Saturday, December 27, 2008

What's Your Motivation?

Today, I bought a pair of blue jeans for myself for the first time in ....Hmm....maybe 10-15 years. (The one pair that I do own is about two sizes two big and though very comfortable, look simply dreadful. My 14 year-old son loathes them.) Family members made sure I did not go alone as my sister insisted that she accompany me to the store, and before realizing this my other sister volunteered to provide her assistance. My nephew and his wife teased me as I walked in front of them in my new jeans. I blushed. My nephew said, "Hey, you work out all the time; you eat right every day; you deserve to look good in some nice jeans." Though looking good in a pair of jeans is obviously not my motivation for eating right and exercising -since I have not bought any in over 10 years - it helps to have a good reason (or reasons) to motivate us to be healthy and fit for the rest of our lives (not just for a season). Trying to fit into a dress is not motivating enough for good habits to become a lifestyle. Looking good for hubbie won't last forever if you yourself don't want to make the changes. Perhaps your motivation is that you want to do what you can to add longevity to your life. Perhaps, while you are living, you might as well be healthy. Perhaps, you have children, or grandchildren, or god-children that you need to be a good example for. Perhaps, you are determined to break the chain of disease that seems to run in your family, that can be controlled by eating healthy and exercising consistently. Perhaps, physically, your life really does depend on you being healthy. Perhaps, our motivation should be that because the Lord has blessed us with such awesome physical bodies, the least we can do is whatever it takes, to take care of them. Perhaps your motivation is that you are just sick and tired of being sick and tired.

So, what's your motivation?

Hmm....these jeans actually do feel kind of comfortable...who knew?!....:)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

They're Here!

The holidays are here! So, how can we make it to January 2nd without seeing more of ourselves in the mirror than we do now?

  • HOLIDAYS are here; not HOLIWEEKS; not HOLIMONTHS! For the next several ‘weeks’, do not give yourself license to forgo the healthy eating principles you have acquired. Thanksgiving is a holiDAY! Christmas is a holiDAY! New Year’s day is a holiDAY! If there are any other days in the next upcoming weeks where you will find yourself surrounded by LOTS of food, remember they are just that: days! When that ‘day ‘ is over get right back on track with your healthy eating and exercising.
  • GIVE AWAY THE LEFTOVERS. When the meal is at your house, tell folks to bring their containers so they can take all of the leftovers of the food you don't need right back out the door with them!
  • DO NOT DEPRIVE YOURSELF. When we deprive ourselves of something we really, really want, we often overindulge on something else, or finally have what we really want along with what we did not really want. Enjoy what you want but use portion control, and try not to eat as much as you would have in the past.
  • KEEP MOVING! Perhaps you will want to give your regular exercise regimen a hiatus for a few days during the upcoming weeks, but you can still keep moving. Keep taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Keep parking far as you can from the store entrance. Keep making LOTS of trips to the mail room or copy machine. Keep walking the long way to the post office or neighborhood market. Keep moving!
  • BE PREPARED ON YOUR JOB. From chocolate candies, to muffin baskets, to potlucks, to gift exchange celebrations, you name it! Take your own healthy snacks to work with you. You may still want to indulge on the holiday delicacy, but if you have your own snack you will have options.
  • THE ALL YOU CAN EAT HOLIDAY BUFFET. 1) Don’t hang out at the food table. 2) Drink water the entire time. 3) Choose lots of fruits and veggies. 4) Beware of dishes cooked in sauces and creams. 5) Choose lean meats. 6) Have your favorite dish, just don’t have so much of it! 7) Chew slowly! 8) Exercise the one plate rule: pile it high with whatever you want but never go back to the buffet!
  • TAKE YOUR OWN. Who cares what your family members say?! You can’t control what others will bring but you can control what you bring to the family gathering.
  • FOCUS ON FAMILY, NOT FOOD. Enjoy each other. Play games. Tell stories. Look at pictures. Play outside together! Create memories!
  • TAKE A BRISK WALK THE MORNING OF THE EVENT, OR THE EVENING OF THE EVENT, AFTER THE MEAL.
  • THE NEXT MEAL YOU CAN START ALL OVER. Too often we say, ‘Oh, well, since I have overeaten at lunch, there goes the rest of the day.’ WRONG! You can make a different choice. Choose to get back on track at dinner; don’t wait until the next day!
  • TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY. If you do choose to wait until the next day to get back on track, rather than the next meal, that’s fine too! Just don’t put it off until the next week! Tomorrow means the next day!
  • STEP AWAY FROM THE FOOD COURT ! If you must eat at the food court while shopping, 1) try the kid's meal, 2) eat before you go to the mall, 3) don't have lots of cash on you, 4) put a 100 calorie snack in your purse to have to eat first so you won't eat so much.
  • FAST FORWARD. Imagine how you will look and feel if you gain weight between now and January 2nd. Picture yourself on that morning as you stand before the mirror, or struggle with your zipper on a pair of pants that fit fine in November. Not a pretty sight is it?

    Enjoy your holidays! They're here!

Friday, October 31, 2008

21 Days - PLUS!

They say it takes 21 days to create or break a habit. Hmmm.....well, I have not had chips of any kind for over 21 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, No......maybe you don't understand!!! I - ME - MOI - Dale W. Hill - the I-don't-need-dip-just-give-me-the-chips, if-there's-chips-at-an-event-that's-where-you'll-find-me...THAT Dale! I love chips - this includes Doritos, pretzels, Tostitos, baked chips, soy chips, flax chips, blue chips, veggie chips - ANY KIND OF CHIPS! But, again, I repeat, I have not had any chips of any kind for over 21 days. HALLELUJAH! The decision to do such a thing resulted from a conversation that went kind of like this:
Self: Maybe I should just stop eating chips altogether.
Old self: Yeah, RIGHT! SIKE!!! Don't be unrealistic!
Self: But it appears that I cannot control myself when I eat chips...even the ones that aren't that bad for you like the baked ones or the flax ones or veggie ones - over eating is still over eating. Healthy chips or not, I just lose control!
Old self: Who do you think you're talking to?! Hello! You love chips! You serve them at your house OFTEN when you have fellowships in your house OFTEN! YOU buy the chips! No one asks you to! YOU buy them! You love them! AND, your husband buys them a LOT! They're in your house weekly! I think you're really going over board with this 'healthy' thing if you think you should stop eating one of your favorite snacks. You're always telling people to be realistic, and to be balanced.....a few chips every once in a while are not going to hurt you.
Self: That's just it! I can't eat a few! I can't eat just 10! I can't eat just 20! Then, afterwards I feel bad physically because of over-eating, and emotionally because I feel guilty!
Old Self: So, what are you going to do?! You're just going to stop eating chips - just like that!? Cold turkey?!
Self: I did it with pork and beef in 1981! You know how I grew up loving bacon, pork chops, barebecue ribs, sausage, etc, but in 1981 I gave it all up! ( NOTE: Though I still don't eat pork and beef, I no longer think that one needs to give up pork and beef to eat healthy...as long as you're eating lean choices of meat, NOT fried, NOT smothered, and NOT all of the time!)
Old self: That was different!
Self: Exactly! That was actually real food! ....a staple.....with vitamins and nutrients.....We're talking chips here! If I can replace pork and beef with soy and veggie products, surely I can replace chips! I don't NEED chips! They're not nutritious! Look, I can't control myself when I eat them and I don't like that....and when I lose control with the chips it just leads to other things that are not good for me.
Old self: So, how do you propose to do this?
Self: One day at at time....they say it takes 21 days to break or create a habit....If I can do it for 21 days then maybe I can do it for a lifetime! But, I'm no fool. I'll add a PLUS! I'll add a prayer, 'Lord, please take away the desire for chips from me."...just like I pray when I pray for people to stop smoking cigarettes; I ask the Lord to take away their desire for nicotine. Well, I KNOW the Lord is going to have to help me do this, so I'll pray this prayer all of time!

This 21 day experiment has been very interesting and fulfilling. There have been some tempting moments to say the least! The hardest one so far was one evening when I took my son to Subways and he got back in the car with his sandwich and some Doritos! Oh, my gosh! Doritos never smelled as good as they smelled that evening! Before I knew it, I said to him, "Give me one please" and my hand reached for his bag then out of nowhere I snatched my hand back and said, "No!...never mind......" That was close! So far, during this time, when my husband brings chips into the house, I put them away where I can't see them, and if I must, I leave the room while he is indulging. I believe I'll keep praying and keep going without chips. ( I included crackers too - Ritz, saltines, Cheese-its, Wheat-thins, veggie crackers.......I lose control when I eat them too.....and I also haven't had any of them in over 21 days.)

Perhaps you too need to create a new habit or break an old one. Give it a try. Give it 21 days with your own PLUS prayer! Maybe such a 21 day-Plus experiment like mine is a bit too drastic for you, but for me, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do - WITH God's help, that is. And honestly, I don't feel deprived or like I'm missing something, but like I said, I'm no fool!.....Thank goodness for the PLUS! "Cast ALL your care upon him, for he cares for you." I Peter 5:7

I've Found the Cure!

Accounting and Accountability!! I've found the cure!....I suppose 'found' is not exactly the appropriate word to use; more accurate would be 'rediscovered'. Not being able to run 20-25 miles per week for the past several months has really been difficult to adjust to - in more ways than one. I miss it, but not only that, it turns out, I was one of those persons that was allowing myself to eat foods that were not very nutritious because I decided all of my running would easily burn off any unwanted calories. Well, I've learned the hard way that for me personally, brisk power walking, riding my bike, nor doing the elliptical machine burns off as much calories as running does, and that discovery resulted in some extra unwanted pounds! For weeks, that woman in the mirror kept telling me she would start journaling but she lied. Journaling is a wonderful Weight Watchers tool that I love to hate! (Other weight loss programs also include this tool in their program but it's called by different names) Journaling (or tracking) requires one to write down what they eat each day. It's so tedious!!! But, this tool always keeps me on or puts me back on track because it makes me accountable and forces me to acknowledge what I'm eating - and NOT eating. Well, about a month ago, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting and asked someone to ask me the following week if I had journaled. I needed someone else to keep me accountable since that woman in the mirror would not. What a great week that was! Was it easy? No! But, boy it felt good getting back on track again. The woman I asked to help me, couldn't wait for me to walk in the door to see if I had been faithful. I proudly showed her my evidence and was looking forward to continuing to journal. I was beginning to get back into my zone again. And best of all, three weeks later of journaling daily I lost those unwanted pounds! This cure can work for you too! I choose Weight Watchers to help me maintain my weight loss, but you don't have to! Perhaps counting calories works best for you. Whatever works, start keeping some kind of food journal each day - the accounting - and ask someone to ask you if you did so a week later - the accountability.

Don't trust the woman in your mirror. I have a feeling your mirror and my mirror know each other!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Death By Helmet

I can just see the look on the medical examiner's face as he writes on his certificate, "Death by Helmet". Surely he would wonder, what would cause this woman to strap on her helmet so tightly that it would take the breath out of her? Couldn't she tell it was too tight? Wasn't she uncomfortable? Who would tell him that she missed running so much that she was desperate to get any kind of cardio work-out she could and since riding her bike did not hurt her foot/ankle, she was DESPERATE to ride no matter what! How would the investigators be able to figure out and tell her loving family, Reuben, Erin and Reub that apparently the rollers in her hair that she had to use because of the new hairstyle she got over the weekend, were really too high for the helmet but she forced the helmet on any way, snapped it closed, and rode for 30 minutes in spite of the trouble that she must have had breathing. At least she went doing what she loved, he'll add to his report, and surely he'll think he's seen it all now. Hmmm...."Death By Helmet".

O.K. Now that we're finished laughing, let's all learn from this. Let's not be so determined to eat right or exercise that we make unwise - O.K....down right stupid - choices. It really was hard to breathe this morning with that helmet snapped so tight on my neck, but I was too stubborn! I was too determined! I had to be that good example! I was going to get my 30 minute work-out no matter what! (O.K...I said you can stop laughing now.) I finally went to see a physician about my ankle/foot last week and he wants to have an MRI done to see what's wrong because the X-rays did not show anything conclusive. It's times like this when I realize that exercise is not enough. This lifestyle of being fit must include both exercise and eating healthy. I enjoy running, Yes, I really do, because of the wonderful feeling I get when I run, but also because running burns LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of calories! ....way-ay-ay more than riding my bike! So, without being able to burn as many calories as I usually do, then I really must eat right. And sometimes that's not so easy. So, we must be disciplined in both areas.

O.K. Really ...stop laughing.

It's a War!

As soon as I get home after work, the war is on! It seems like as soon as I walk in the house the 'eat the first thing in your sight' demons attack! It's got to be more than one because I am often so helpless with seemingly no defense! Somehow they know I didn't eat a healthy lunch. Somehow they know even though I'm hungry I really don't want to wait until I cook to eat something. Somehow they know that I was fasting until a certain time of the day and on quite a wonderful spiritual high but now things are different and I may be a little weak! Somehow they know snacking is my greatest weakness and if they get me quick they've got me for the rest of the evening. Somehow they know I've used so much discipline with my eating earlier in the day that by the time I get home I can't take it any more - I need a snack!!! IT'S A WAR I TELL YOU!! IT'S A WAR!

So, what do I do? Sometimes I just lose it. Sometimes I give into the temptations, snack on whatever I can get my hands on BEFORE dinner and my evening is ruined. And, of course I feel so guilty. It's awful. The next morning I start all over again with a new determination, (and begging the Lord for help in my prayers), to do better at eating healthy ALL DAY - not just until 6pm. Sometimes I eat dinner - if it's leftovers - AS SOON as I walk in the door before my hands can grab anything else! Sometimes I grab a piece of fruit - if I have to cook - to help me until dinner gets done. Sometimes I'll prepare some 94% fat free microwave popcorn just before I leave work and eat it in the car on my way home to keep me from wanting to snack when I arrive. Sometimes, as I drive home, I repeat my health affirmations that I've already said in the morning: 1- I am healthy and fit. 2- I do not want to snack tonight because I am not a snacker!!!; and, 3- I do want to eat a healthy dinner. I DO! I REALLY DO! HELP ME JESUS!!!

I believe we all have an area - or two - that we feel like we're in a war, with regard to our goal of being healthy and fit. To overcome them. let's first of all acknowledge them, then determine strategies to be victorious. And, let's remember, "A person without self-control is like a city with broken down walls" (Proverbs 25:28) And, "Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city." (Proverbs 16:32) OUCH!!!! THAT REALLY HURT!!!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Do Something Different!

Because of some physical challenges I’ve had in my left foot/ankle for the past few weeks, I’ve been unable to run four-five times a week the way I normally do. The first week, I tried walking instead of running for my cardio workout; still uncomfortable. The second week I tried the elliptical machine at the gym; still uncomfortable. So, yesterday I rode my bike instead – not a stationary bike at the gym, but a real bicycle. Yes, it has been a while since I rode. I haven’t ridden my bike much since I did the 25-mile Acura Bike Tour in 2006, but thank goodness, once you learn how to ride a bike you really do never forget. But, I miss running. I miss the track. I miss the gang at the track. Today, day two of riding my bike, as I was riding and feeling sorry for myself, before I knew it, I was reminded how much I love working out outside early in the morning; early before everyone begins their hustle and bustle; while the birds are still singing and the wind is still crisp and the sun is still on the horizon waiting for the perfect time to rise, as the moon gives out one last shout. Hmmm…my pity party soon turned to a praise party, as I seemed to fly along the not-so-busy-yet-but-just-you-wait-and-see streets in my neighborhood. As I rode, I began my daily regimen of reciting scriptures that I meditate on during my morning workouts. Hmmm…. I dare you to try an early morning workout outside. I know…. I know…that means you would have to get up earlier. I know….I know…. O.K. O.K., if not an early workout, because YOU ARE JUST NOT A MORNING PERSON, then at least try something different for your workout routine this week –whether it’s in the morning, noon, or night. Keep it interesting! Keep it fun! Keep it exciting! If we do the same old workout routine all of the time then we risk getting bored and then we may stop altogether. Try the gym instead of the tennis courts! Take a walk instead of swimming! Take a spinning class instead of an aerobics class! Jump rope instead of doing your exercise tape! Walk faster than you usually do! Walk further than you usually do! What a concept!! I can’t wait to hear what you are going to do different this week!

Friday, July 4, 2008

'Where there's a will.....'you know the rest

Bending down these days can be a little painful for me. But let me see one of those 25 cents candy machines in the mall with one of my favorite candies, boston baked baked beans, and WATCH me maneuver myself down to get those candies! Slowly, that's right, feet flat, take my time...hmmm.. got 'em! (Sorry...blame it on a wonderful childhood filled with lemon head candies, sugar babies, and goobers!!...but I digresss....)

Where there's a will, there's a way! Especially for women! Women, you know that once we put our mind to something, we DO IT! This is why we simply don't have any excuses when it comes to exercising! NONE! But incase you are still holding on to a few, let's dispute them, shall we?

  1. I can't exercise in the morning. Fine. Exercise during your lunch break or in the evening after work. (Or when the kids are napping if you are a stay-at-home Mom or when you are with them at the park, you can exercise.)
  2. I want to exercise in the morning but it's so difficult to get up early. Set your alarm clock for the earlier time and move it AWAY - far away, as long as you can still hear it - from your bed so you have to GET UP to turn it off. Or, ask a friend who is already up early to give you a wake up call. Or, ask a friend to ask you every day, 'So, how was your work out this morning?' Better yet, ask your children to ask you that question! They'll love it!
  3. I'm too tired or too busy to exercise after work but I can't at lunch or in the mornings before work. THEN exercising after work is your only other option so you must make it work!! Keep your exercise clothes at work and change before you leave. Or, keep them in the car. Keep healthy snacks at your desk and/or in your car to snack on something before you get to the gym or your destination so you don't give in to being hungry and claim you can't work out on an empty stomach. Don't over do it. Start with 30 minutes. If you must go home first or pick up children or drop children off, etc. make use of your surroundings: walk or run around the gym or park as you wait for your children. Walk down each grocery store aisle even if you don't need something in every aisle. Stand while you wait, don't sit around, as standing burns more calories. Put an exercise videotape in while cooking dinner and do whatever you can while you're cooking. DO NOT TURN THE TELEVISION ON WHEN YOU GET HOME for any other reason than an exercise video.
  4. I hate the gym. Fine. Don't go. Walk. Run. Jump rope. Get exercise videos. Try Curves. DO SOMETHING!
  5. I hate exercising! Make it fun. Play tennis. Play with your children. Go swimming. Skip. Jog. Make it fun, just move that body!
Where there is a will there is a way! Yet, this is another reason why we must renew our minds as Romans 12:1,2 instructs us. We could have all of the solutions in the WORLD for why we don't exercise but if we first don't decide that exercise is important we'll never make it a priority in our lives.

Enjoy!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Affirm Yourself!

If we are to be transformed by the renewing our minds so that we won't be conformed to this world, just how to we think this transformation is going to happen? Perhaps one way is by daily affirmations. Yeah...Yeah...you've heard this already. But have you ever tried it!? I know...I know...it took me years and years before I tried daily affirmations too, but now I am convinced of their value. Allow me to share two stories.

Story One

One of my daily affirmations is "I enjoy being a wife and a mother". In October, 2007, I was volunteering at one of my 13 year old son's football games. I was on the sideline taking score. The team did not have another clipboard so my hand was my clipboard. It got a little cloudy. The wind started blowing. It started to rain. I didn't have an umbrella. This was my son's first season playing tackle football, but I knew that the game would not be called because of rain. The ink started to bleed on the score paper. The wind and rain blew in my face. I was getting cold. Then out of nowhere I heard a voice. It sounded like my voice but I wasn't speaking. But there it was again...that was my voice. All of a sudden I heard it again, it was me....somewhere down on the inside of me ...I heard, "I enjoy being a wife and a mother." All I could do was laugh. I was about to get real upset and vow never to allow my son to play tackle football again, but instead, all I could do was laugh. Then about 10 minutes later or less, the rain stopped.

Story Two

It was my goal to do the 2008 Los Angeles Marathon in less time than I did in 2007. ( I run and walk the marathon. I don't run the entire course.) So, I trained accordingly. During the marathon, as I reached the 11th mile I was not making the time I had trained for. My timing was off. I was taking longer than planned for each mile. I started getting a little discouraged. Then there was that voice again. One of my daily affirmations while training for the marathon was, "I can run faster than I think." Somewhere between mile 11 and 12, I heard my voice tell me, "I can run faster than I think". I agreed. I finished the marathon 54 minutes less than I did in the last one.

Affirm yourself!

You can eat less!
You can exercise!
You can eat only one dessert!
You can walk more than a couple of blocks!

Renew your mind!

Big Plate? No, A Little Plate, and Then She Ate!

I believe if we can master portion control, I think we can master just about anything else as we choose to keep our physical temples fit. Here are 7 Portion Control Secrets by Jennifer R. Scott of about.com

1. Meet yourself halfway - You can cut the calories of your favorite foods by 50% without changing about them - just eat half.

2. Downsize your dinner. When eating out, don't be afraid to ask for the lunch entree at dinner time, or ask to order from the children's menu.

3. Resist the upsize offer. Fast food portions are already oversized, so there is no need to add insult to injury by upgrading your meal.

4. Good portions come in small packages. If you find your will-power is overpowered by a full bag of potato chips, don't buy the large bags. Get the individual lunch sized bags one at a time.

5. Size up servings. Just how many of those chips are in one serving. Check the nutrition label to find out - you may be surprised at how small an actual serving looks compared to what you usually eat.

6. Be gone buffets! It is nearly impossible to practice portion control in an all-you-can-eat situation.

7. Compare to control. A really nifty way of learning to control portions is to mentally compare them with common every day objects that you are used to seeing, i.e one cup of cereal is the size of a baseball, one ounce of nuts is the cupped size of your palm, 3 ounces of hamburger is like the lid of a jar of mayonaise, 3 ounces of poultry is like a deck of playing cards, 1/2 cup of cooked pasta is like a golf ball, etc.

So, it's no secret any more! Enjoy!

When Do We Choose the Good Part?

"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her......"Do we choose to spend the precious 24 hours that we get each day distracted with our priorities out of sync, or at some point during our day do we realize the importance of spending time in God's presence and in his word? I must concur with David who said, "Early will I seek you....." I have learned how valuable it is to seek the Lord early in the morning! (NOTE: I said I have learned....It didn't happen over night.) Does this time change my circumstances for the day? No. If I'm broke (financially) when I start, I'm broke when I'm finished. But my perception and outlook is re-focused. Does it mean I'll have absolutely no problems during that day. No. But I stand a much better chance of any problem not overtaking me. Does it mean I won't make any mistakes that day. No. But I'm more likely to ask for forgiveness quicker and forgive myself even quicker.

It's all about choice - and sacrifice.

We make choices every day. And, usually if something is really worth it, it requires a sacrifice. Yes, you might have to get up earlier than you normally would...or watch one less television show than you usually do....or talk to one less person on the telephone each day. But, whatever the sacrifice, I'm a witness that it will be worth it.

When in your day do you choose the good part?


Do share.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

What Have you Done for You Lately?

Ever notice how men almost never have a problem making sure their needs are met? This is not male bashing as I don't believe in that. I love my husband of 21 years dearly, just as I loved my father before he went to be with the Lord, and other males that have had an influence on my life. But, I think, as women we can learn something if we observe how most men seem not to have a challenge making sure their needs are met. It is not difficult for them to put their needs first. Yet with us it often takes us getting old and bitter before we finally decide ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

I know ...I know....this is just how God made us, right?.....If we weren't the nurturing, caring, give-all-I-got-and-then-some women that we were where would this world be...?..Right?...Hmmm...Where would this world be?....Hmmm.....sounds a little prideful to me.....Hmmm..

Maybe some of us need to stop thinking 'My way is the best way'.
Maybe some of us need to stop doing everything for our children and let them learn how to do things for themselves when age appropriate.
Maybe some of us need to call out sick just one day from our jobs and see if things don't get along just fine without us.
Maybe some of us need to accept the gift of life that God has given us and enjoy it while we can while still serving Him by serving others.

It's O.K. if our sister wants to take us to dinner on a NIGHT WHEN WE FINALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO! ISN'T IT?!

It's O.K. for our son to SPEND HIS OWN MONEY TO TAKE HIS WONDERFUL MOMMY TO THE MOVIES!! ISN'T IT?!

We must take the time to receive what we need to be all God has called us to be, i.e. rest, peace, fun, laughter, his presence.

....."Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest......These things have I spoken to you, that my joy might remain in you and your joy might be full" (Matthew 11:28, John 15:11)

YES!....I'M TALKING TO ME!!!! BUT I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE!!!!!

Exercise is Overrated!

NOT! Exercise is not overrated! I have an idea of how the apostle Paul felt when he said "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God......" I'M BEGGING YOU! WORK WITH ME HERE! Surely, by now you can appreciate the value of consistent exercise!

But, forget about the gym! Forget about the treadmill in the bedroom! Forget about going to the neighborhood track to walk or jog! Just move more on a daily basis!

There is a great article in the June 2008 issue of Prevention magazine called, "The Real-Life Way to Lose; Research shows that the little stuff you do all day can add up to big weight loss. Five readers put the theory to the test - with "wow" results, by Lauren A. Greene. .....To lose pounds and keep them off, burning calories is key. Not just at the gym; being active throughout the day can add up to big weight loss, too. James Levine, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, has spent a decade studying the role that everyday movement - or NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis), plays in metabolism. His discovery: People who tap their feet, prefer standing to sitting, and generally move a lot burn up to 350 more calories a day than those who sit still." (He must know my son!)

The testers in this research wore calorie counting armbands and burned as many as 500 extra calories a day in a two week period without breaking a sweat! I bet that you 'I think exercise is overrated' folks like the sound of that:.....without breaking sweat!!! Some of the things they did were stand up more, make multiple trips, dance while you dress, walk around your office when waiting for your food to cook in the microwave, crunches in bed before you get up in the morning, laugh more (laughing 10-15 minutes burns 40 calories), and fidget frequently!

What are some other things you think we could do to burn up calories without really exercising?

Monday, May 26, 2008

Evening Eating

One of - and there are several - but, one of my challenges when it comes to eating healthy is evening eating! Between working late, and evening commitments with family and others, it is often difficult to eat a healthy dinner. Here are a few strategies that help me:

1. Keep healthy snacks in the car. I wish I did this all of the time...Whenever I do it's very helpful because when I start grabbing I need to at least grab on the right thing! And keeping healthy snacks in the car helps me to purchase gas only at the gas station, not that little treat that I don't need......Yeah...I've got to get back to this strategy.....

2. Keep healthy snacks at home!...same as above...When I start grabbing, I need to be able to grab the right thing!

3. Eat dinner as soon I as feel hungry. I get into trouble when I say, "I'll eat after the meeting"; or, "I'll eat after his practice." The longer I wait to eat a healthy meal, the more time I have to snack. And healthy snacks or not, a fulfilling meal is better than a bunch of snacks any day.


What are some of your strategies for evening eating? Do share!