Frustrated and with no plan of my own, I put a Law of Attraction Intention out to the Universe: manifest a healthy-me weighing 165 pounds. That’s a me, 50 pounds lighter. Since releasing this intention, I’ve experienced three cosmic events. Events tailored by the Universe specifically for me. Many may consider these trivial, at first. Not me. Each of these events occurred just when I most needed them. No way any of them was a mere coincidence. And, what’s more, I believe this is just the beginning of what will turn out to be a whole series of cosmic events designed by the Universe to manifest the Healthy-me.
BACKGROUND
All my adult life I’ve known the secret – sensible, nutritious eating combined with exercise; caloriesIN need to be less than caloriesOUT. Despite numerous schemes to manipulate this equation, I’ve managed to produce an overweight me.
This time I’m trying something different. I’m going to manifest a desired weight enlisting the ancient forces of the Universe. Of course I know the Universe can’t break its own basic Laws (that would be a miracle), so the caloriesIN/caloriesOUT equation remains the Rule of Law. What I’m counting on this time, is for the Universe to provide the opportunities necessary to actually make a healthy-me happen.
GOAL
As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
Some time ago I read about Body Mass Index (BMI). So I’m aware of this method of classifying weight based on height. My manifestation goal is a weight in the BMI normal classification range, that’s a BMI less than ’25’. Below is a chart showing the BMI values for a person 70 inches tall, just like me. The status column also refers to me. Yes, you are correct. I started out classified as obese. (A manual BMI calculation example is shown at the end of this article.)
| Classification | BMI | Weight Range (lbs) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Less than 25 | 132 – 173 | Goal: 165 |
| Overweight | 25 – 29 | 174 – 208 | Current wt: 205 |
| Obese | 30 – 39 | 209 – 277 | Starting wt: 215 |
Specifically, my goal is 165 pounds. And, though I’m not setting a deadline, I fully expect significant progress within 90 days (February 1 – April 30, 2012).
Why 165? 170 would be five pounds easier and still be a BMI less than 25.
Well, over the years I’ve managed to get to 170 pounds on my own. I didn’t stay there, but I got there. 165 is beyond anything I’ve previously achieved. So, my thinking is that if I can get to, and maintain, a weight of 165 lbs, this could only happen through cosmic intervention.
INTENTION
The intention I’ve released to the Universe is:
“Healthy-me enjoys living life with confidence and energy levels exceeding anything previously experienced. I’m bursting with pride and extreme satisfaction in maintaining a healthy body weight of 165 pounds.”
STATUS
I placed this request to the Universe toward the end of December 2011. It’s now the end of January 2012.
What’s happened so far? Anything cosmic?
As a matter of fact, I believe so. I’m aware of 3 events. I define an ‘event’ subjectively as any kind of occurrence that ordinarily wouldn’t even show up on my radar, but that for some (mysterious) reason I did become consciously aware of.
So what are these three events?
The BOOK
Spark. The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD
I came across this title while reading another book. For some (strange) reason, I wrote the title down. Then, not only did the local library carry a copy, but the book was checked in AND available for check out. Just a coincidence? I’m learning to marvel at and appreciate these little things in life.
Spark describes significant benefits to the brain from aerobic exercise:
- optimizes alertness, attention, and motivation
- encourages the creation of brain cells from stem cells in the hippocampus
- encourages brain cells to bind into new pathways
Spark goes into detail about brain chemistry; discussing such things as BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor), VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), and Ion Channels. Just the kind of stuff I find fascinating; even if I don’t always understand everything. This book provided just the incentive I needed to get me to take up some regular daily aerobic exercise. That’s why accidentally running (no pun intended) across this book was a cosmic event; an RBL (Random Bit of Luck) deliberately made available to me by the Universe.
Once again, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Spark talks about managed aerobic exercise. I took the book’s advice and got a chest strap style Heart Rate Monitor. Bought one at the local REI store. Monitoring my heart rate allows me to focus my exercise in the most effective range of heart beats per minute: speed-up, slow-down, or hold it steady – exert just the right amount (OK, minimum) of effort for the maximum result.
I retrieved an old Nordic Track from the basement. Did the Universe know seventeen years ago that I was going to finally use this contraption? I dusted it off and propped it up in my work room. No longer is it out-of-sight-out-of-mind. This is a manual apparatus working off tension rollers and pulleys. It actually looks like it could be an exhibit in the Medieval Torture Museum in Rothenburg, Germany. Sometimes my mind even wanders off into speculating on what kind of medieval crime(s) I would have to commit for this to be the punishment.
Searching the Internet, I found various aerobic Training Zone formulas. I’ve chosen to exercise in the 65% to 75% of maximum heart rate. (There’s an example of my calculations at the end of this article.) This training zone is suppose to provide exercise that
- is good fat burning
- improves the cardiovascular system
- improves the respiratory system
It’s basically like going on a moderately vigorous 30 minute walk.
Forks Over Knives is a documentary film created by Brian Wendel, written and directed by Lee Fulkerson.
While scrolling through some Netflix streaming suggestions, I ran across a documentary title that caught my eye. This is unusual because I seldom watch documentaries (Action/Adventure is my preference). For some reason, though, I went ahead and put Forks Over Knifes in my Instant Queue.
Then, after skipping over the title for a few weeks I finally took the time to watch it. I’m glad I did.
This documentary lays out a compelling argument for a whole-food, plant-based diet. Enough so that I’m committing myself to such a diet for three months. I want to see how it goes and how I feel. After that time I’ll evaluate whether to continue plant-based.
This documentary has an associated web site, from which I found a book by Caldwell Esselstyn (references are listed at the end of this article). This book too, not surprisingly, lays out a strong case for managing well-being through a plant-based diet. Almost half of the book is devoted to recipes supporting a whole-food, plant-based diet.
I’m now visiting grocery store sections I barely knew existed; shelves holding such things as liquid smoke, plant-based beer brats, buckwheat flour, and nutritional yeast, to name a few. More than once I’ve had to ask where an item could be found. Does it come as a paste, a powder, a flake? Sometimes I have to spell the item because I don’t have a clue how to pronounce its name. Is it packaged in a jar, a bag, a box, or is it bulk dispensed? These are all things I’m learning.
I’m experimenting with recipes; discovering which tastes are appealing, which are at least interesting, and which are very likely never to be repeated. I’m being introduced to a lot of new flavors and food textures.
My plan was to use January as a transition month – stocking the pantry, picking up some new cooking techniques (steam frying, for example), lapsing back into old eating habits, recovering my focus, etc. OK. I’m lying. I had no plan. January, by default, became a transition month. I wasn’t able to just cold-turkey (sorry, no pun intended) from a traditional meat diet to a plant-based diet. I had released an Intention. I got cosmic direction to aerobic exercise and to implement a plant-based diet. But I found myself struggling to wean myself off decades-old eating habits.
And that’s why the 3rd cosmic event caught me by total surprise.
The TRICK
To repeat, January was a difficult month. Most of the month found me really struggling to muster the will power to eat right and exercise on a consistent basis. And that’s why this third event was so timely. This event, combined with its timing, left no doubt in my mind of cosmic involvement.
I was watching a series of lectures on the human brain (Action/Adventure, really?). In the middle of one of the lectures, a comment jumped out at me. It was about an effective trick to improve will power. Apparently will power can be built up; similar to exercising a muscle to increase its strength.
So, what’s the trick?
“Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand”.
I’m game. So, I’ve started to brush my teeth with my left hand. It’s a bit slow and I definitely have some coordination issues (even keeping the toothbrush inside my mouth). But I’m doing it. And I’m counting on whatever neural pathways this is establishing to do their will-power-boosting magic on my eating and exercising activities.
Left-handed teeth brushing. Another example of a strange bit of luck from the Universe; evidence that a manifestation really is in progress.