Fitness Friday: Wii Fit Review

So, I mentioned that we got a Wii and Wii Fit for Christmas. And we are LOVING it! The kids are actually using the Wii Fit more than the other games. I think because you can actually compete against the rest of your family in balance, strength, yoga, and aerobics. It's VERY fun -- and we can see whose strengths lie where. Mine is in yoga because I have good balance, but oddly enough, I do horribly on the balance games. Mainly because all of the balance games require you not only to have balance, but to respond and have reasonable reflexes, which I do not.

Okay, so you're wondering if you should sink the bucks into the Wii and/or the Wii Fit to aid you in your own workouts. Should you? Good question. Like everything else, it depends. Overall, though, I would give it a resounding YES! You need a Wii Fit!

The Wii Fit first gives you an 'age test': by measuring your center of balance (while standing on two feet), your BMI (based on height and weight), and then will give you 2 other balance tests (can vary). My age has ranged from 48-21! I have realized that the age has less to do with BMI (sadly, since it's been the holidays, mine continues to increase) and more with balance. Again, I'm pretty good at balance, but with my ankle still recovering, I've had a little trouble with it. But it's just an arbitrary age that is going to fluctuate depending on the day.

Then you can do 'training'. The training has 4 components:

yoga

strength training

balance games

aerobics

You get about 5 activities in each component to begin. The more you play/ exercise, the more activities you unlock and open. Balance games and aerobics are fun enough to keep my kids working on them. Yoga and strength training look suspiciously like exercise, so they are avoided by the younger crowd around here.

The balance games are FUN -- everyone in the family enjoys them. Troy and I are having a slalom skiing competition. I got pretty good beginner's luck and cannot top my own score now! Bummer! That is also where you see the kid trying to head the soccer ball on the commercial. I am HORRIBLE at that. They kick soccer balls at you that you are supposed to hit back, which I can almost do with about 50% accuracy, but THEN they start kicking shoes and huge panda heads (which look like soccer balls!) and if you get hit with those, you lose points. I'm just so bad at it.

The aerobic component is what, to me, is the most lacking. It is fun, and it will get you moving and keep you warm, but it isn't enough for an actual aerobic workout. But it is SOMETHING, and remember? "Anything is better than nothing."

I think the Wii Fit will be a great addition to my fitness routine. I don't see it REPLACING anything I'm already doing -- it just isn't enough. But it will be a great supplement to what I'm doing, and a great way to stay up on my yoga and strength on days when the gym may not have a class that I can get to.

Besides an unimpressive aerobic component, the biggest drawback to the Wii Fit is not being great for beginning exercisers. The strength training and yoga give detailed instructions, but they leave out tiny tricks that I know from doing such for years that could help someone be successful. I just don't know if a brand new beginner would be able to be successful enough and make appropriate modifications as necessary to continue to exercise. I do think there is enough that a beginning exerciser COULD do to get active and have fun, though.

I think the Wii Fit is a wonderful tool to measure PARTS of your fitness, and a wonderful addition to an exercise program. I also think it would be a fun way for someone who hates exercise to get started, but I don't think it should be the entirity of your fitness plan for more than a few weeks.

If you would like a little more info, this is a little more detailed.

Have fun and be fit!

Fitness Friday: Fit for Life

Okay, I've had a 'Fitness Friday' request, and will get to it, but my current ailment has caused me to think about why it's important to be fit. Last week, as we all know by now, I sprained my ankle fairly badly out on a jog. Good reason NOT to jog, you might say, and we can sure argue that all day long. But immediately my body had to make some compensation. First, I was on crutches for the better part of 5 days. I was VERY thankful I've been lifting weights, as much as I HATE doing it! It wasn't easy, but my upper body was able to drag around my plenty-ample lower body when necessary. No doubt, it worked WAY better when I got crutches the right size (I used Riley's -- about 5 inches too short-- for the first 24 hours). I was very thankful that I didn't have to add back, neck, shoulder, and arm pain to my foot pain.

My dad has had his fair share of surgeries in this life. One thing I have learned from and appreciated about him is that he works HARD to go into a surgery in top cardiovascular shape to help his body recover from surgery. It sounds crazy (a little bit) until you think about why we work out. He's not working out to improve a running time or fit into a smaller size, he is working out so that his cardiovascular system is ready for the stress and trauma it will go through under anesthesia and will recover from it quickly. Sure, he KNOWS that as soon as he has the surgery his body won't be able to do what it could the day BEFORE the surgery. Some may consider this a setback, unless they were doing their 'training' for such a time as this!

We dont' always know when life will throw us a curve ball (or a pecan to step on) and we will end up under anesthesia or on crutches. Exercise not only strengthens your system to handle such physical stress, but keeps us mentally healthy under such conditions. I would encourage you to be thinking about how you train for life, or whatever life will throw at you!

I encouraged someone about getting fit this week, and they said that my admonition had really helped and they wanted me to share it with you. I actually think I may have, but don't see it right off the bat here, so let's hear it again anyway, shall we?

Said friend has health issues because of weight, but knows, because she is wise, that December 1 isn't REALLY the time to go on some crazy all-or-nothing diet, right? (It's not, people, trust me on this). However, the entire month of December is entirely TOO LONG to go 'not caring' or knowing that you're starting a diet Jan. 1 and overeating for the entire month to 'get ready'. I encouraged her to do this one thing: Weigh every day. Again, I KNOW there can be all manner of emotional baggage tied with whatever that number is, but you need to know it and face it. Do NOT allow that number to judge you, but to be a reference tool about what is really going on in your body. And you simply ask yourself, as you look at that number: "What can I do TODAY to make that number a little lower tomorrow?" The first thing you can do is drink a LOT of water. It helps, but then reality has to kick in, and the next day, you'll need to drink a LOT of water, and stop eating a little earlier in the evening, or leave a few extra bites on your plate. It isn't making the scale your judge or master, but it's becoming aware of the little tiny changes you can make to improve your health.

This I did find looking through old Fitness Friday: "The world isn't at a shortage of information about how to lose weight or become more fit." We all know what to do, we have to make the daily decision to do it.

Be fit for life!

Fitness Friday: Stress

For today's Fitness Friday, I am filled with thoughts of this difficult week. It calls to mind how hard stress of any kind can be on a body. Most of us live our lives at full throttle for so long our bodies start to crumble. We toss in some meds, patch up what's crumbling, and go back to full throttle. Your car, your computer, your children, and you are not created to go full throttle 100% of the time. I've already talked about this to some degree when I mentioned how valuable sleep is for fitness. Sleep is a body's way of healing and restoring itself.

Stress, be it from major life upheavals or just life in general, wears a body down. When you are stressed here are just a few things that happen in your body:

your stomach dumps excessive acid. This can cause heartburn and, over time, erode your esophageal lining (speaking from experience on this one).

you clench your teeth/ jaws. This wears out your teeth as well as puts undue pressure on your joints/ skull.

your breathing becomes shallow. Most of us go through life only filling our lungs about half-way. Which only fills your body half-way with oxygen. Oxygen is a good and glorious thing, and all of your organs are much happier when fully oxygenated.

you jut your chin forward (do an evaluation of how you are currently sitting right now at your computer). If your head isn't aligned over your torso/ shoulders, you could be adding up to 25 pounds of extra pressure to your neck and shoulders.

To de-stress: it takes practice, but you can train yourself to not take on the physical signs of stress. Straighten up your spine to put your head in place. Take DEEP breaths -- I told my 2nd graders to breathe so deeply that their tummy poked out! Relax your jaw. We carry stress in our face and hands. Stretch out your fingers while you relax your jaw. And if you have time, do something that is a stress reliever for you: curl in a chair with a book, go for a walk, call a friend. I have gotten to the point in my fitness that a HARD workout is one of the best things I can do for a grouchy/ cluttered/ stressed brain. I love it -- but that may not be for you. Laughter is another one of those healing things -- watch a movie sure to make you laugh out loud.

In short: be good to yourself. Whatever is causing you stress shouldn't be allowed to take your health, also. Deep breath in, deep breath out, one foot in front of the other, moving on.

Fitness Friday: Push it to the Limit...

First an announcement: my precious doodlebug gal made the 'A' basketball team out of about 55 girls trying out. Woo-hoo! Remember the scene in Forrest Gump (man, I'm tearing up just thinking about it) when Forrest meets little Forrest and asks Jenny, "Is he smart... or... is he like me?" And he weeps when Jenny tells him, "Oh, he's very smart Forrest..." That's how I feel about having a child who can dribble a basketball and move in a forward motion at the same time. I weep. She is not like me, bless her sweet soul.

So, Fitness Friday. If you live anywhere close to me and are enjoying this AMAZING weather, I do hope you are being active and enjoying it. Walk, bike, roller blade, hopscotch, you name it, GET OUT IN IT!! If, of course, you live north of here where they got a few feet of snow yesterday -- find a treadmill! :-) I wouldn't survive snowy runs too well!

If you are already a regular exerciser, go you! However, don't fall into a rut. It's VERY easy to let your walks turn into strolls, your bike ride turn into a cruise, and your swim can become a sweet little float. Your body quickly adapts to an exercise routine making your muscles more efficient. This means that you are getting stronger, but it also means you will burn fewer calories per workout.

There are several ways to challenge yourself. I think I've said it before, but I think a heart rate monitor is the best tool you can use to be aware of the intensity you are maintaining. Do you know of anyone who has been walking the same route, the same distance for years, and can't figure out why they are gaining weight? It's because the body has adjusted. That is no longer a workout, just a thing your body does.

To make it a challenge, try to improve your time. Even varying your route can keep you from falling into the same speed routine. I had a doctor encourage me to get my mile (WALKING) to 12 minutes. That's why I started running -- I would rather run a mile than try to walk one as fast as I possibly can. Improve your time. Challenge your heart rate. Change your route.

To keep from hitting a wall, one technique I've learned about is the 3/1 method: spend 3 weeks REALLY pushing your intensity in your workouts. Challenge how much weight you're lifting, how fast you can walk or run or bike a mile, push yourself with each workout. On the fourth week, take a break. Don't stop exercising, but lower your intensity. Leave the watch and/ or heart-rate monitor at home. Walk the dog, play with the kids, whatever. Make it an 'active recovery' week.

Besides constantly challenging your workout intensity, vary your 'exercise of choice' every once in a while. Maybe on your 'easy week' switch your runs to swims or your bike rides to walks. Change things around. Find a fun way to move. Just keep moving!

Fitness Friday: BOO!

Beautiful Kellie sent me this video. She said it looked like a "fun Halloween workout". You have to remember that Kellie is a VERY young lady who does things like marathons and boot camp for "fun". It looks like an INCREDIBLE workout! I may have to try it... later. After I've fueled up with a few dozen pounds of Halloween candy!



Something to think about: As of tomorrow, there are 61 days left in 2008. Think back to January, and the resolve you had for this to be a new year, a different year, a new you. Let me encourage you: the year isn't over. I know we all THINK that once Halloween is over, it's all over but the cryin' 'cause there's one holiday (and eating occasion) after another and nothing about your health or body will improve in the next two months. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY!

We still have 1/6th of this year left -- almost 20%! What would you like to do with this time to improve your health? I'll tell you one of my fitness goals: I'm working on being a runner (again!) I'm currently running 2 min. (at a 9:00 mile pace), then walking 3 min.(x5 in a workout). My long-term goal is to run a 5k at a 7:30 pace next fall. Obviously, I've got some work to do. Um... in the next two months? Let me think... I think my goal is to run a full mile at the 9:00 pace (or better). I'll keep you posted on how that's going...

What would you like to do? Are you almost 'on a roll' of regular exercise and would like to really cement that? Are you starting to watch what goes in and want to remain steadfast about honoring your body by how you fuel it? Do you have a plan? Make a plan!

What are you going to do (fitness-wise) to finish strong???!!!

Fitness Friday: What about him/her?

I got a comment recently about Fitness Friday that called to mind the question, "How can I make my wife/ husband/ daughter/ son/ loved one want to be healthy?"

In short, you can't.

Doesn't that make it easier? Think about your own journey towards better health -- nothing happened until YOU decided and made the choice to improve your health and fitness. If you happen to be the wife and mom, you generally have much influence over the food that comes into the house and the menus in general, and you can certainly serve healthy foods. But if you take the "you are on a diet!!" approach -- to either your spouse OR your child, you will simply create an atmosphere of secrecy and mistrust.

A few years ago, Troy had a couple of borderline high blood pressure readings -- one at the dentist and the other... someplace other than a doctors, but I don't remember. Anyway, it really concerned me. I knew enough to know that before a (good) doctor would put him on medication, they would simply encourage him to lose a few pounds and exercise more regularly. I prayed about it -- for about a week -- and finally told him, "I'm concerned about you because I want you to be with me for a long time. I know that I have the knowledge to help you with this if you choose. Let me know what I can do." He listened. And thought. And pondered. For a few days ('cause that's how Troy operates). He finally got me to help him get on an exercise routine and watch his diet more closely. He did lose a few pounds, and he also had a dr. appointment that had a perfectly normal blood pressure reading in the meantime. My concern for him could have easily turned me into a controlling, evil woman, but that would have only succeeded in forcing him to hide things from me. And I absolutely don't want that -- from my husband or children!

Actually, that is one of the reasons I started Fitness Friday. I have several friends who have health concerns that could be addressed by losing a few pounds, a healthier diet, and some regular exercise. There is nothing I can do to change their lives or health for them -- it must be their decision. So I toss this information out here. The only person it's affecting is me -- because I'm doing the only thing I know to do. The world isn't at a shortage of information about how to solve our health problems due to poor diet and inactivity.

So, I said many more words to say (again) you can't do it FOR anyone else. You can do it for you, take time for you, model good health habits, and pray.

Take care of you, stay healthy, and be fit!

Fitness Friday: Calories: Good or Bad?

As my kids have heard me talk about nutrition through the years, sometimes marveling at how many calories one thing may have in it, I have encountered the question: "Are calories good or bad?" I know what those of you who know me best THINK I would say: Calories are bad, right? No, calories are neither. Calories are fuel. But, like lycra, political news, and information on your preacher's s*x life, all things in moderation. Calories don't get us in trouble -- gluttony gets us in trouble.

A calorie is a calorie, right? Yes and no. (see? I'm all about not really giving information on this FF). Yes, a calorie is a calorie. If you keep the number of your calories within the range you will burn off in a given day, no problem. If you go over that number -- even with "healthy" food -- it's still too much. Where a calorie is not a calorie is when your body needs fuel for a specific activity. Carbohydrates are quick-burn fuel, easily transferring to sugar in the body ready to be burned. If not burned, then stored (bummer -- we don't want storage). Protein is slow-burning fuel, also used in repairing muscles that have worked hard recently. Fat is VERY slow burning, and if too much is consumed, the body can't burn it before it needs to store it. If you have a meal that "sticks with you" for HOURS: a)you ate too much and b) there was A LOT of fat in it. Yeah, I know -- BIG bummer.

I see so many people chafe and rebel at the thought of counting calories and paying attention to the way they are fueling their body. I'm not advocating counting every bite, every day. I would encourage you to look at what you are using to fuel your body. If your diet (by "diet" I mean -- the foods you regularly consume) doesn't fuel you to be energized and feel well, then you need to fire the foods that aren't doing their job for you. Heavy, greasy foods, encourage us to take a nap ('cause your gut has to spend all of that energy digesting!), empty, high sugar calories cause our blood sugar to crash and we feel awful. A healthy, light meal that includes a high-fiber carbohydrate, some lean protein, and a little fat for flavor will fuel us for a period of time without keeping us too weighed down.

Nutrition isn't rocket science, but many of us would rather memorize the TV schedule or our fantasy football stats than learn which foods will fuel our bodies to work for His glory, rather than for a nap!

Fuel well, stay healthy, and be fit!

Fitness Friday: But I feel bad!

So, today, I am skipping my bicycle class to write Fitness Friday. Actually, I was going to skip it anyway. I have felt bad all week and have already walked this morning. So I thought a blog about what to do about exercise when you don't feel well would be in order, especially since we're heading into the cold and flu season.

First, if you exercise 3-5 times a week you will boost your immunity and may find you don't suffer from as many colds as you have in the past. For the record, my current ailment is non-contagious digestive trouble that is recurring for me. I'm really not sick, but in pain and have been all week, hence not really feeling like adding leg pain to gut pain, you know? I give you that TMI to tell you that I, for the most part, am an amazingly healthy person. I think I got a cold last year -- my first in about 10 or 12 years. I don't usually get stomach bugs, do get migraines, and got the flu 3 years ago and won't do that again! Obviously, I have health problems like anyone else between my migraines and gut, but I don't usually come down with every virus going around. I credit my workouts and my sleep to fending off nasty germies that we all try to fight.

So, let's say you are feeling generally yuk. Little stuffy nose, throat a little achy. Here's the deal: you should still workout. I don't mean full bore, hours at a time (let's face it -- that wasn't really a danger, was it?) but you should still put on some shoes and go for at least a 10 minute walk. If you aren't running fever, you can even shorten the duration of your symptoms by a brief workout. Really the only time you absolutely should not raise your heart rate is when you are running fever. Fever is one of those symptoms, like pain, that is there to let you know, "Houston, we have a problem!" Fever is absolutely a time to rest and get plenty of fluids.

Obviously, when/ how you work out is completely your decision. I just want us to be clear that there is RARELY an 'official' health reason for completely missing a workout. 'Official' meaning, "you're endangering your health if you workout". Yeah, if you feel crummy, you don't FEEL like working out, but you're probably not going to feel any worse (and possibly may feel better) if you workout. Obviously, I don't have an 'official' reason for skipping my bike class today -- I just feel crummy is all. So, I skipped bike, but I will probably go take the dog for a walk. I'll do something... The trick is in finding a balance.

Some of us are tempted to claim every ache and pain and snuffle and sneeze as a reason to stay in bed/ on the couch/ in front of the computer. Some of us are tempted to IGNORE every ache and pain and "push through" and end up sicker and/ or more injured than before! Again, the key comes in finding balance.

I think even when you don't feel well, it is important to maintain some semblance of working out just to maintain routine and habit. If that means putting on your clothes and shoes, walking to the end of the driveway, turning around and walking home, then so be it -- that counts as a workout when you feel bad. Tomorrow, try again -- walk to the end of the driveway and across the street, maybe.

In short, keep moving. Keep the habit. Start the habit. You can do it! A little at a time!

Keep moving, stay healthy, and be fit!

Fitness Friday

Okay, truth: I don't care about Fitness Friday today. But I am committed to you, my lone faithful reader, who is perched on the edge of her chair, waiting for some fascinating installment to better your living. Never fear! I am ON it!

So, I'm going back to knowing your numbers. Do you have ANY idea how many calories you should be eating in any given day? Do you have ANY idea how many calories you DO eat in a given day? If not, you may be gaining weight or not losing and not know why. "But I don't eat that much." You really may not. How many calories do you consume, though, while you are: rummaging through the pantry deciding what to eat? or making dinner? or standing at the kitchen counter reading the mail? or cleaning off the table after dinner? I know all of these examples because I am guilty of all of them. I don't eat "that much" either, but I know that mindless eating can add up to hundreds, if not thousands, of extra calories in a day. Which adds up to extra insulation in the rear.

So, where should you go to find this information? Well, it is ALL over the web, and I PROMISE you can find a range of about 1,000 calories that you should be eating. I would stick to the low end that you come across, since most of us are really less active than we like to think.

I have decided this is one of my favorite websites for such things: nutritiondata.com

It has many other features I'll talk about later, but play around there for a while now if you have time.

Also, I use this site on occasion: thedailyplate.com.

This will also tell you how many calories you should consume to lose 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds a week, or if you want to maintain OR gain weight (you can always do what I do to gain weight -- I seem to have a knack!) Very valuable information.

There are MANY others out there -- these are two of my favorites. I have registered at both places, but it was FREE. There is way too much information for free on the internet for me to pay for any! Thedailyplate.com will frequently 'prompt' you to upgrade -- just ignore it.

So, just for the next week, do a little research. How many calories should you be consuming? For the record, even though I work out 6-9 hours a week, I count myself as 'mostly sedentary' when it asks. That exercise is basically the only activity I do in a day, so I'm really not considered an active person. Just an exerciser. I think that makes a difference.

Don't worry yet about how many you are actually eating, unless you're just in the mood for some math. But start noticing packages and nutritional information. There are VERY few restaurants that do not publish nutritional information. Use all of that information to your benefit as you take control of your own health.

Do some research, stay healthy, and be fit.

Fitness Friday: ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Today I'm going to touch on something that deals with your overall health and affects your metabolism, diet, and exercise, but few people think about it as a component of fitness. If you know me very well, it won't surprise you to learn that I want to devote an entire Fitness Friday to SLEEP! Oh, and if you missed it, I just had a column in Abilene Families about sleep being my Olympic event! It is, people! I am ALL about the sleep!

Blessing or curse, I'm not sure I necessarily REQUIRE any more sleep than your average person (oh, but I do love it so very, very much), but I can't/ won't/ don't function being sleep deprived. I know millions of Americans walk around that way every day, and I have on occasion, as well, but nothing is working right when I do. God built into me a 'shut-down mechanism' (called 'sleep mode' on your computer for a reason) that prevents me from 'pushing through' my exhaustion for too terribly long. In the same way we connected the dots to understand that ignorance (of your numbers) can make you fat, let's think about two obvious current lifestyle situations in America: Americans are more sleep-deprived than ever and Americans are fatter than ever. Two isolated facts? Studies show that they aren't likely isolated, and one can very definitely lead to the other.

Let's think about two basics of sleep deprivation that can lead to weight gain. First, it stands to reason that if you're awake more hours, you are eating more than the person that's asleep. Sure, you don't HAVE to eat when you're up late (or early)-- but you do, don't you? Also, if you're sleep deprived, your decision-making skills (and discipline or willpower) are not functioning at their highest level. Maybe you think that the order of cinna-bites from McDonald's will give you some energy for the rest of the night. Maybe you think that an ice cream sundae is nutritionally equal to a bowl of cereal. Whatever the thought process, it sounds GREAT at the time, but probably looks a little pathetic when it shows up on the scale.

Okay, okay, those are just examples right? What if I'm following my eDiets or Weight Watchers or whatever? A calorie is a calorie, right? Don't worry, I'm not going to go down the "food eaten after 7 p.m. goes right to your thighs" road. I DO believe a calorie is a calorie. And, a properly rested person will burn those calories no matter when they are ingested. The trick is to be 'properly rested'. 

If you're reading this on Friday afternoon, it's probably because you've gotten off of work and can't work up the energy to go all the way to your bed to lie down at the end of a long week. Every step feels like you're trudging through molasses, and you can tell that fatigue is keeping your brain operating at 'battery-saver' mode. You know you can't be trusted to make any important decisions or think rationally -- you may even need some cinna-bites to clear your brain. The deal is -- your metabolism feels the same way. A calorie IS a calorie in a well-rested person, but a calorie is a huge hunk of fuel that your metabolism has to burn for fuel, but if you're sleep deprived, your metabolism can't even work up the energy to strike the match. So, it does what we do when we're too tired: it saves it to burn later. On your rear-end. 

I could go on and on about studies that show how proper sleep will affect (improve) mental skills, physical health, stress levels, and dozens of other components of being all-around healthy. And you could go on and on about all the reasons you CAN'T get enough sleep and all the things you have to do instead of sleep. 

I leave you with this thought:

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:14,15)

Y'all -- time and again, Jesus had to walk away from the sick and hurting, the needy and helpless to recharge. MANY times scripture tells us he went to pray. On occasion, we just hear that he was 'by himself' like in John 6. Because he was fully human, Jesus had to sleep. He slept in the middle of a storm! Jesus walked this earth for us to know how to walk this earth. Part of that includes 'shuttin' 'er down' BEFORE you collapse. It requires planning and discipline, but your health (and sanity, and the health and sanity of your family) is worth it.

Your assignment for this week is to get one good night's sleep -- and start PLANNING a way for you to get a good night's sleep at LEAST 4 out of 7 nights.

Get some sleep, stay healthy, and be fit.

Fitness Friday: To Join or Not?

Melissa asked last week: "ugh...I'm actually thinking about joining a gym (when a special price rate happens next week), but I'm so intimidated by a real gym. Any advice?"

Uh, yeah!

This is a great question because many of us feel that way. The short answer, like most of fitness and exercise, is: "It really depends on you."

Here's why I choose to pay for a gym:
Options: there are free weights, machines, classes I never intend to take (but still CAN if I ever get a wild hair) and classes I attend regularly. I use my gym for: spin (bike) class (RPM), yoga/pilates-type class (BodyFLOW), a weights class (BodyPUMP). That's it on a regular basis. HOWEVER, I use the treadmill when the weather's bad -- like Tuesday/ Wednesday's monsoon, when I'm feeling really ambitious, I use the weight machines, and there are 'experts' (no, not the guy who wants you to THINK he's an expert, the actual paid position-guy) to help me if I need it. All options!

Classes: I LOVE an exercise class and it isn't because I'm a social person by nature -- I'm really not. I'm classified as an 'introvert' and being around many people is just too much for me. But here's what I love about an exercise class: definite beginning time, definite end time. Exercise done. If I don't go to a class, I can potentially procrastinate until it's too late for me to fit it in. I really enjoy my exercise, but, I'm not COMPLETELY insane, I REALLY love when it's over! A class is a great way to have a set exercise time, or an exercise "appointment", if you will.

Peer pressure: This isn't what you're thinking. Many of you think, "I KNOW! The pressure! Just what I don't want in a gym!" I'm talking about being around a group of people that have the same goals in life as you do, including your health (not at the exclusion of everything else). This study showed that obesity can be "contagious" -- friends tend to pack on weight when their friends (and sometimes long-distance siblings) do (please do not think or report that Sarah is saying there is an obesity virus -- please read the study). We could argue that all day long, but let's imagine the reverse to be true: as you spend time around people committed to 'bettering' (is that a word?) their own health, you will begin to notice little changes you can do to become more healthy. Sure, like anything else, it can lead to 'over-indulging' in exercise/ body focus. All things in moderation, but I consider my gym to be (mostly) positive peer pressure.

As far as intimidation -- I guess I would need to know what, specifically, intimidates you.

Do you assume everyone knows what to do on every machine? They don't, and quality gyms will not only give you an orientation, but have someone on the floor at all times (this is where my gym falls short) who can train and/or answer your questions as you go along. Don't be afraid to ask -- it's like everything else: EVERYONE was a novice at one time.

Are you afraid that everyone in there is a 'hard body' and you will be ultra-frumpy in comparison? Well, news flash, I go to a gym. 'Nuff said. It's a little slice of Americana, with folks of all shapes and sizes with all different goals.

I will say this -- most gyms have different 'personalities' throughout the day. My gym (and I would bet most) goes like this: EARLY a.m. -- say, 5-7 or 8 a.m. -- are working folks trying to squeeze in a workout before the day gets nuts. the 'crowd' is in shape, not afraid to sweat, but probably have had a chocolate chip cookie in the last month. There are a few 'hard core', but not the typical gym-goer at this hour. Regular morning hours -- about 8-10 a.m., are mostly moms, a few retirees, and other folks who want to get in a workout and go on with their day. Again -- most are folks committed to exercise, but have a life, as well. The rest of the day -- I can't speak to very much, because those are my hours. But when I've had a chance to go later than 10 a.m. -- lunch hour can get crowded, still with working folks just trying to fight the bulge, but during the school and work day you could have the run of the gym.

After school and work, the show goes on. My gym can get ULTRA crowded at this time: every cardio machine, every spot in a class, all used! Still working people, seem to be LOUD and whacky (de-stressing after the day, I guess). This is also where you will find folks that can spend all day working, then all evening in a gym, i.e., the gym IS their life, social and otherwise. And, as Hess told Judy at one point, "Don't worry about them: they're too busy looking at themselves to notice you." And that is the absolute truth.

Any gym will have a trial period for you. Check it out. See what you like and don't like about it. If you will make it worth your money, absolutely sign up. It's cheaper than therapy, and it's a quality investment in your health!

Fitness Friday: Know Your Numbers

'Kay. Let's do a little basic geometry. You know, if a=b and b=c, then... a=c, right? You remember!

So, if "Ignorance is bliss(happy)" and a commonly used expression is:"Fat and happy." Might it follow that ignorance can make you fat? Well, as a matter of fact, it can! I read a study this week that women consistently underestimate the calories they take in and overestimate how much they move. The result? Well, I don't have to tell you what more calories than you think + less moving than you think equals.

A lot of people prefer to throw the blinders on, keep eating, keep the couch warm, and then wonder why their clothes no longer fit and the mirror isn't being kind to them -- they either don't own a scale or refuse to get on it. And, listen up, there are many good reasons to not get on a scale -- but they all center around allowing the scale to dictate emotions. The scale is a measuring instrument, and shouldn't be any more emotional than backing up to the doorframe to see how tall you are. It's simply a measure. And whether you are willing to look it in the eye or not, it is the truth. Oprah (who, as you probably notice, I don't quote terribly often) says, "Own the number!" You do have to own the number -- because the rest of the world can see it. You don't want to be caught by surprise when you finally decide to face the music.

There are many numbers you should be aware of in your quest for health and fitness. Your weight is only one -- one tiny little measure. Megan has an EXCELLENT example of why the scale shouldn't be the ONLY measure you use.

Some numbers you should be aware of:
your age!
your weight
your height
your blood pressure
cholesterol
required daily calorie intake
heart rate levels to amount to an effective workout for you
time required to exercise at a minimum level

This is just what I can think of off the top of my head. I see you out there, rolling your eyes and shaking your head. "Too much work!" "That's like school!" "Who cares?" "Don't you think that's a little obsessive?"

Do you know what time you have to be at work every day -- even if it differs? Do you know at least one recipe by memory? Do you know a child or spouse's daily schedule? Then you have enough room in your brain to learn these things, and if you won't take care of your own 'house', who will? I don't think I'm giving you any news you don't know about what you SHOULD know, and I sure can't make you care when you don't, but I promise you this: ignoring all of these numbers will NOT make any of them any better, or make you any healthier.

For now, I will let you do a little investigating about all of those numbers. Your homework this week is to find out any of that info you don't know. If you don't know ANY of it -- then only find out half. We'll talk more later about how to find them and what's best.

Know your numbers, stay healthy, and be fit.

Fitness Friday: Pumping Iron

Fitness Friday returns today with a little bit of preaching -- but mostly at myself. I know I need to, I know I should, but I HATE doing resistance exercises. (Muscle work: lifting weights, calisthenics, exercise bands, etc.) And, basically, if you're old enough to read this, you should be doing them, too! Women get the most press about it, because resistance exercises not only strengthen muscles but can build bone density as well. This is obviously important for any female beyond puberty, but it's important for men, as well. All of us are aging!

Muscles are use-it-or-lose-it things. One study found that 2/3 of women 75 years and older can't lift a 10 pound bag of groceries. I don't want to be that woman! Studies are also finding that muscle weakness isn't a direct function of aging -- it's a direct function of inactivity. Later in life we are no longer lifting toddlers, children, dogs, and massive amounts of groceries. So we need to be lifting some weights!

The good news about lifting weights is that it doesn't require nearly the amount of time that cardio exercise does to reap benefits. In 15 minutes you can get a full-body workout that is plenty for building muscle mass. And, no, in 15 minutes, 3 times a week, you will NOT look like Hillary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby" -- and not come anywhere close to Arnold Schwarzenegger. But every year that you celebrate a birthday on this planet you are losing muscle mass unless you are actively fighting to retain it. So, I'm SAYING 'build muscle mass' but you should be hearing 'just barely hanging on to what you have'.

Besides strengthening bones, muscle is good for boosting metabolism. And as we age, we all need that, right? Yes, we do! Because as muscle mass decreases (which it will) your metabolism slows down. Then you have a spare tire you didn't ask for, even without increasing your caloric intake!

Okay, okay, you're saying! So I need to keep up my muscles! What do I do? It is SO easy (at my house, we always quote the Nutri System commercial in our thickest southern accent: "It's so simple!"). If you have nothing and no money, you can do:

• push ups
  
• wall sits
  
• crunches for abs
  
• tricep dips (though you do have to have a chair for this)
  

All of those can be done and modified -- remember that ANYTHING is better than nothing. But if you aren't 'feelin' the burn' (as in, difficult to complete 15) then you need to move on to either more or add weights to it. Then, you can VERY inexpensively invest in some small equipment if you choose. It's easy to find and inexpensive. You can get:

• exercise bands




• exercise ball




• hand weights

Most of these things should come with instructions. If not, I will post some specifics later.

Also, the following sites have some great info:

Exercise ball workouts

Exercises to combat osteoporosis

Interesting info

Pump some iron, stay healthy, and be fit!

Fitness Friday: Water for the Thirsty

Hey, guess what? It's still hot!! I'm going to count my water-drinking lecture as Fitness Friday, but it's just part of life -- and should be. If you ARE drinking your water, yay! for you. If you aren't -- it's just time. Yes, initially you have to MAKE yourself drink water. And if you haven't been drinking water, you will be SO thirsty when you start drinking water. If you haven't been a water drinker, your body has learned to basically shut down its thirst mechanism. When you first start drinking water your body will be so happy to finally get some it wants more and more and more! That will slow down, in time -- but you will remain thirsty when you need water.

Why do we need water? Warning – moderate talk of digestion processes ahead. It won’t be any worse than taking a kid to the pediatrician and discussing diapers, etc., but if that grosses you out, just go drink water.

1. Water helps the body get rid of waste. I know, a basic “duh” statement. Let’s think about if weight-loss is your goal. Imagine someone you know who has lost massive amounts of weight. Did they complain about how many fat cells they were sweeping up and/ or vacuuming up in a given day? Of course not! How does the body get rid of waste? All-righty then. Let’s certainly help THAT process out. Water flushes the system, keeping things that we don’t need in our body moving along.

2. Water aids in digestion. This goes along with #1, obviously. Your digestive system is dependent on water to keep it moving along. Imagine if you crammed everything that you ate in a given day down your disposal and didn’t run the water. You would have a serious plumbing problem on your hands. The same can be said for your body! If your digestive system doesn’t have the water it needs, it is forced to do its job itself by cramping up the muscles of the digestive system to move the food along. That’s grief no one needs! Drink water! For this reason, your system also needs mucho fiber, but that’s another day.

3. Cells in your body need water to repair themselves. The Lord made our body such a perfect machine that it can repair itself! Cells need to repair themselves after exercise, as well as any injury you may have. Water speeds up that process. Partly by getting rid of any waste in your system, but also by keeping the cells at an optimum level of fluid.

There are many other, debatable reasons for drinking water. I mentioned last week that some research shows that it increases your metabolism (especially ice water -- since your body has to burn calories to get the water to body temperature), another disputed study shows that it decreases your hunger, and some people seem to think that it gets rid of fine lines in the skin.

I have mentioned here that many of us are walking around dehydrated and don't even know it. Early symptoms of dehydration are dry lips and thirst. If you live in a dry climate, like I do, you may just think that dry lips are part of the lifestyle, but they don't have to be. Beyond those two symptoms, headache and stomach cramps and/ or nausea or diarrhea are all symptoms of dehydration. Yes, those are all listed as possible side-effects on any medication produced, as well as the symptoms for 19 other maladies -- but if you're drinking your water, you can rule out dehydration!

How much water do we REALLY need? In short, like exercise, ANYTHING is better than nothing. I have learned my body and how active I am and how thirsty I feel the next morning. I need to drink between 2 and 3 liters/ day to feel my best. There is TREMENDOUS debate about amounts: we need less than 64 oz., we need more than 64 oz., we need exactly 64 oz.

It's going to be different for everyone. I live in a dryer climate than the one I grew up in. I work out more frequently than some people (losing water through sweat). I am smaller than some people and larger than others. I don't think there is a 'one size fits all' water amount -- BUT I do think that 64 oz. is a good place to start, letting your body be your guide.

Say it with me now: ANYTHING is better than nothing!

Drink your water, stay healthy and be fit!

Fitness Friday: Workouts

It is hot. It is approximately the same temperature as the surface of the sun-type hot. Amazingly hot. And besides that? It's just so hot!

Now, don't you feel like jumping up and doing a workout? No, me either. I want to be floating in a pool, or lying under a fan eating an ice cream sandwich. I sweat walking to get the newspaper, I don't want to sweat any more! Reality is, though, that for our hearts, bodies, and minds (y'all don't EVEN want to be around me on day 3 without a workout!) we really must be doing a little bit of moving. Truly, though, depending on where you live, it can currently be dangerously hot outside. So what's a healthy body to do?

Let's think of some alternatives to your basic, outdoor sweat-fest walking or running that you might think of as exercise. Obviously, this won't be a comprehensive list. Please leave a comment and tell me your favorite hot-weather exercise to do.

Workout videos: your library may have a fairly large selection for you to check out for free. If you're willing to invest, Collage Video is my all-time favorite place to go for exercise videos.

Swimming: the perfect exercise for a sweltering hot day! Swimming is EXCELLENT exercise as it puts no pressure on joints. However, studies have shown that your body resists losing its 'insulation' when it is consistently in cool water, so it isn't a great exercise if weight loss is your goal. If simply moving is your goal, swimming is a fabulous whole-body workout.

My book! I've mentioned that I'm doing this book:

It is a wonderful cardio AND strength-training workout, it can ACTUALLY be done in 30 minutes, and my heart-rate monitor tells me it's a good workout. I love it. That is all (I THINK our library has it -- I know we have his other book, which is also good, but the workout isn't as fast).

Mall walking: I don't really mean strolling in the afternoon (ice cream in hand) to do some window shopping. I mean getting there in the morning (our mall opens at 7, I think, before the stores) and doing an actual power-walk. Let me be perfectly clear on this: I LOATHE mall walking with a flaming passion of a thousand white-hot suns, and our mall has some awful ODOR in one corner (memo to mall management: unless you plan to steam-clean EVERY. NIGHT. there is no reason on the planet for a mall to have carpeting). However, I have been known to mall walk in a pinch. You can also brainstorm for any other sprawling buildings you may have access to: a coliseum, a church building, a school building. Even without air-conditioning, being in the shade of indoors would be better than the heat of outside.

There are so many others: exercise equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes, etc. Megan is doing kick-boxing at LA Fitness, Katie got a Wii Fit, you could try Curves, a gym, an indoor sport you enjoy. Just get moving.

Because what is my mantra? "Anything is better than nothing." HOWEVER -- if you are already moving a bit, it's time to shake things up. This next week, up your exercise, either by intensity or time, by 10% in one of your workouts. Push yourself -- you may be amazed at what you are capable of doing. Don't get in a rut, and get moving!

Until next Friday, be fit!

Fitness Friday: Are You Hungry?

"Are you hungry?"
(shrug) "Meh. I could eat..."

We have this conversation often around our house. Sure -- let me eat when it's convenient or when there's food, but when I'm hungry? What's that? I find that we even plan to avoid hunger -- eat now so that I'm not hungry later; wonder what will happen if we get hungry...?

Obviously, hunger is an empty stomach. The pain or burning you feel is your stomach being hopeful of food coming its way and dumping acid in preparation for eating. Have you ever gone to bed stuffed to the gills, almost ill, from WAY over-indulging, promising yourself to NEVER eat again only to wake up so hungry you start eyeing your bedcovers? Your stomach is a fast learner! Overeat at one meal, and the next time your stomach is empty it dumps much more acid than usual in preparation for another enormous meal. The result is an almost painful hunger feeling. Fortunately, it learns the other way, too! Start eating smaller portions and your hunger sensation is still noticeable, but not nearly as uncomfortable.

Most of us can identify hunger, but seem to take great lengths to avoid it. It's simply a signal like so many others of your body. And, if you are eating small portions, it isn't horribly painful. My biggest obstacle to feeling that hunger is mindless eating. We all know that many people with big weight struggles can be emotional eaters, but I think the vast majority of us are simply mindless eaters.

I know I can be guilty of: snacking my way through the pantry while I decide what to eat; being completely satisfied or full from dinner and eating the kids' leftovers while I clear the table; snacking while I cook dinner so that I sit down to a meal not hungry in the least; eating everything (or most of it) in front of me just because I was hungry -- but not necessarily THAT hungry (I never stopped to think about how hungry I was); eating just because it's 'time to eat'.

Studies and research come out time and again that shows that every successful dieter writes down EVERYTHING they put in their mouth. The reasoning is mainly that the dieter becomes AWARE of what s/he is consuming, and the (caloric) cost of all of it.

Fitness Friday will alternate between nutrition and exercise posts, so next week will be about exercise. For this week, I would encourage you to evaluate how well you are listening to your body's cry for food: are you physically hungry? Are you uncomfortably hungry? If so, can you eat a little less this time to become less hungry next time? Are you really enjoying what you eat? More than anything, I will try to pay attention to what I'm eating. God blesses us with some AMAZING food that we inhale too quickly to notice sometimes.

Until next Friday, be fit!

Fitness Friday Revisited

As summer continues to blaze, my fitness aspirations have dissolved to avoid sweating while being still. Sometimes I have to go lay down to succeed. That is pretty much the extent of my fitness plan for the summer. Between that, and my diet of : Sharky's burritos, sno-cones, and an occasional Dairy Queen blizzard, for some reason my clothes seem to be shrinking. Starting next Friday, August 1, I am going to re-instate Fitness Fridays here on the ol' blog to encourage us to get off our keesters and move. Or, just encourage ME to get off my keester while you sit on the couch with the chips. Next Friday, I will encourage us to move. This Friday, let's just take it easy.

While you're taking it easy, check out The Coffee Group's new look for our blog. Special thanks to Jen at blue yonder design for our awesome new look!

One Thing That I'm Thinking...

Okay, there are thoughts rolling in my head. Thoughts that don't have to shove out of the way to deal with Room 24 or where everyone has to be in the next 12 minutes.

One think I'm thinking is my deal with fitness/ health.

Towards the end of school, I was really pleading with the Lord about my attitude: my mouth, my heart, my actions. It wasn't all THAT terrible -- believe me, it's been a lot worse! -- but, as Beth Moore says, "Haven't you noticed that the more time you spend with God the pickier He is with you?" Very true. The Lord was really convicting me of my heart and attitude and I was finding myself needing to repent quite frequently and pray for patience and a pure heart.

I know it will come as no surprise to you that I began to notice those times that I was not at my best physically were the most difficult for me to seek God's heart -- when I was excessively hungry or tired, or had gone too long without a workout, I had to pray overtime to control my mouth and heart because I was GROUCHY. As an educator, this is a no-brainer. This is why public schools serve all kinds of meals -- we learned a long time ago that when a person's basic needs aren't met (food, shelter, rest, etc.) they can't learn. (I'm sure some high- falutin' theorist said this, and I'm sure at one time I knew who it was -- I can actually remember where it was on the page of my textbook -- but my brain seems to have squished that info out for other more important drivel, like my current favorite Lorelai Gilmore quote).

So that led me to think about caring for this house (meaning, my body, the house of my soul) that the Lord has given me to live in (at some point, as the Lord gets pickier with me, I'm sure I will feel the need to talk about taking care of my actual house that He has given me to live in, but that steps on my toes too much right now). I think about how much more I enjoy life and long to follow the Lord when I am well rested, well fueled, and de-stressed.

No doubt, my initial motivation for pursuing fitness was purely vanity, but I have come to realize what a blessing and benefit it is for all of me -- yes, even my soul -- to take care of my physical house. If I am getting proper sleep, I can more easily listen to what the Lord is putting on my heart. If I am not fatigued from carrying around extra weight, I don't have the need to rest as frequently and I am able to DO what the Lord has put on my heart. Properly fueling my body by what and how much I choose to eat, as well as clearing my head with a workout of my choosing all lead to a healthier me, which leads to a ready servant of the Lord.

So, that's just one thing I've been thinking. Caring for my body isn't purely a selfish act, but it's being a good steward of what the Lord has given me.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

Fitness Friday #9: Healthy Eating

Okay, JUST as I was sitting down to write this post, I can hear the dog "cleaning up" in the kitchen, but she is REALLY licking/ smacking at something. I know I wasn't QUITE that messy while I was cooking, so I go to inspect what she is so interested in. I don't see anything on the floor... she USUALLY doesn't get on counters... EXCEPT I notice that a HUGE piece of venison that was still sitting out waiting to be cooked seems to be missing from the counters and the paper towel it was sitting on is a little frayed at the edges, maybe a little chewed? So, eating an ENTIRE RAW venison steak is probably NOT healthy eating, but, trust me, I've seen what my dog will eat -- you don't want to model your eating after her!

Okay, so healthy eating. I'm not a soy and afalfa sprouts kind of person. I cut calories and fat where I won't miss them, and add fiber when I can, but I am married to a VERY meat-and-potatoes person with one unbelievably picky child. I'm also not going to cook myself a meal and another meal for my family. I want my family to eat healthy, but not so strange that we are impossible to serve.

Let me say, though, that I could eat the same thing for the next 3 years and it won't bother me in the least. I have been eating peanut butter on whole wheat bread for breakfast for over two years now -- occasionally I'll put a banana with it just for kicks -- and I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon. I like it, it's filling, it's healthy. Bam! Enough for me. Hubby, on the other hand, will fall in LOVE with some meal or food, eat it three times, then declare that he is tired of it, and won't eat it for another 6-9 months. Whatever. If you are along these lines of ADD about your menu, I do NOT have that kind of variety in my arsenal.

Some of my current favorite items:

Roxanne put me onto these things and I LOVE them. MOST yummy (even my 11 year old says so) and 5 grams of fiber in an ounce!! This with a wedge of The Laughing Cow cheese is a filling snack!

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! Butter is what I miss most when I'm really trying to be cautious with calories and fat. But what is popcorn without it? (The answer -- STYROFOAM!) So, I pop myself a 100-calorie Orville Redenbacher bag, and squirt this stuff all over it! I also use this for a grilled ham sandwich, and on top of some of my cooked veggies. Most yummy.

Now that the weather is warming up, there are so many more fruits as options! Grapes, mangoes, pineapples, honeydew -- there are just all kinds of yummy things out there. I'm not much of a raw veggie eater -- unless I drown it in ranch dressing, which somewhat defeats the purpose, I guess. For fruits, my grocery store has fresh containers of ready-to-eat fruits. Originally, they are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced, but are frequently "Reduced to Sell" since they won't be so fresh if they don't get off the shelf. I buy every one that is reduced and serve fruit salad for dinner and have some fresh fruit with my lunch the next day!


I'm aware, too, that sometimes eating healthy is costly -- why is the 75% less sugar cereal 75% more expensive? I try to still be frugal by shopping sales and comparing prices, but it can be difficult. Case in point: meat -- the lowest fat meat is the most expensive (lean hamburger meat or chicken breasts).

Be on the lookout for low fat, high fiber stuff in your store. Read LOTS of labels -- grocery shopping is quite an endeavor for me!

I know this post assumes you eat at home as much as I do -- and I know that few people actually do. It really is possible to eat healthy eating out, but you have to be careful. (Unfortunately, it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to eat healthy Mexican food -- bummer!) Next week I will post about healthy choices when you eat out.

Take Some Control!

Since I didn't post a Fitness Friday last week, I thought I could make my "Works for Me Wednesday" make up for it!

This is a tiny little tip that is a no-brainer for most of us. But I think it helps financially as well as portion-control. My kids are getting to the age that spring break gave me a panic attack about how I'm going to feed them for a week since they seem to eat non-stop after school until they go to bed. So, on my last week's grocery trip, I invested in a few more pre-packaged snack-type things than I usually do: applesauce, peanut-butter cracker, etc. I also got a HUGE bag of some really good (i.e., high dollar) trail mix. Wanting that bag to actually last until, you know, SPRING BREAK, I opened it and used a 1/3 c. scoop to scoop some into a zippered snack bag. I divided the WHOLE 3 pound bag into 1/3 c. snack bags and put all of the smaller bags into one gallon-size bag with a friendly reminder from mom to only have one per day (like I did to the peanut-butter crackers, etc.)

Not only does it help make those things last longer, but the kids (or grown-ups!) don't sit down for mindless eating and eat half the bag before they realize it.

Merci cuts up her salad veggies when she gets home from the store so that she will have a bag full of ready-to-eat salad veggies to toss together instead of eating a bag full of chips while trying to decide what would be healthy to eat! (Put the tomatoes in their own separate bag). What a great idea!

With a little planning ahead and thought (while you aren't STARVING), you can not only stretch your grocery dollar, but have ready-to-eat healthy food in it's own package waiting for you! It works for me!

To see other Works for Me Wednesday tips go here. To read more Fitness Friday healthy-living ideas, check back on Fridays!

(You'll have to wait a little longer to see what I decided! :-)