my wellness vision

Happy New Year! It’s that time of year when we make resolutions that just don’t seem to turn out the way we planned. Gyms will be full this week. People will be eating healthy. Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, and Healthy Choice meals will be on sale in the grocery ads. Come February 1, most of the life changes for the new year will be history with our resolutions sitting in the dust.

Resolutions are just hard to follow. You just can’t change your life over night without some major thought and effort. I mentioned in my last post that a fellow Lapband chat buddy told me he was going to create a wellness vision for 2011. I did some research and decided it was just what I was looking for myself.

If you have worked in corporate America during the past 10-15 years, you are familiar with the concept of total quality management, a process where you set a mission, vision and goals to make your organization or team a success. My take on a wellness vision is that it leverages the concepts of this business oriented process to create a personal vision for health and wellness. If you are looking for a place to start on a personal wellness vision, here is an excellent article to get you started.

Here's the process I used in a nutshell. I first wrote down everything I possibly wanted to achieve and what I needed to change in 2011. I then grouped them into broad categories such as diet, exercise, health, etc. For each of these categories, I took the categorized items and came up with a sentence or two of where I wanted to be in 2011 that supported them. Next, I took these sentences and looked at them together. I then combined the themes from these sentences to create my wellness vision.

Beyond the vision, I refined the brainstormed items into measurable goals. I chose to create 4 primary goals to make my wellness vision a success. The detail items became specific measurable goals to support these goals and will be the means by which I measure success.

This was a lot of effort and did not happen overnight. I’ve been working at it for the past 2 months at lunch and in the evening. I revisited and rewrote the vision and goals many times until I was satisfied. I am confident that the finished product is what I need to motivate and guide me in 2011. I see myself as a very goal oriented, organized person. I realize that an effort like this is not for everyone.

Here is my wellness vision and the four goals that support the vision. There is quite a bit of detail that supports these. I am sure that I will be sharing more of the details in the coming months.

My Wellness Vision

As a happy, successful, and active post-op bariatric patient, I draw on my talents, life experiences and passions to motivate myself and others to be mentally, emotionally and physically fit.

Goal #1: I will define my social networking presence by blogging weekly on health, fitness and wellness with an emphasis on cycling, healthy eating and support for weight loss surgery (WLS) patients.

Goal #2: I will enrich my life through interpersonal relationships; growing my bariatric support network; participating in fitness oriented activities; and enjoying my free time with friends and family.

Goal #3: I will live a healthy eating mentality that focuses on bariatric dietary principles, proper nutrition, and satiety rather than relying on restriction signals from my Lapband.

Goal #4: I will improve and share my cycling skills with frequent rides; participating in cycling events; being more involved in cycling organizations; and supporting others through the Spin-Offs.

a look back on 2010

On January 1, I decided to try something new when setting goals for the New Year.  I created a list of 30 things I wanted to accomplish in 2010. Looking back, I didn’t do too well; only completing 8 of the 30 items. It was really a list of places and things I wanted to experience during the year. The list had no focus or direction. It was just a list of want-do-do’s. In my next post on January 1, I'll talk about my 2011 goals and the method I used to build them and give them direction. I am pretty  psyched on  what is in store for me in 2011.

Cycling… That pretty much sums up the major focus of 2011. In 2009 I developed a love for cycling. 2010 was the year when I turned this love into a sport for me. Here are my cycling highlights for the year.

1. Formed the Spin-offs, a cycling club  for weight loss surgery patients, with two other friends.
2. Spent my birthday weekend cycling the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail in Maryland with my pal Aaron.
3. Cycled trails in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts for a week with may pal Rich.
4. Rode in my first organized ride, the Sweet Corn Challenge in Richfield.
5. Completed all 150 miles of the MS Pedal to the Point in August in better time than I thought I could do.
6. Completed a metric century ride (63 miles) at the Hancock Horizontal Hundred. I so wanted to put my first century ride under my belt.
7. Cycled just about all of the Towpath Trail, Summit Hike and Bike, and Portage Hike and Bike numerous times on my twice weekly rides.
8. I met so many nice people and formed many numerous friendships with other cyclists.

Looking beyond cycling, my health improved as I cycled my summer away. My primary care physical and cardiologist are amazed at how much my health has improved. My cholesterol is at 130 and my blood pressure is 65/120. My weight has stayed consistent; actually dropping a bit as I enter 2011.

2010 had some sad moments. My mother passed away in late February at age 91. She suffered a long bout with Alzheimer's Disease. In October, my partner Brett’s mother passed away suddenly at age 63 as the result of a brain aneurism and stroke. Life is short. Value your parents while they are alive and treasure their memories when they are gone.

As a blog reader, you probably noticed more infrequent blog posts. Time just got away from me. I have actually become a very active technical blogger about data modeling and the data professional community at my CA Technologies Community Blog. 2011 will see a transformation of my personal blogs and websites into a unified website concentrating on wellness, cycling, exercise, diet and weight loss support.

a memorable year of cycling

Saturday was the final bike ride of the season for our cycling club. It was fitting that we ended the season cycling the Towpath Trail, the location of our first ride of the season. It’s hard to believe that seven months have passed so quickly.

Last winter Christine, Susan and I put together a plan for a bicycle club for weight loss surgery patients, friends and anyone who wanted to cycle for health. We were on our way with our first ride on Easter weekend. We hosted 53 rides and met a nice group of people in the process. Our groups were as large as 12 and some times only 2.

People rode with us for many reasons. Some wanted a slower paced ride. Others wanted company on the trail and during our lunches and rest breaks. Others were looking for a way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors. About half of our cyclists are weight loss surgery patients. I think they enjoyed the support and common experiences of fellow cyclists.

While I was cycling yesterday, I realized that I was out and on the Towpath Trail at least once weekly. I’ve been on all the sections from Rockside Road south to Canal Fulton. I loved seeing the different seasons on the Towpath. It i s really a gem for the people of NE Ohio.

Here are my five favorite bike rides in Ohio. Most of the people who know me could easily figure out my favorite trails.

1. Little Beaver Greenway between Leetonia and Lisbon – I love this trail and enjoyed cycling it 3 times this year. The beauty never ceases to amaze me on this well maintained trail.
2. Towpath Trail between Cascade Locks and Peninsula – What can I say.? It is just a great ride. I love the ride between Cascade Locks and Portage Trail the best.
3. Towpath Trail from Wilbeth Road to Downtown Akron – I love this urban part of the Towpath, especially the boardwalk on the shores of Summit Lake. Interesting and diverse, the ride gives you a different perspective of Akron.
4. Holmes Trail – Cycling with Amish carts and buggies through Amish Country is a peaceful ride through a nice mixture of forests and fields.
5. Kokosing Gap Trail – I found this super gem of a trail this summer. I look forward to cycling it next year. The trail from  Mt. Vernon to Howard is so well maintained and scenic. Add to that, it is super well maintained.

I know I may get some rides  in during the coming weeks before snow sets in. I look forward to 2011 and new  areas to cycle. I know we are going to spend a week of our vacation cycling New England again. I have already signed up for Pedal to the Point. I am going back to conquer the Hancock Horizontal Hundred. Plus, I plan on signing up for more charity and organized rides.

it’s time for a wellness vision

This week is the fifth anniversary of my heart attack and triple bypass cardiac surgery. Over the past 5 years I have revisited these dates with a heart health scorecard that I update based on how well I maintain a heart healthy lifestyle. Although I like the accountability of evaluating my diet, exercise, stress level and overall quality of life, I think it’s time to move on to something more relevant to where I am today in relation to where I want to be in the future.

I have started to work on a wellness vision for myself. I got this idea from Mick, a WLS chat buddy. Mick is about a year out from me with his Lapband surgery and has been an important person on my weight loss journey. Earlier this summer he spoke about creating a wellness vision. I began researching it and determined that it is exactly what I needed.

So what is a wellness vision? It’s a big-picture view of where you want to be healthwise in the coming year and future years. You imagine an outcome in the vision that you then make come to life through the goals you set. What is important about this plan is that it ties measurable goals to the vision. Without these goals, you would most likely fail or minimally achieve your vision.

This wellness vision has lingered on my to-do list for the past month or so. It is a pretty difficult thing to create. I have been brainstorming a variety of visions; only to put them aside as being inadequate. I also realize that creating goals that are measurable, challenging and obtainable will be just as difficult. I updated my to-do task to be complete by November 1. Let’s see how well I will do on carrying through with creating the vision and goals. I’ll publish them here when I am finished.

Final comments on the heart health scorecards... In 2005 I was a solid “F” improving to an “A” in 2009. I have come a long way in 5 years. I am 80 pounds lighter and much more physically active. My cardiologist, primary care physician and bariatric surgeon tell me that I am in excellent health. Add to this, I am much happier with my life and where my life is going.

2010 was an amazing year for me in terms of physical exercise. Bicycling took me beyond the daily treadmill routine to a level I never could have even imagined in 2005. I cycle 2-3 times a week averaging about 60-80 miles. I completed 3 organized rides. The 2-day 150 mile Bike MS Pedal to the Point was my proudest achievement; not bad for a somewhat chubby guy in his mid 50s! My dream was to complete a 100 mile century ride. I completed a metric century (63 miles) at the Hancock Horizontal Hundred in Findlay. I am sure a century will be a goal supporting my wellness vision.

Over the past five years I learned a lot about health, diet and exercise. I can’t stress it enough that you have to make these three things a priority in your life. I ignored them far too long. My quality of life improved dramatically when I elevated them to the level of importance they needed to be. So, I encourage you today to improve your health, diet and exercise and not wait as long as I did. Live your life to its fullest and enjoy the journey that you are on! You never know where it will take you.

in remembrance of bonnie berger

This past Friday my husband’s mother, Bonnie Berger, died unexpectedly at the age of 63. We never know when a loved one will pass away. In today’s world of advances in diagnosis and treatment, 63 is indeed an early age to die. I knew I wanted to blog about Bonnie’s life and death but found it to be a difficult task.

In February I faced a similar task when I spoke of my mother’s life and family on her passing. It seemed easier at that time. It wasn’t because I knew my mother better. It was because my family anticipated her passing was near at age 91 suffering from Alzheimer’s. She had lived a long life. Bonnie’s passing came way too early. She was just about to enter her golden years. I am happy to share my view of Bonnie’s life from my relationship with her from the past 21 years.

Bonnie’s life was defined by her love of the country and as a dairy farmer’s wife. Bob and Bonnie settled on the Berger homestead in central Ohio outside of Utica, Ohio milking a herd of Jersey cattle. One of my early remembrances of Bonnie was at the Ohio State Fair where the Berger family showed Jerseys for over 50 years. I knew nothing about cattle breeds other than some were white and black and others were brown. I was quickly educated on why Jerseys are superior, as well as, the people milking them.

Speaking of fairs, Bonnie took pride in showing cattle and draft ponies at fairs throughout Ohio. Bonnie was a take charge type of woman who organized the family’s presence at fairs. Her love for the traditions surrounding fair competitions was so evident. She was a true competitor. Many weekends from late July to mid-October found the family at competitions across the state. I have often heard of my husband Brett’s escapades at the fairs behind his mother’s back. I suspect she was aware of more than he ever expected.

When the Berger boys retired from dairy faming, draft ponies replaced cattle in county fair competitions. CarBon Farms was born as the alliance of Bonnie with her daughter Carol. In recent years, Brett took a special interest in showing the draft ponies with his mother, sister, family and extended family members. Without a doubt, CarBon Farms drew the family closer together. Bonnie chose to work behind the scenes. This summer Bonnie competed at the Hartford Fair. She was pretty proud of that moment. I know that the sweltering August heat of the Hartford Fair will always remind me of the good times at the fairs with Bonnie.

Bonnie’s spirit of competition went beyond the fairs. The Berger family loves to play cards. This was not the case in my family. At Christmas, I am dragged reluctantly into card games. Those who know me know that I do not care for competition and would just rather the game be over ASAP. That was not the case for Bonnie. Winning was very important to her. She was the enforcer of rules and called you out when you done something wrong. I think I frustrated her since I could care less if I won or lost and could care less if someone did something wrong.

I am especially proud of Bonnie’s acceptance of me early on as Brett’s partner. As with most new gay couples, families search for the right thing to do and the right thing to say. It took a few years for our relationship to be fully accepted. I became a part of the family and their holiday gatherings. She always welcomed me. One notable thing I recall about Bonnie was that she always looked for something a person really wanted for Christmas and made sure they got it.

Brett and I were fortunate to have Bonnie and Bob travel to Provincetown for our wedding. It meant a lot to us for them to be there. I never knew the extent of the significance of this until this past weekend. Many of Bonnie’s neighbors, coworkers and friends told me how proud she was of our relationship and how she spoke often about us.

Bonnie was fortunate to have Bob as a husband. Their relationship is one that is seen less in today’s society. They met as youth, showed cattle together, dated in high school, and married soon after. They spent 42 years as husband and wife. As with most Midwesterners, they were not much for personal displays of affection but their love for each other was evident. I would say that they defined each other’s life.

I’ll close by sharing a verse of a poem, Miss Me–But Let Me Go, the minister read at Bonnie’s funeral. I think it says it all. We may feel sorrow in a life cut short, but we need to remember the impact the person had on our lives. Most importantly, we need to live our lives to the fullest and do good deeds in the deceased remembrance.

Miss me a little–but not too long
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me–but let me go. 

rainy vacation

The only thing worse than a rainy vacation is a rainy vacation at the beach. That about sums up my vacation this past week. Brett and I spent the week in the Outer Banks with friends and family. We had a super nice house on the beach in Corolla. It was the nicest we have rented to date with an in ground pool and nice amenities. We will likely return to it on a future visit.

Our first weekend was quite nice with sun and temps in the 80s. Rain  rolled in late Sunday and more or less lingered for the week. There was a slight respite on Tuesday afternoon. We enjoyed an afternoon riding Jeeps in the off-road area of Corolla looking for wild horses. We  were lucky enough to see about 2 dozen horses throughout the afternoon.

On Thursday, the remnants of tropical storm Nicole rolled through the Carolinas. The Outer Banks was spared the worst of the storm as it passed inland to the west. We did get the wind, high waves, cloudy skies and occasional showers. It poured buckets Thursday night as the tail of the storm passed over head.

The weather forecasters said that Friday would-be a perfect sunny day. Well, they lied. The cloudy skies lingered with occasional showers. We headed down the Banks to Hatteras. We were lucky  that some sun passed by while we were at the Hatteras Lighthouse.

We could not go to Ocracoke Island since the ferry service was suspended due to the weather. It remained closed on Saturday. The Bodie Island Lighthouse, my favorite, was covered in scaffolding. It is being restored and will reopen in 2011. For the first time, you will be able to walk up this lighthouse.

Actually a rainy week is restful. I caught up on some projects. We played cards and games. We did more shopping than we usually would. I think we all had a good time. It was amusing that we drove home Saturday under sunny skies only to be welcomed to rain as we got 30 minutes from home and unpacked the car.

looking back to last year

Today is Brett and my first anniversary. Well, that is our “official” anniversary. Of course there are the other 20 years that were unofficial. Up until this year, we have always celebrated November 17 as our anniversary since it was the day we met. The dilemma has been which one to celebrate. September 19 seems to be the most logical since it is official and recognized in many states. In the future should same sex marriage be recognized by the federal government then our Massachusetts wedding would be federally recognized. I personally think that will happen within the next 2-4 years.

Here are some of my favorite photos from our wedding weekend in Provincetown. It was a wonderful time with family and friends present. The weather was perfect and the wedding was perfect.

Provincetown at sunrise on the day before our wedding. 
Such a beautiful town and harbor.

Group photo of our family and friends at our wedding
ceremony at in the garden of the Secret Garden Inn.

Brett and I with our great weight loss surgery fiends Aaron and Rich. We are so happy they are friends and attended our wedding!

Ready to cut the wedding cake. It was so beautiful; made by our friend Alton. Notice the custom wedding topper.

One of my favorite photos of all taken at the side gate to the
Secret Garden Inn by Brad of Song of Myself Photography.

My favorite beach photo taken at sunset by Brad
of Song of Myself Photography.

OMG! Miss Richfield 1985 is a Provincetown icon.
We loved her show on our wedding night.