It's not that complicated, Friends......

January. 

People are eager to make lifestyle changes, specifically regarding their health and/or appearance.  Problem is, most of them want an easy and quick way to accomplish that. After all, we are a society that has become addicted to the FAST, INSTANT, and IMMEDIATE answers.  That might work with technology but it does not work with the body or overall health and wellness.  We're not comfortable with the "process" of things. We are uneasy and agitated by baby-steps. We grow frustrated in hearing "this will be a journey...."  Don't know about you, but I'm not so sure our dependency on getting what we want in a jiffy is all positive.  (There's something to be said for staying in bed for a day, sipping on chicken soup, and reading from a paperback book, but that's another post.........)

So, when it comes to our desire for physical change, I have repeated it before and I'll say it again:
YOU GET FIT IN THE GYM; 

YOU LOSE WEIGHT IN THE KITCHEN. 

 You can do one without the other, but you will only get half the results.

In both the gym and the kitchen, you have to do three things:

1) Be Prepared  2) Be Committed  3) Be Intentional

Be prepared.  Have a plan for your workout, do shopping ahead of time, keep your workout shoes in your car and healthy snacks with you at all times.

Be committed. Look ahead six or eight weeks and pencil in your training. Say "no thanks" to a gift of goodies from a co-worker. When the computer screams "stay here!!" stand up and shout back "when I'm done with my workout." Eat that healthy snack not necessarily  because it's tastes good, 

but because it's good for you.

Be intentional. Don't just show up to your workouts; work h-a-r-d. Pay attention to your meals - are you feeling full? Then stop eating.  Finish your run, reps, time on the clock. It matters more how you finish than how you start. Stay out of the fridge/pantry/cupboard unless it's time for food!

Folks, if you have any other suggestions or tips for our fellow readers, please comment!!!! We learn best from those in the same boat, so SHARE your ideas and testimonies!!!

Looking forward to hearing all of your success stories..........

 in four months!!! :) :) :)

Setbacks

Every now and then, something interferes with our training. Schedules, work, to-do lists, illness.....injuries. Nobody is exempt from interruptions. I have one now :(  Last week, I hurt myself in a class.....recovery is on the horizon, but it has forced me to be a non-exerciser for a few weeks.  This is new to me.  

Living life without an elevated heart rate or tender muscles is new terrain.

Setbacks happen.  It's not "how can we avoid them" but rather 

HOW DO WE USE THEM TO OUR ADVANTAGE?? 

Sometimes, God allows these things in our lives to teach us lessons or give us perspective.  It might be that we need to discover empathy for others who have had similar occurrences. It could be that we need to feel supported and cared for by others; or maybe they are being encouraged (by our mishap) to show their love for us! Or perhaps we need to have a few days/weeks/months of rest and downtime. Whatever the case may be, there are many blessings behind setbacks if you look past the surface of it all.

There was a time, while working at a health club years ago, that I knew a man named John. John was a 67 year-old retired teacher who worked out consistently, Monday through Friday, at 3:00 in the afternoon.  He put more miles on "his" treadmill than anyone else in that club.  His upbeat, perky, jolly personality was contagious to all who knew him. He was always smiling, always had a funny story to tell, and rarely missed a workout -  even if it had snowed a foot outside.  

When John walked in the front door, it was as if the day was deemed normal.

One day, John didn't show up.  And that followed by a second day....and a third. Until finally we decided to call and check on him. His sweet wife answered the phone and calmly explained that John had not felt well and went to the doctor only to quickly discover that he needed a triple by-pass ASAP. Stunned. Not JOHN! He was so healthy and vibrant and alive!!! The news traveled fast as meal calendars were set up and flowers sent to his home.  Several weeks passed and still no word from John or his family.  The likelihood of his return seemed slim and 3 p.m. had a slightly empty feeling. 

We began to wonder if we would ever see John again.

At about the eight-week mark, John's beat up old pick-up pulled into a stall and he walked in with his gym bag slung over his shoulder (as usual) and he paused at the front desk for his traditional, "How ya doin', Ladies?" greeting.  AHHHHH! JOHN!!! Whaaaaa???????

The regulars gathered around and welcomed him back, and we asked him for some details and insight to his time away.  John set down his bag and took a seat on a nearby stool. One member said to him, "John, of all people, I would have never expected to hear you had a heart problem. It was shocking. I guess all that working out didn't really do you much good, huh?"

John laughed and replied, "Oh, quite the contrary, my dear friend.  My team of doctors told me that it was because I exercised so much that I wasn't dead 15 years ago."  Gulp. He went on.

"This little incident was just a test of the 'ol ticker. Gave me and the wife a chance to spend some time together and plan our next vacation!  It was a welcome break in the routine of things. A little time to get my thoughts in order and take stock in how things were going, ya know?" Silence.

Man. No bitterness? No frustration? No self-pity?  No, an example, that's what it was.  John represented an attitude about life that was enlightening and motivating.  He did not consider his health issue a setback. 

He considered it a blessing.

John briskly picked up his bag, purchased a water, and scurried on back to the locker room to change just like he always did.  Fifteen minutes later, I glanced down the hallway and saw him on that treadmill. He was smiling. He was sweating. He was healthy and renewed. And he was grateful.

For every setback, there is a comeback.

 

Thanksgiving (nope....not about food).

 Read this today and thought it was special. Enjoy.

By: Anne Lamott

Counting Our Blessings

No matter how you say it, grace can transform an ordinary meal into a celebration—of family, love, and gratitude.

We didn't say grace at our house when I was growing up because my parents were atheists. I knew even as a little girl that everyone at every table needed blessing and encouragement, but my family didn't ask for it. Instead, my parents raised glasses of wine to the chef: Cheers. Dig in. But I had a terrible secret, which was that I believed in God, a divine presence who heard me when I prayed, who stayed close to me in the dark. So at 6 years old I began to infiltrate religious families like a spy—Mata Hari in plaid sneakers.

One of my best friends was a Catholic girl. Her boisterous family bowed its collective head and said, "Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts. …" I was so hungry for these words; it was like a cool breeze, a polite thank-you note to God, the silky magnetic energy of gratitude. I still love that line.

I believed that if your family said grace, it meant you were a happy family, all evidence to the contrary. But I saw at certain tables that an improvised grace could cause friction or discomfort. My friend Mark reports that at his big southern childhood Thanksgivings, someone always managed to say something that made poor Granny feel half dead. "It would be along the lines of ‘And Lord, we are just glad you have seen fit to keep Mama with us for one more year.' We would all strain to see Granny giving him the fisheye."

I noticed some families shortened the pro forma blessing so they could get right to the meal. If there were more males than females, it was a boy chant, said as one word: "GodisgreatGodisgoodletusthankHimforourfoodAmen." I also noticed that grace usually wasn't said if the kids were eating in front of the TV, as if God refused to listen over the sound of it.

And we've all been held hostage by grace sayers who use the opportunity to work the room, like the Church Lady. But more often, people simply say thank you—we understand how far short we must fall, how selfish we can be, how self-righteous, what brats. And yet God has given us this marvelous meal.

It turns out that my two brothers and I all grew up to be middle-aged believers. I've been a member of the same Presbyterian church for 27 years. My older brother became a born-again Christian—but don't ask him to give the blessing, as it can last forever. I adore him, but your food will grow cold. My younger brother is an unconfirmed but freelance Catholic.

So now someone at our holiday tables always ends up saying grace. I think we're in it for the pause, the quiet thanks for love and for our blessings, before the shoveling begins. For a minute, our stations are tuned to a broader, richer radius. We're acknowledging that this food didn't just magically appear: Someone grew it, ground it, bought it, baked it; wow.

We say thank you for the miracle that we have stuck together all these years, in spite of it all; that we have each other's backs, and hilarious companionship. We say thank you for the plentiful and outrageous food: Kathy's lox, Robby's bûche de Noël. We pray to be mindful of the needs of others. We savor these moments out of time, when we are conscious of love's presence, of Someone's great abiding generosity to our dear and motley family, these holy moments of gratitude. And that is grace.

May your month be filled with unending Thanksgiving.
~h.

Must address the obvious.......

Cold and flu season is upon us, Friends.  A few tips to help us stay healthy and well through the next few months:

1. Get plenty of rest.  We heal when we sleep, so make sure you are getting the required 7 - 9 hours of sleep per night (but no more than that just because the bed is cozy and the rain is tapping on the window:)

2. Get REGULAR exercise. I have said it before, and I will say it again - - - - you must schedule it in each week or it will be the first thing to get the boot when the days fill up.  Studies show that people who get moderate and regular exercise each week (think: 3 - 4 times a week) get fewer colds and flus each year. Even if you do work out regularly and still get the crud, you will likely fight it and recover faster than someone who does not exercise regularly.

3.  Eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies high in phytochemicals which are ideal for helping your body play defense to infection. Stock your kitchen with a few of these infection-fighting superfoods such as kale, tomatoes, berries, grapes, grapefruits, pomegranates, sweet potatoes, mangos and spinach.

4. Manage stress.  I almost typed "reduce stress" but every time I read that, I snicker because you really can't eliminate a lot of stressors in your life. Especially "good" stress - Christmas, a new baby, a big celebration, a new home, landing a big account, etc.  And we certainly know we can't dodge all "distress" either - a job loss, an illness, grocery store temper tantrums, a hectic day.  So I like to say MANAGE stress effectively.  #'s 1, 2, and 3 above this will instantly help with that. Another way is to find 10 - 15 minutes a day to be still and let your mind go blank. Drink a cup of tea, watch a favorite t.v. program, get on Pinterest :), chat with a friend without multi-tasking, or even take a quick nap. 

5. Drink plenty of water.  Think of water as that internal bath that washes away toxins and yuck. Flush out what might have gotten inside all day long with plenty (remember....half your body weight in ounces) of good clean water.

A note about illness and exercise:
I am often asked if someone can work out if they aren't feeling 100%.  Here's a rule of thumb: if you are feeling ill from the throat "up" you can try to do what feels comfortable.  If you're symptoms are from the chest "down" (chest, cough, stomach issues) it's best to pass until you feel better.  Also, any type of fever would indicate chicken soup and sleep over a workout.  Some say you can ward off a head cold if you catch it right at the start by giving your body a great cardio workout.  I have found this to be true for myself sometimes.  At the end of the day, you must listen to your body and rest when it should rest BUT not use a little sniffle as an excuse not to train :)

Applies to all things.

7-Card Stud Workout

In need of a fun way to train lower body? Welcome to 7 Card Stud~

Here's how ya do it:
Get a set of weights appropriate for lower body.
Get a watch or stop watch.
Get a deck of cards. Shuffle.
Warm up for 10 minutes - preferably break a sweat and increase core body temperature.
Randomly draw 7 cards and lay them out in front of you.
Then, refer to this list of lower body exercises. Do each one you draw per the instructions below.
Once you've done your first set, put that group of 7 cards away and draw another 7 cards.
Repeat this for a total of FIVE sets (35 cards/exercises).

Cool down with a stretch and............ you.are.done.

Have fun!

A - 1 MINUTE - GIANT ALTERNATING STEP UP ON A CHAIR
2 - 10 STRAIGHT -LEG DEAD LIFTS
3 - MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS X 45 SECONDS
4 - 8 SINGLE-LEG DROP SQUATS OFF A CHAIR
5 - 1 MINUTE SQUAT/SIDE LIFT - ALTERNATING SIDES
6 - 10 ALTERNATING FRONT LUNGES
7 - PLIE HOPS X 45 SECONDS
8 - 15 BASIC SQUATS
9 - 8 ONE-LEG STAND UPS - FROM A CHAIR
10 - 1 MINUTE LEG THROWS OVER BACK OF CHAIR
J - 30 SECONDS LATERAL HOP (EACH LEG)
Q - 8 CURTSY LUNGES - EACH SIDE
K -  1 MINUTE BILATERAL CALF RAISES

Things that make you go, "hmmmmmmmmmm........"

When determining what good High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) does for the body, consider this (physical) difference:

Think back to the Olympics this summer. Side by side, visually compare a long-distance runner's body type with a sprinters body type.  Whaaaaa? See what I mean?  I'm not saying that long-distance running isn't good (it's terrific) but I am saying that if we were to judge HIIT simply on appearance, this is proof - As this is how sprinters train.  But there's more than just how it makes us look - click on the link below that explains this very well. Bottom line: in order to complete the fitness "pie" we have to incorporate both endurance and high intensity training.

8 Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

And why it needs to be part of your regular workout routine.

By Charlotte Andersen

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) describes any workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. For example, a good starter workout is running as fast as you can for 1 minute and then walking for 2 minutes. Repeat that 3-minute interval five times for a 15-minute, fat-blasting workout. It sounds too simple to be effective, but science doesn't stretch the truth. Read on for eight proven benefits of this powerful workout:

 http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/8-benefits-high-intensity-interval-training-hiit