Category: Exercise

Bring on a good mood

10/25/2012

It began as "one of those days". Nothing seemed to go as it should. Plumbing problems . . . still. Workmen not showing up as promised. Car issues to deal with. Paperwork. Nothing seemed manageable or even pleasant. Just one of those days with nothing good going my way. My normal chipper self was definitely not to be found. So, I snuck away to a lunchtime yoga class and, now, all is well with the soul.
Now I can see that it is a beautiful day. I can see the sun is shining and it's Thursday and my son plays in a football game this afternoon and the workmen are gone and my car is fixed and it's been a good week and . . . see, the exercise completely changed my mindset. There are always good things around and things to enjoy and appreciate. For me, a little exercise goes a long way to getting out of a mood.

If you haven't tried it, go ahead. You can read all the science jargon that says exercise is a mood booster, but take it from me, it works. You won't know it until you try.

Happy Almost The End of The Week!

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GET BACK OUT THERE! and other ramblings

05/06/2012

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I have been away from my computer for what seems like days. . . and has been days! Not that I've been sitting on the couch eating bon, bons either. It's been a full few days of May craziness. End of the year recitals, luncheons, baseball games and lots of cooking for the past few days. We had family over today following one of my son's Confirmation service at our church. So, thanks to Ina Garten's recipes, we had some not so healthy fare AND also some lighter dishes to make everyone happy. We finished it off with a decadent cake. I'm totally not sharing the recipe on this site as I would be fired as a "healthy living" blogger! If you want, though, just look up Ina Garten's sheet cake recipe! It's good for a special treat! Unfortunately, I deleted my photo of the chocolate cake. It was pretty - I decorated it with a cross outlined on top and I was pretty proud of it.
We had so much food I had a little leftovers for dinner. These were some of the Healthy stuff.

Southern Succotash with edamame, Chicken Satay skewer and Santorini Salad

Enough of the rambling. The real reason I am posting is because I read a good little article in this month's Men's Journal. Yes, I am such a geek I even read my husbands men's magazines. Laird Hamilton had a piece that I thought had some good points, so I am pulling those out. (By the way, if you don't know who Laird Hamilton is that's okay. He's just this really fit surfer who makes a living off of surfing, staying in shape and keeping a 6 pack.)

So, if you have fallen off the wagon, gotten discouraged or have been too busy for your normal routine, here are a few tips:
1. Make it fun.
Doing something fun disguises the fact that you are actually exercising. If you are feeling like a hamster on a wheel and watching the clock while on a stationary bike or treadmill you are not alone! Who wants to spend a couple of hours on a stationary bike when you could be outside with a friend watching live scenery? You'll never notice the time. Trying a new sport will keep you active and your mind occupied so you won't even realize you are getting your heart rate up and breathing hard! A 5 mile walk or run with a friend passes much more quickly than it does on a treadmill, even if you are watching The Bachalor.

2. Think about what you CAN eat and not what you can't.
It is much harder to eat healthy than it is to work out. Just ask me . . . I am the queen of this one! We eat every single day, all day long. That is why changing our diet is so hard. So, instead of thinking of the things you cannot eat when trying to be healthy, focus on all the great vegetables, fruits, lean meats and proteins out there that you CAN eat without an ounce of guilt. Also, the more variety the better. Don't get stuck in the rut of eating the exact thing every day. You are bound to want something else! The more foods you have in your diet, the healthier you will be!

3. You are going to be sore.
That's a good thing! I have folks come up to me all the time to tell me how sore they are from one of my classes. My response? I'm so glad! I love hearing that! It means we worked hard and challenged some muscles! Instead of sitting while sore, get out there and take a walk, move around, foam roll, get a massage. Light cardio will get the blood going and help repair the muscle adhesions that cause the pain.

4. Get a buddy.
Don't always think your workouts need to be solo. When you workout with a buddy you can compare notes, chat, have someone that is also in misery the next day! Join an exercise class or exercise around other folks in a gym, at a track or park. Sign up for a road race or bike race. You have someone else out there to share (and complain) with.

My advice is to Get Back Out There if you have taken time off or slacked off and to Stay Out There!

Have you been busy, crazy lately? If you are in the South, are you getting used to the heat? It's brutal already for exercising!

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SITTING DISEASE . . . or another reason to get off the couch

11/03/2011

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I've posted before about the importance of MOVING. You know, getting off the couch and actually moving your body. I even did a whole post on NEAT (Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis) which basically supports the importance of normal everyday activity and its health benefit. Well, today a NEW study came out stating that prolonged sitting EVEN if you exercise regularly, may bring on certain cancers.

Yesterday the study was that women who drink wine are at greater risk for breast cancer, now all the sitters out there are at greater risk. If you don't believe me, here is what the report says:

"Alpa Patel, an American Cancer Society epidemiologist who looked at the data, says the numbers "seem like very reasonable estimates."

Experts have known for years that physical activity decreases the risk of chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, Friedenreich says, but the new data give estimates on the number of cases that might be prevented if people were more physically active.

"A brisk daily walk of at least 30 minutes could lower a person's risk over time for breast cancer and colon cancer," says Alice Bender, a registered dietitian with AICR.

Friedenreich reviewed more than 200 cancer studies worldwide and found convincing evidence that regular physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and endometrial cancer by 25% to 30%. There's some evidence that regular exercise also reduces the risk of lung, prostate and ovarian cancer, she says. That's all good news. The kicker is this:

Patel and others also have investigated the health dangers of sitting too long without moving around, which is called "sitting disease."

In a study of 123,000 people, she found that the more time people spent sitting, the higher their risk of dying early. "Even among individuals who were regularly active, the risk of dying prematurely was higher among those who spent more time sitting," she says. (I added the bold highlight)

Even if you are doing half an hour of aerobic activity a day, you need to make sure you don't sit the rest of the day, Patel says. "You have to get up and take breaks from sitting." I JUST told my body sculpt class this very thing last Friday, but it wasn't to scare them of cancer!

Emerging research indicates that prolonged sitting also increases the risk of some types of cancer, such as colon, endometrial and ovarian cancers, Friedenreich says.

James Levine, a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says many people sit an average of seven to 9½ hours a day. "If you've sat for an hour, you've probably sat too long," he says.

Friedenreich is looking into why exercise reduces cancer risk. In a study of 320 post-menopausal women, she has found that physical activity appears to decrease the risk of cancer by increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing body fat, inflammation, metabolic hormones and sex steroids hormones.

There you have it. ANOTHER GOOD reason to get off your rump and get moving! So, I guess I should be standing as I type this and definately not sipping on wine while I post all this info to you all!

Excerpt taken from
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/cancer/story/2011-11-03

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BACK ON TRACK!

09/06/2011

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If you are like me, you may have overindulged over the weekend - it was a nice long Labor Day holiday... the time to bring summertime to a close. Many of us over did it with our favorite foods and drinks celebrating with friends and family... I for one spent the time with my brother and his family. They are definite FOODIES and are not afraid of calories! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE food, too, but TRY to temper that love with smart choices (and exercising) to try to stay on a healthy track. It's just fine to eat, drink and be merry! That's what quality time is all about! Life is to be enjoyed and, let's be honest, great food makes it even better! So slipping up is a good thing. It makes you want to get back on track and helps us keep motivated! With that in mind, here are a few ways I am getting Back on Track - starting today!
Before I begin the list, I'm going to share something I'm going to try for the first time . . . stay away from the scale (if you are a weigher, which I am) for at least 3 days! Give it a try, let me know what you think. Now, the other things I find help to get back on track are:

1. Drink LOTS of water! Refer back to last Thursday's insert on drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water! I'm sure we've all been drinking . . . let's just not admit to exactly what and it likely wasn't all water! This will help flush out the not so good things we have been consuming, sugar, salt, alcohol, you get the picture.

2. Eat lots of fruits and veggies! Get back on track with a clean diet made up of whole foods that are high in water content. This will fill you up, keep you hydrated and give you lots of good fiber. Remember, if it doesn't have a Mama, it's not a good whole food! For your protein, make sure it is lean meats, chicken or fish for a couple of days. You will feel lighter but not go hungry.Smoothies are also a good choice for breakfasts or snacks. Look at Healthy Kitchen for a good base recipe and get creative! Remember you can also throw in some protein powder for that added filling punch.

3. Burn some calories! For me, the best way to feel better is to exercise and work up a sweat. At least I feel like I am flushing some of that sugar, alcohol, salt, etc. away! It makes sense to jump right in and burn through those extra calories before they are stored as fat. The best way is to up the cardio and get in a full body routine that includes weights or resistence work. So, get thee to a gym, workout DVD or the pavement and burn it away!

4. Take an extra walk! After dinner put the leash on the pups, your kids on bikes, or just lace up your own shoes and take an after dinner stroll. Of course, if this doesn't work (it's raining here as I type) . . . the idea is to get in some extra movement, so hoof it with the laundry baskets up your stairs, park at the end of the row in the parking lot, walk to your co-workers desk rather than email . . whatever you can do to move more.
Treat yourself well . . . drink even more water and get some rest! You may have stayed up too late!

So, there it is, my goals for the week to GET BACK ON TRACK! Hope you join me for a few . . .