day. Today is the day that I will STEP into good health tomorrow. Here are 5 steps I am taking today to actualize my good health tomorrow.