reaching-for-wellbeing

Countdown to the 30-Day Program

Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:28:56 +0100

We're off to a great start this year!! Nutrition packets are available if you haven't picked one up yet.

For some, this may mean some big changes and that can be a scary and uncomfortable thing. Please know that we're all in this together and there's power in numbers. That's why we're each going to embark on our own separate but unified journey on February 3rd. Remember, it's just for 30 days. How quickly will 30 days go by? Well, here we are already half way through January! That's half of the 30-day program. The next 15 or so will whiz by and we'll be ready to start the program and we'll all be thinking, "Wow, it's already time to start the program!!" It will go by quickly, I promise.

The one thing I ask to consider is to truly make a commitment to these 30 days. A commitment like you commit to an employer, a child, a spouse, a significant other, your church. This is a commitment to YOURSELF to improved health through one of the biggest factors that can affect your health: the food you eat every day. Defy that primitive part of your brain that will do its best to keep you just as you are. Take each step knowing that the one after it will get easier. And know that I, too, will be stepping right beside you, along with everyone else.

Let's do this, people, and have a TON of FUN along the way!!

Finding inspiraton and motivation

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:30:06 +0100

When I began running again this month to train for the Capital City half marathon with Friends of Mia, I was two months behind in my training. I started in March after recovering from a stress fracture in my foot. I knew it would be a bit of an uphill climb, and in many ways it has been. As I began my training schedule running three times a week, my work schedule simultaneously (of course!) became more demanding. One of the biggest challenges has been fitting it all in. Until today.

Last Sunday, I ran six miles for the first time since September (the stress fracture was misdiagnosed as tendonitis and I ran a 10k after being cleared from PT). Those six miles were a stretch for me but I made it. This week's training schedule called for nine miles. I had never run nine miles. I made it to eight last year and that was the longest distance I had ever done. My short runs during the week had been somewhat difficult as I have been cramming them in between sessions. So nine miles sounded pretty challenging. As a personal trainer, I know that pushing too hard can have a rebound effect and send you backwards instead of forwards. After having suffered through the stress fracture, I was uncertain whether nine would be a good idea. But with the race just six weeks away I knew I had to at least make a good attempt.

I didn't sleep all that well last night so when I got up this morning, the excuses started running through my head. Plus I was tired after a workout yesterday and several hours of mixing 400 pounds of cement for fence posts. But I knew I had to run. My team trains on Saturdays and since I work Saturdays I miss the practices and have to find the motivation to run. So it was just me and my head, and my head was trying to find ways to convince me to just bag it and enjoy the morning.

I got my running gear on. I stretched and stretched and stretched, making sure I hit every important muscle. I drank some coconut water. Finally, I was ready to go. I headed down our long driveway to the street. The weather was nice so I ditched my running jacket in the bushes. Then I stretched some more, took a long look down the street, and started my run.

My legs felt heavy. I was having a hard time getting my breath to synch. It was a bit of a tough start. I started paying attention to the music from my iPod to distract me. I knew that I could ditch the nine miles and just do six if I needed to and get the run over with. A woman I see year after year running was just ahead of me so I focused on trying to catch up with her. I made it to the three-mile turnaround . . . and kept going. I started thinking about how difficult it must be to be a kid with cancer and wake up and go to sleep every day battling that disease. I started thinking about my brother Marc, who was just 7 when my sister died of cancer and how tough and confusing that must have been for him. I also started thinking about my brother Mike, who was not quite a year old when my sister died, and my little sister Marilee who came along after me. At that point, I decided to dedicate my run this morning to my siblings.

Mile six came up. I felt pretty good. I had a great shuffle going on my iPod. As I started mile seven, I was nervous that my body was going to start giving out. But that was just my head talking. I actually felt pretty good. Then "Stronger" started to play - I love running to that song!! Mile seven came and went. Mile eight was pretty great. And then came mile nine and to my surprise, I was running faster than I had been the previous three miles!!

As my run came to an end, I felt pretty peaceful. I can see why people run long distances. It actually feels pretty darn good. I know finding the right inspiration helps - for me today, dedicating my run to my family really helped me find the inner strength to allow myself to see what I could do. I'm so glad I did.

Friends of Mia is a local non-profit organization raising funds for research and supporting kids and their families fighting cancer. If you would like to donate, please go to my fundraising page by clicking HERE

Exercise is medicine for the mind, body, and spirit

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:08:28 +0100

For the mind to be in optimal health, so must the body. Athletes and fitness enthusiasts are divinely aware of this. But many of us focus on just one or the other, falling short of making a true connection between our minds and bodies. And we often forget how having a healthy body and healthy mind nourishes and cultivates our spirit.

Does a lethargic body make for a lethargic spirit? Does a strong body create a strong spirit? We intrinsically know that when we are active and engaged and moving we feel good, do more, and are healthier and think more clearly. We also know that when we feel bad or depressed, we often sleep more, do less, and are prone to illness.

There are many ways we can work to get our mind into optimal health: good relationships with family and friends, counseling, therapy, religious practices, support groups, and prescription medications. There are many ways we can work to get our bodies into optimal health: sound nutrition, exercise, and regular visits to health care providers. With so many choices and options available for improved physical and mental health, the path to optimal wellbeing can be overwhelming as we reach for the right tools to support us on our paths.

More often than not, we focus on doing the things we perceive as being the easiest or most do-able and resist those we perceive as hard or time-consuming. Simply put, our brains are designed that way. Exercise is often high on the list of activities we perceive as hard, time-consuming, and a lot of effort, most especially since our lifestyles have become more and more sedentary. Barriers such as not knowing what to do, who with, where to start, how often, how to fit the time into our routine, or learning something new or different can be daunting and bewildering. Everywhere you look there are advertisements, articles, and information about the next best thing to do to get healthy. It’s easy to look outside ourselves for the answers with the wealth of information and resources available. When we do this, things begin to become more and more complicated.

I’ve worked with many people in various stages and on various paths in their journeys to improved health and wellness. While all of them have expressed a similar desire, it has become clear to me that each person’s steps towards improving their wellbeing are as unique as they are. Some are able to get right into a regular exercise routine and stick with it. Some have to work a bit harder to build that momentum. Some have obstacles that make taking those first or continued steps more difficult. And some have remain convinced that they just can’t do it.

One of the things people often do when looking to make changes is set goals. Recently, I came across what I believe is some very useful information about goals: that, frequently, those goals are so big and/or so unreasonable (i.e., I want to lose 100 pounds in 6 months) our subconscious mind is already made up to perceive that we cannot accomplish the goal. We may want to do or have or change the thing we’re focusing on but the failure has already occurred in the subconscious mind. The good news is there are a few things we can do to overcome this obstacle. First, we can break the goal down into smaller parts and focus on them instead of the bigger goal. For instance, if the goal is to lose 100 pounds, try focusing on losing one pound a week. If the goal is to eat healthier, find one thing in one meal and change it. If the goal is to begin exercising, start by taking a short walk - even just five minutes - and go from there. Or even start by scheduling that five-minute walk in your calendar on a regular basis. One of the most effective keys to unlocking the door for change is to keep trying, keep practicing. Anything that’s mastered didn’t happen in a day or a week or a month or “21 days.” It happens through practice, practice, practice.

Another effective tool for looking into the happenings of the subconscious mind is to work with someone trained to help you overcome old beliefs and move you forward. Hypnotherapy is a very effective tool and one I have used several times myself. Getting past old issues is not only freeing but helps to restore your spirit. Having support in place is helpful as well - friends, family, and health and wellness practitioners can also provide needed guidance and care in making positive changes to our minds, bodies, and spirits.

The benefits of exercise in improving overall wellbeing are numerous, such as

Relieves symptoms of depression and prevents them from recurring
Reduces stress
Reduces anxiety
Boosts self-esteem
Improves sleep
Increases energy levels
Decreases blood pressure
Improves muscle tone and strength
Reduces body fat
Strengthens and builds bones
Boosts immune system
Improves confidence
Increases blood flow to the brain
Increases oxygen flow to tissues and cells
Increases nutrient delivery to cells and tissues
Boosts mood
Starts to work right away

If exercise is so great, than why aren’t we doing it? For years, the old adage “no pain, no gain” has been associated with exercise and gives it a negative connotation. “No pain, no gain” is an outdated, badly applied concept with narrow relevance to a specific type of athlete looking to reach abnormal development of muscle for body building. It has become distorted and misunderstood when applied to general fitness and is in fact contradictory to many exercise programs and modalities that strive to reduce pain. While there can be some positive discomfort in challenging yourself, exercise will increase tolerance as the body becomes more resilient. Gradual, consistent progression will get you there. More often than not we get motivated, hit the gym hard, hurt ourselves, and then reinforce why we weren’t exercising in the first place. A slow and steady approach to beginning an exercise program will set up a better foundation for incorporating and building upon a solid foundation of fitness.

In the five years that I have been a fitness professional what I’ve come to know is this: I have the most amazing job in the whole wide world, and I tell everyone so. I get to witness the magic workings of the body as people begin to move more and at the same time watch their spirits light up brighter and brighter as they get healthier and stronger. There are times when people come into the studio feeling down and drained because of things life has tossed their way, and each time they walk out brighter, holding their heads higher, and feeling lighter because they’ve let go of some of the stress they were experiencing. This is simply due the divine way our bodies are designed.

Just like a garden needs water, sunshine, and food to grow rich and bountiful, taking care of our mind, body, and spirit allows us to live rich and full lives. When all three are cared for and cultivated together, optimal health and wellness can be achieved. A strong body is an ideal host for a strong soul, and makes you feel as though you can tackle anything. Who wouldn’t want that?