You can do anything you set your mind to, man" Eminem, Lose Yourself
If you gotta run, gotta lift, gotta crunch, are you doing in a spot that is truly deserving of such an feat? Are you surrounding yourself with the motivation to kick those crunches to the curb or are you just laying down in the middle of your living room, pushing aside the morning paper and the toys that the kids didn't put away the night before? Are you running around the neighborhood, dodging trashcans and errant dogs?
These places do serve a purpose; don't get me wrong. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and boy do I know that something is better than nothing. But when do you go to your sweet spot, the one place where you know that motivation runs high and finishing brings such sweet satisfaction?
I recently discovered my sweet spot. At work, no less! Here I can have a Top Gun moment (in running shoes rather than a motorcycle, mind) while I listen to tunes that keep me going. There's nothing like it.
Can you run on a wooded trail? (Keep it safe and run with a friend!) Along a riverfront? How about practicing yoga in a garden, surrounded by the smells of beautiful flowers? Find a sweet spot worthy of your activity, even if you can only go there once or twice a month. Make it a ritual!
19.6.07
100 calorie packet prisons
"I wonder if I take you home, would you still be in love, baby" Black Eyed Peas, Don't Phunk With My Heart
When all of these different companies started coming out with 100 calorie packets of cookies, chips and crackers I was among the first to laden my shopping cart with them, eager to indulge in the sweets that I loved. At last! Guilt-free snacking!
But after countless dollars have been spent and a little more common sense learned, I'm putting my foot down.
It's not these 100 calorie packets that either help or hinder us. It's our own sense of willpower. What's the sense of tossing a few 100 calorie packets into your lunch bag if all you are going to do is end up eating 300 empty calories anyway? Want a better snack? Grab some baby carrots. Or celery sticks and a couple of tablespoons of reduced sodium peanut butter (hello, protein!).
Open that 100 calorie bag and take a good look. How much food is really there? Just enough to leave you wanting more. And more. Call it a little tease. For those of you who have iron clad willpower: I salute you. But the rest of us mere mortals need a little extra help so we don't dive into another packet of cookies. And then another.
Kick these 100 calorie packets to the curb. Nibble on fruit, nuts, granola (the healthy kind, not the "laden with sugar" kind), or fresh veggies...these types of foods not only have the ability to give you a boost over your mid-day slump but they are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling fuller, longer.
See if you can't schedule your snacking: late morning and mid-day, and down to the hour if necessary. Knowing when you are going to get something to snack on may alleviate a sense of panic that can be brought on by new-found structure. I used to freak out if I didn't think I brought enough food to work with me. Now I allow myself two snacks and I space them out so I'm less inclined to hit the dreaded vending machine.
Edamame, anyone?
When all of these different companies started coming out with 100 calorie packets of cookies, chips and crackers I was among the first to laden my shopping cart with them, eager to indulge in the sweets that I loved. At last! Guilt-free snacking!
But after countless dollars have been spent and a little more common sense learned, I'm putting my foot down.
It's not these 100 calorie packets that either help or hinder us. It's our own sense of willpower. What's the sense of tossing a few 100 calorie packets into your lunch bag if all you are going to do is end up eating 300 empty calories anyway? Want a better snack? Grab some baby carrots. Or celery sticks and a couple of tablespoons of reduced sodium peanut butter (hello, protein!).
Open that 100 calorie bag and take a good look. How much food is really there? Just enough to leave you wanting more. And more. Call it a little tease. For those of you who have iron clad willpower: I salute you. But the rest of us mere mortals need a little extra help so we don't dive into another packet of cookies. And then another.
Kick these 100 calorie packets to the curb. Nibble on fruit, nuts, granola (the healthy kind, not the "laden with sugar" kind), or fresh veggies...these types of foods not only have the ability to give you a boost over your mid-day slump but they are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling fuller, longer.
See if you can't schedule your snacking: late morning and mid-day, and down to the hour if necessary. Knowing when you are going to get something to snack on may alleviate a sense of panic that can be brought on by new-found structure. I used to freak out if I didn't think I brought enough food to work with me. Now I allow myself two snacks and I space them out so I'm less inclined to hit the dreaded vending machine.
Edamame, anyone?
In the news
Do TVs, iPods help or hurt your workout?
One more example of Duh, I coulda told you that!Motivation
"Kick on the starter give it all you got" Start Me Up, Rolling Stones
There is a woman, at least sixty years old, who comes to the pool regularly throughout the week. It takes her a while, but she makes it into the pool, leans back and just floats for a moment. Just for a moment, and then she's off. She's walking through the water as if she's plowing through 5 feet of snow. Shoulders forward, legs determined and brows set. She pushes herself, gently, mind, but she pushes herself. Many days you can tell that she's dreading this task, but she's bound and determined.
She's also extremely overweight. Obese, even. When I started teaching classes in the pool a year ago, I had to move out of way so she could get by me on the pool deck...she was that big. She's now easily moving past me. I'd say that she's easily lost one hundred pounds, and probably has one hundred more to go. But she's determined. And she'll make it.
There is a woman, at least sixty years old, who comes to the pool regularly throughout the week. It takes her a while, but she makes it into the pool, leans back and just floats for a moment. Just for a moment, and then she's off. She's walking through the water as if she's plowing through 5 feet of snow. Shoulders forward, legs determined and brows set. She pushes herself, gently, mind, but she pushes herself. Many days you can tell that she's dreading this task, but she's bound and determined.
She's also extremely overweight. Obese, even. When I started teaching classes in the pool a year ago, I had to move out of way so she could get by me on the pool deck...she was that big. She's now easily moving past me. I'd say that she's easily lost one hundred pounds, and probably has one hundred more to go. But she's determined. And she'll make it.
In the news
I love it when someone debunks weight loss myths. It's almost like debunking an internet hoax. Don't forward those, btw.
Body Glide | Bodies in motion
"Cause I bring you that comfort" Black Eyed Peas, Don't Phunk With My Heart
I can't believe that I only just found Body Glide. This stuff is amazing. Really and truly. Lest I convince myself that I'm the only person out there who has the occassional "thighs rubbing together so badly that I'm about to start a fire" issue, allow me to impart my new found wisdom upon the masses.
Body Glide is an "anti skin friction formula". Better put, it's a lubricant. Say it loudly, with me! LUBRICANT! Go on! It's not a dirty word!
LUBRICANT!
Not to be too graphic (ok, wait...so I really don't mind) I applied this stuff to my inner thighs just as I would under my arms. It's Lube on a Stick with almost the consistency of Chapstick. Note to self: Don't mistake this stuff for my Lady Speedstick. Then I ran.
And the clouds parted! The heavens sang! My thighs didn't feel as though I was gearing up for a BBQ! Hallelujah!
I will be buying stock in Body Glide. So go buy some.
Lappin' it up
"The number one question is how could you ignore it" Linkin Park, Nobody's Listening
It's very difficult to ignore a pool. It sits there, deceptively calm, waiting for me to finally get in and get to work. 9 laps in a pool await me in August so I figure that it's about time for me to get in the water and try out these laps.
Back and forth...one...back and forth...two...back and forth...damn, this would have been much easier if I hadn't forgotten my goggles. I think I'm over looking like a dork wearing googles in the pool. I used to be able to leave my eyes open under water but since I'm getting older my eyes have become far more sensitive. So goggles 1, vanity 0.
But for this round of laps I don't have them. I forge ahead, swimming the length of the pool when I quickly discover a few things: I definitely won't be able to do this tri without the goggles. Breathing is going to be harder than I thought. My triceps tired out pretty quickly so I'm going to have to do some overhead presses. Lastly, this is hard work. I tend to forget that swimming is one of the best exercises because it uses all the major muscle groups.
Back and forth...one...back and forth...two...back and forth...three...
In the news
Breathing. Stretching. Finding your inner calm. If it's good enough for Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina and Adm. Tom Steffensthen (retired Navy SEAL) it's probably good enough for you. Check out the story here.
In the news
Could a low calorie, low carbohydrate diet slow Alzheimers? Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine think that just might be the ticket.
In the news
A new study suggests that being forced to stop exercising can induce depression and fatigue. You don't say? Well I coulda told you that! Who's gonna fund my research?!
Motivation
"Take a chance you stupid ho" Gwen Stefani, What You Waiting For?
I gotta hand it to my mother. The woman is completley out of shape. Overweight. Hasn't exercised in YEARS. She's got foot problems so standing and walking can be painful. And yet.
I've got her sitting on a chair with a set of weights. Lifitng, pressing, curling. She's listening to me as I count down the reps, breathing when I remind her to breathe and flexing when I tell her to squeeze. Now we're laying on the floor doing crunches. Up, down, up down. She's ambling onto the elliptical machine, hoping that she doesn't fall off. I see her pushing, sweating, moving, trying to catch her breath. When she makes it on there for 5 minutes I tell her what a great job she's done and she replys that she feels like she's dying. And we'll go again tomorrow. And again. And again. Building up strength and endurance. Burning fat. Building muscle.
Oh, and she just quit smoking. I can't be more proud of her.
I know she can do this. She can do anything she puts her mind to, and I tell her that.
Who have you encouraged today?
I gotta hand it to my mother. The woman is completley out of shape. Overweight. Hasn't exercised in YEARS. She's got foot problems so standing and walking can be painful. And yet.
I've got her sitting on a chair with a set of weights. Lifitng, pressing, curling. She's listening to me as I count down the reps, breathing when I remind her to breathe and flexing when I tell her to squeeze. Now we're laying on the floor doing crunches. Up, down, up down. She's ambling onto the elliptical machine, hoping that she doesn't fall off. I see her pushing, sweating, moving, trying to catch her breath. When she makes it on there for 5 minutes I tell her what a great job she's done and she replys that she feels like she's dying. And we'll go again tomorrow. And again. And again. Building up strength and endurance. Burning fat. Building muscle.
Oh, and she just quit smoking. I can't be more proud of her.
I know she can do this. She can do anything she puts her mind to, and I tell her that.
Who have you encouraged today?
Pull up a chair
"I'm still the king of me" Sheryl Crow, Soak Up The Sun
You can effectively modify just about any exercise and perform it on or with a chair. And that's exactly what I grabbed when I began working with my mom to better her health. Performing exercises from a chair can be especially beneficial if you are recovering from an injury (if you are under the care of a doctor be sure to talk with him/her before starting any exercise regimen!).
Want to work with dumbbells?
No, I'm not talking about your co-workers. Grab a set and sit your butt right down. Give your back a well deserved rest as you curl, row, press and laterally raise those weights.
How about those quads?
Bring that knee up for some knee extensions. Squeeze the quad as you extend the foot.
And the hamstrings?
Grab the back of the chair while standing and do hamstring curls. You can make this exercise harder by using a resistance band around your ankles.
Outer/Inner thighs?
Grab the chair again for side leg lifts. You don't need to lift your leg at a 90 degree angle for this to be effective. Lift the leg slightly and squeeze your thigh. Once you complete a round of those, work the inner thigh. Cross the leg past your standing leg and hold, squeezing the inner thigh.
Don't forget to switch legs, people!
Calves?
Keep a hold of that chair. Raise up on your toes. Squeeze. Instant calf raise.
Abs?
Ok, now your just being lazy. Get down and do some crunches!
Don't forget to stretch! Here are a few stretches that can be done from a chair.
In the news
How's this for a study: starve yourself, live longer? Would any of you consider starving yourself if you were able to prolong your life by, say, one year?
I don't dig being hungry or deprived (depraved, maybe). I hope you'll forgive me if I don' t start emptying my pantry out.
Rules for getting dirty
"Too dirrty to clean my act up" Christina Aguilera, Dirrty
I gotta give it up to A. First the girl can walk into any weight room and command it. And on top of that, she manages to throw together a list of proper etiquette that you should know before walking into any gym. She has kindly allowed me to link that information here. I'm especially pleased because it makes me look like I've done something with my blog this morning.
I'll have you know that I actually broke a sweat typing this entry. And now, being the courteous blogger that I am, I am going to wipe down the keyboard in proper etiquette fashion.
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