Monday, February 28, 2011

Start wherever you are!

OK, forget it is not worth it.  I am too small and there is no way I could ever grow to be what I want to be.  I am even a little crooked!  The snow is too deep and I can't see the sun very much.  Sometimes I am even covered up.

Do you ever feel like that?  Like in order to be healthy you have too far to go?  
I would like to suggest--- just start where you are.  
Make progress for your health.  
The best measure of success is your own improvement.  
Take your measurements.  See how fast you can walk a mile.  See how many sit-ups you can do.  Record your diet for a day.  Then set a goal and make some changes.  Are you improving? 
 Use that as a motivation and don't compare yourself with Lance Armstrong 
(multiple time winner of Tour de France bike race and http://www.sitevip.net/lance-armstrong/career.htm.)  
That is like that little twig above getting discouraged because she is not like the picture below. 
 Go ahead and dream great things. 
 Then start where you are and make those little changes. 

(Wow, this sounds like a Sunday School lesson.  You could apply this to repentance also!)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Midweek successes!!!!

Hey!  I shaved 5 minutes off my one mile swim time!  Yeah!  My goal of drinking 8 glasses of water is really helping me eat less and feel better. What is your success this week so far?  Little successes are wonderful!  For example, "I ate only one scoup of ice cream instead of 7 like I wanted to."  "I exercised eventhough I didn't feel like it."  or "I helped someone and it made us both smile."  What is yours?

Monday, February 21, 2011

Would an attitude adjustment help you?

Congratulations to Kay who won the Fitness Tracker!  She guessed 8:15 a.m. and the exact time was 8:44 a.m.  Way to go!
My swimming suit locked
to the outside of the locker to dry.


Now to this weeks topic . . .


Is a bad attitude about exercise or eating healthy keeping you from reaching your fitness goals?  I know I have been guilty of this.  I have looked on it as a burden to exercise. I have sometimes viewed eating less or more healthily as a deprivation.  Look at your own negative views about healthy behaviors and try and analyze them for what they really are.  Are they based in reality?

Let's pick apart my bad attitudes.  Is exercise really a burden?  I am always happy when I am done, so why did I sometimes dread it? It may be one of those things that is good for you that when you stop fighting about it, you can actually enjoy it. Some good examples are scripture study, eating right and exercise.
Exercise has become my outlet.  It seriously keeps me (mostly) sane.  I can handle things better.  I have more energy.  I feel better about myself.  Shifting my thinking from exercise being a burden, to exercise being my "time out" and time I look forward to to take care of myself has made all the difference in the world.

Eating healthy.  I am still working on that one, but I have come a long way.  Fresh fruits and vegetables really make your body feel better than a big greasy meal like a burger and fries, don't they?  Why do we fight it?  How do you want to feel after you eat?  I have decided I do better when I eat my veggies first.  Sometimes when I don't, I am full before I get to them and they feel left out :( .  Shift your thinking to eating healthy is something to strive for, not something to dread.  Find ways to make it work for you.

Another thing I do that I know can be a big problem sometimes for others to is stress or boredom eat.  Does it solve the problem?  Really?  It has helped me just to realize I do it and to stop myself and think.  What is really bugging me?  Do I need to talk with someone, write in my journal, scream in my pillow or hug a tree instead?  Those things may actually help me deal with what I am feeling (except maybe the tree part, but it would at least get me outside!)  Deal with your feelings.  Acknowledge and feel them head on instead of trying to bury them with food.  It is OK to feel lonely sometimes.  It makes us appreciate having good people who love us around, like at church!

Send me those goals.  Shift your thinking if you need to and get healthier this week!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Guess what time and win a fitness tracker from Donna!



I have a fitness tracker to give away so I thought I would do this little contest.  What time do you think it is in the above picture?  Use the length of my shadow to guess!   This was taken on Saturday, Feb. 12 and it was before noon. Send  me an email or post a comment with your guess.  Closest one to the correct time wins it!  Guessing ends at the end of the day on Friday, Feb 18th.

Why track what you are doing?
Keeping a record of what is happening can do a few things.  It can give you a reality check of what is actually happening.  For example, I realized when I started recording my calories that it is the snacks late in the day that put me over my calorie goal for the day.  I also realized when I record what I eat, I don't want to eat as much because I don't want to record it.

Tracking builds in accountability.  Would more help you?  Show me your goals each week and the record of how you did!  Knowing you have to show someone sometimes gets you going when you might not have otherwise done it.

Same goes for tracking exercise or whatever health goal you are striving to reach.  At the start of your goal, write it down and it becomes a more solid goal.  Record what you are doing to see progress and to help you see if you are truly reaching your goal.  A goal not written down and clarified  is only a wish!  Make those goals measurable.  I want to drink more water is a wish. I will drink more water by drinking 8 glasses of water a day, two in the morning and two at each meal is a better goal.  Then record how you do! Do not worry about perfection.  See improvement!  Happy goal making!
Find a reason to smile today . . . .

Thursday, February 10, 2011

How hard should I exercise? Key: Heart Rate or Perceived Exertion

How do you know how hard you should work when exercising to get the benefits for you heart and increase your fitness level?  Good question.  There are two recommended ways of figuring out how hard you should be working:  heart rate and perceived exertion.  Let me explain.

Heart Rate  (note:  if you have heart or other medical problems, get a doctors OK before doing this)

Heart rate is the old standard.  A simple way to judge is to count your pulse during exercise.  You can do this in one of two common ways.  One is on the thumb side of your wrist using the fingers of the opposite hand. (left)  
               
The other is on your carotid artery (my preferred site, picture below)  Don't push too hard on your neck artery; it supplies your brain!  You could pass out if you do.
     
(Google images pictures)

Found your pulse?  Count for one minute.  Or, if you are like me, I count for 10 seconds and multiply by 6.  Then I can get back to working out.  Personally I aim for about 150, so for 10 seconds I should count 25 beats.  If my count is lower and I need to work harder.  Much higher and I may be working out too hard for cardiovascular benefits and fat loss.  I also may fatigue too soon if I start exercising anaerobically. (topic for future blog!)

How fast should your heart rate be?  Check out the Mayo Clinic Calculator for it:  

Perceived Exertion

The other method, somewhat simpler is to use perceived exertion.  The rule of thumb is that you can feel your heart rate is elevated and you are working hard, but you can still talk to a friend or your dog or the bushes.  If you can't you are breathing too hard and your heart rate is probably too high unless you are seeking to make strength gains, not cardiovascular gains. (Ask me about this if you want more info.)  Back off a little bit.  If you are not breathing hard at all, however, you need to step it up a bit to get the heart and fitness benefits.  Stay in the 11-13 range on a scale of 1-20.

Source of image:

Questions?  Let me know!  Happy exercising-------

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Cross Country fun . . .


Me looking for a doggy kiss this morning.

Ain't she cute?  Make fitness a family activity!

We wore him out! (reminder to get enough rest)

Get healthier today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Monday, February 7, 2011

Fighting the Blues



Not much sunshine and very cold, winter can be tough in Michigan!  How can you fight the blues?  Here are some ideas:

*Note: Depression can be a serious problem.  Research the warnings signs of severe depression if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one.  Get professional help if you need it.  Sometimes we do need help and that is OK!  This article is for mild down in the dumps, so if these ideas don't help, seek help please.

  • Look for the beauty in the world God created and thank Him for it.
  • Make a "happy spot" or a poster listing things you are thankful for.  As Madam Blueberry says, a thankful heart is a happy heart. (Veggie Tales)
  • Get outside and enjoy the world, cold or no cold.  Just dress for it.  You would be surprised how warm you get when you are working hard!
  • Use light therapy.  Buy a light or light bulb that simulates natural sunshine and turn it on a couple of hours in the morning.  You could even have a light turn on a little before you get up in the morning so it is like a natural sunrise to help you get up.   Wikihow.com: "Use artificial light. Many people invest in a light box, which simulates the sun's natural rays, emitting 2,500 to 10,000 lux (a normal light fixture emits 250 to 500 lux). They work by reducing the release of melatonin in the brain. For best results, use a light box daily, in the early morning, and for 30 minutes to two hours at a time. Many people see improvement in about 2 weeks.[2]

    • You can use the light box to effectively lengthen the day: use it before daylight, after the sun sets, or a combination of the two. Increasing the daylength by two hours should be effective.
    • Light therapy boxes aren't regulated, so if you pick one out without the recommendation of a doctor, look for ones that have been tested in peer-reviewed clinical trials and have smooth diffusing screens that filter out UV rays.[3]
    • Unfortunately, light boxes aren't cheap. In some cases, they are covered by health insurance.
    • Alternatively, you can get full-spectrum light bulbs at a hardware store. Just make sure they emit a minimum of 2,500 lux.[4]"
  • Talk to a friend. Talking things out can change the chemicals in your brain for the better like taking an anti-depressant might.
  • Go on vacation to a sunny place.  Can't?  Make sure you are taking a multivitamin with vitamin D; D can be depleted this time of year and can cause depression, among other things.
  • Eat healthily.  Low moods can mean low seratonin levels and sometimes we crave carbs because of it. Weight gain may not help the blues, so keep healthy snacks available and have a little protein to help limit cravings.
  • What are your strategies?  Share!
  • Bernice suggested drinking plenty of water and getting enough rest.  (The water thing is tough in the winter, I think!  Good suggestion)

Friday, February 4, 2011

Ideas of how to exercise when I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT

Send me your ideas of how you exercise anyway, even when you just don't wanna.  
*The one that got me going this morning is to start a blog and have to talk about what I did!  (I swam a mile today and raced the guy next to me.  He got tired.  OK, maybe I did too.)
*How about meet a friend?  If you know they are waiting for you. . . out the door you go.  
*Set a goal.  
*Think about how good you will feel after you are done.
*How about do it anyway because you have committed to Donna, your number one cheerleader, that you will go for your goals.
*Or do it so you can tell Donna!
*Exercise because you want to set a good example for your spouse/kids/ fill in the blank.
(This picture makes you want to go swim, eh?)
*A big motivator for me is thinking about my family and the weight struggles that so many of us deal with.  It is not fun.
*Or how about because you can feel yourself getting stronger and you don't want to slide backwards in your progress!!!
*It helps me to read about exercise, the benefits, ideas for making it fun, etc.  Like on this blog!
*You can call me and I will give you a pep talk!  Go you!
What are your reasons?  Share!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Having fun in the Blizzard?


Here is the curve at the park skiing on Tuesday (left).  I am really starting to love cross-country skiing.  I just get to take time out and enjoy the world God has created, ya' know? Below is the herringbone pattern I made in the snow on a hill because I kept sliding down!  That is actually how you get up hills when things are steep or slippery.  It's a good workout too!

I didn't make it to the pool today, obviously, because of the 16 inches of snow that fell last night.  Wow! It is beautiful out there and I am glad I can stay home!  Instead of swimming I went out and played with my kids in the snow this morning.  Fun!  That is a good workout to try and walk thigh high in snow drifts, try it sometime.  (Many of you probably did!)

I did not push them there, even though I wish I would have thought of that.



Check out the snowflake on her eyelash!