Heart Choices: My Experience at the Pritikin Center -->

Theme Layout

Boxed or Wide or Framed

Theme Translation

Display Featured Slider

Featured Slider Styles

Display Grid Slider

Grid Slider Styles

Display Trending Posts

Display Author Bio

Display Instagram Footer

Dark or Light Style

My Experience at the Pritikin Center


Pritikin
Creating a healthy lifestyle can be confusing.  You'd think with the volume of information available at our fingertips in this day and age, it'd be easy.  Just do a Google search on 'losing weight' and you'll find a variety of results.  There are so many different diets and of course they all claim to work.

It used to be less confusing. Eat less and move more. But it turns out that the type of foods we eat is important too.  

How thankful I am that I had the opportunity to stay at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa two times.  The first time was January 1, 2000 when Greg and I were determined to live a healthy lifestyle.  We stayed for two weeks.  We exercised in their gym every morning. Our program consisted of aerobic exercise using the treadmill, weights and stretching.  They were designed specifically for us by Masters educated exercise physiologists.  Our target heart rates were calculated according to the results of our Treadmill tests.


We stayed in their beautiful facility at the Santa Monica Hyatt.  Pritikin has since moved to Miami Beach. Our room was ocean front so we got to sit and watch the sun set every evening.  The Santa Monica pier was easily seen from our room as well.

Each day we ate our meals in their dining room.  We were encouraged to eat breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and evening snack.  And we lost weight.  Can you believe it?  No starving. But we ate lots of healthy food and attended classes during the day.  We even had cooking classes to teach us how to cook healthy so when we returned home we'd be prepared.

Every afternoon, Greg and I would take walks along the Santa Monica pier.  We often roller bladed along the path from Venice Beach to Malibu.  What a fun time!

We stayed for two weeks.  When we returned home, we tried to maintain a similar lifestyle but it was more challenging.  But we absolutely made major changes and as a result lost weight and felt more energetic and healthy.  We even returned the following year for one week refresher program.

I wish I could go back!  

Unfortunately, Pritikin is an expensive program.  I do subscribe to their newsletter though.  But it's hard to stick to it if you like to go out to eat.  I enjoy an occasional popcorn and when I returned home from Pritikin, I couldn't believe how salty it tasted.

In the meantime, I have the knowledge and know how.  As many of you know, I worked as a cardiovascular nurse for 25 years.  I taught many heart patients how to live a healthier lifestyle.

So I'm sticking to my plan which is now finally becoming a habit for me.

  • Treadmill for 30-45 minutes each morning before work and even on the weekends
  • Weights every other day
  • Stretching daily on my mat
  • Sit-ups, planks and a few more Pilates moves daily
  • Water, water, water
Most days all I drink is water.  But if I occasionally go out to eat, I do enjoy an iced tea.  I'm happy to report that my clothes are not as tight.  My scale hasn't gone down as quickly as I'd like but it's heading in the right direction.  I have more energy.  But I  must confess that by the end of the day, I'm tired.  However, that might have something to do with the fact that I work with children aged 3-5 all day long.  And they are active!  :)

Accountability is important so I'm linking up with Kim of Just Just for Clicks for Weigh-In Wednesday.
Blessings and love,


QuickEdit
Debbie Petras
6 Comments
Share This Post :

You Might Also Like

6 comments:

  1. I think it's always great when we get the chance to learn more about the best way to eat healthy and exercise effectively. Sounds like that was such a great experience for you and your man! Thanks so much for linking up and for sharing your plan.... those goals are perfect for all of us! I know I need them all esp the stretching!

    ReplyDelete
  2. good common sense seems to be the best weight loss plan,
    which you are sharing. thank you for the reminder!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Since I had my vertigo started a little over a month ago, I have cut out all sweets and salty snacks, trying to live a healthier lifestyle. So far, I'm still feeling pretty lousy most days but I'm hanging in there. I used to do 20 minutes of the elliptical stepper each morning before work, but I haven't been able to do that like I used to because of feeling dizzy off and on. I'm hoping that my change of eating habits will eventually take hold and I will feel better...
    You are doing great!! This place looks wonderful... and I'm sure you and Greg learned a lot. And, of course, you always look great!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is vety important to really take care of our health:) i do exercise 3 to four times a week in a gym:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh That sounds like a wonderful two weeks...I would love to have someone help me with what I should be eating, exercising and doing. ...especially with our son's wedding only about 2 weeks off! That would be perfect! I have gained some weight, that I had hoped to have all off before then, but it has been slow going.

    Blessings & Aloha!
    Thank you dear friend for taking a peek at my "eggs in one basket" decision to tea dye my dress for his wedding! whew! so happy that it turned out like I had hoped. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good for you - health is something we can neither buy nor over-value; and it is very hard to replace once it is gone.

    Much continued success with your health plan, Debbie.

    ReplyDelete

I love to read your comments! I know you have something to share so join in the conversation. And thank you for taking the time.

[name=DEBBIE PETRAS] [img=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2CDrwq9-7eo/WV6tdbP-QgI/AAAAAAACfb0/ViqQSnSVaDsMLXyz3AEEzZ5-78luBHOGgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Debbie%2BFace%2Bblog.JPG] [description=]