Missing in Action

Oct 7th, 2009

I’ve been missing in action again – helping my elderly parents with the transition to “independent” living.  This has been “The Year of The Parent” on the Chinese calendar.  Actually, it’s been more like two years, but who’s counting.

As soon as I get back to normal here at CherylMillerVille, I’ll fire up the blog posts and spread a little more health and happiness around.  Until then, how are you doing?  What’s up in your life?  What’s down in your life?  Leave a comment at the comment link below. 

Healthy, Happy, Resilient People

Aug 16th, 2009

My wild and Crazy Mother!

Jul 14th, 2009

I keep getting email updates from my sibs about my mother and her amazing journey to move into assisted living with my dad.  She’s 89  and he’s 86.  She just orchestrated a two-day garage sale–sold their new king sized bed, the guest bedroom suit, a whole room full of Ethan Alan furniture, cleared out the overstuffed attic (with hired help), bought a 10 year old Cadillac in excellent shape (she and my dad don’t drive!)  She just wants to have it parked outside their assisted living apartment.  And did you catch it that she’s 89!

Reports are that she’s flying high.  My sister wrote, “She is so giddy and footloose.”  This statement means more when you realize that she’s been a committed packrat and paper hound her entire life and wouldn’t let anybody throw anything out–I mean she’ll fiercely defend her stuff.  Clutter has been on ongoing battle between my mom and dad for their 65 year-long marriage.  Mom always won.  They’ve never parked their car in the garage.  It was stacked 10 feet high with boxes.

My sister and I spent 8 days decluttering (10 hour days) and mom said that really jumpstarted her (plus the recent stroke) and she’s on a fantastic roll.  Help is coming to her from every corner.  When that happens, you know it is meant to be. 

We had hired a moving company at $125/hr to move them but she somehow came upon an Army crew that will do it for free because they’re both World War II vets.  She says that 60 Army men and woman are going to show up at their house on Wednesday morning 9am (tomorrow!) to move them to assisted living.  But we secretly wonder if it’s really 16 and she didn’t hear it right.  She lost her hearing aids so….. we question it.  She also broke off one of her front teeth recently so to look at her, you might discount her as helpless and hopeless.  Well….you’d have to think again because she’s an amazing powerhouse.

We’ve even spent way too much time worrying about them (meds, the move, decluttering, getting an apartment, moving their utilities, getting them off junk mail lists, etc.)  But we need to stop questioning her because she has managed to single handedly mastermind this amazingly complex move.  She’s so busy with the various crews that she doesn’t have time to talk to me without scheduling it!  I just called her and she sounds fabulous – youthful, energized, happy, and powerful!  And that makes me love her even more.  In fact, tears are just now springing to my eyes I love her so much!  I want them to have a chance to kick back and enjoy the newfound freedom (without the clutter) in their new apartment.  I hope it brings them joy and peace and opportunities to be fully who they are. 

I need to get going to my women’s group….and as I wind this story down I’m thinking….Is this story stranger than fiction or what?  My sister wrote “Who is she and what have they done with Freda Miller???”   You’d have to know her to really see what a transformation is occurring.  My mother has been stubborn, resistant, demanding and more….but this stroke really changed her.  I think it made her more powerful, not less.  She’s really in the game.  She’s truly powerful!  She’s totally in command of her life and it’s inspiring.  I wish I was there to see it in person. 

My dad has been the powerhouse until now and my mom quietly spaced out in the background reading, watching HGTV, and putting together slide shows of their trips to Israel, Australia …. to name a few.  Now my dad has dementia, has weakened physically….and my mom is reversing her role as the driver of the family.  I guess this is why we do marriages and partnerships.  We need the help when life takes a turn.  Isn’t this just a grand scheme of things!  I’m high too just thinking about the human spirit.  Aren’t we great!

OK I better quit before I have to get a Kleenex.  I think this is why they say honor your parents … because you never know, really, who they are.

New Fitness Routine

Jul 1st, 2009

You have probably noticed that I haven’t posted in a while.  I’ve been in North Carolina helping get my parents ready to move nto a nursing home facility.  Sounds strange to even say that! 

My mother just had a stroke and is finally ready to move into independent/assisted living.  We’re all really relieved to have them in a safer environment with more support and care giving.  My dad has dementia and is definitely winding down.  It was good to see them but also difficult.

My mother comes from  a long line of pack rats so it was serious work going through every drawer, cabinet, closet, and bookcase in their home so that it wasn’t obvious that I’d thrown half of the contents out.  My new fitness routine was sitting on the floor sorting and tossing, bending and lifting, and dragging heavy garbage bags of paper out to the car and eventually to the dump.  I was disappointed that their city doesn’t  have recycling for mixed paper. 

Next came the heavy lifting – the garage.  I’m going to need to sleep for a few days before I have the energy to tell the rest of the story……

Until then, stay young….exercise!

Get Curious About Fitness to Get Inspired

Jun 7th, 2009

a 30-Day chronicle about getting back in shape

Today was an upper body day.  After warming up on the elliptical machine, I ran the circuit of upper body machines for about 40 minutes.  As I moved from machine to machine, I thought about how this workout felt compared to the first one.  I found that line of questioning inspiring because I could tell I was getting stronger.  And I was enjoying the workout more. 

When I first worked with a personal trainer, she tried to chat during my work out by asking me questions about my week.  I found it really distracting and asked her about it.  She said that most people enjoyed chatting because they wanted to keep their minds off the fact that they were exercising.  That was the opposite of what I wanted.  I told her that I wanted to be super focused on my workout so I could pay attention to the entire experience. 

As I look around the gym, I notice that most people are plugged in when they’re working out.  They’re plugged into an iPod, a magazine, the TV or their fitness buddy.  If that’s the only way they can get their workout in, that’s fine.  But I’d like to offer a counter cultural idea-pay attention, tune in, enjoy the entire experience.  Get curious in order to get inspired.

Here are some examples of questions you might ask during your workout:

1. Am I getting stronger compared to my first session or most recent session?
2. Are my daily activities getting easier (lifting groceries out of the trunk, carrying them into the house, climbing the stairs, running after the kids, etc.).
3. What do my muscles feel like?  Are they feeling pumped, shaky, firm, strong?
4. Is this weight appropriate-hard enough to get a good workout but not so demanding that I might get injured?
5. Is this workout helping to balance my muscles (front and back)?  We experience fewer joint problems and injuries when our muscle strength front to back is balanced (e.g., quadriceps and hamstrings, chest and back, biceps and triceps). 

If you’re normally plugged in when you work out, try going cold turkey next time and get curious about the experience.  Pay attention to your breathing, your thoughts, your muscles, and your experience.  After all, for that 30 or 40 minutes, your workout is your life.

Your Turn:  Thoughts?  Comments?  Are you plugged in when you workout?

Should you see a physician before starting an exercise program?

Medical Disclaimer: Any information you obtain from this blog series is not
intended and should not be construed as medical advice and is for the sole purpose of providing information derived from the experience of the author. Diet, exercise or other lifestyle changes should be made only after consulting with your own intuition, common sense, and health care practitioner.

Success Strategies to Help You Stick with Fitness

Jun 6th, 2009

a 30-Day chronicle about getting back in shape

Wanted to let you know that the longer I stick with my fitness routine, the more committed I get to healthy eating.  That’s a bonus.  In my next post I’m going to open my fridge and kitchen cabinets and tell you about what I’ve been eating.

Success Tactics

Here are some of the things I’m doing to help me stick with my decision to get fit again:

1. Before I started my program, I did a personal assessment:  weight, measurements (calf, thigh, hip, waist, bust, biceps).  I’ve been keeping these measurements for years and have watched them steadily grow along with me.  Now I’m watching them steadily decrease.  Very motivating.
2. I’m keeping a food and fitness journal.  It’s nothing fancy, just a place to regularly record my daily food and fitness choices.  Research is clear that people who record their daily food intake, lose weight.
3. I went public with my story in order to add a bit more interest and challenge.  As I share my story in this blog, I’m forced to think about what to say.  That makes me take a closer look at what I’m experiencing every day.  I’m becoming more aware and that’s always a good thing.  
4. I’ve invited you to share your story.  Other people’s stories are always inspiring.  So please share your comments, questions, and favorite resources at the comment link below.

Should you see a physician before starting an exercise program?

Medical Disclaimer: Any information you obtain from this blog series is not
intended and should not be construed as medical advice and is for the sole purpose of providing information derived from the experience of the author. Diet, exercise or other lifestyle changes should be made only after consulting with your own intuition, common sense, and health care practitioner.

Earth Gym Workout

Jun 5th, 2009

Today’s Fitness Activities

I didn’t go to the gym today.  Instead I engaged in what I call Earth Gym activities…where your life is your workout:

• Cleaned house and swept the deck – that’s a good workout and it now looks great.
• Walked Toby for our usual 60 minutes (lovely evening).  We always see deer grazing in the nearby fields.  They look up, watch us, then go back to grazing.  I call out to them sometimes and say “hi.” 
• Mowed the lawn.

Now it’s time to read The Power of Story by Jim Loehr.  It looks really good.  I’ll tell you about it once I get in to it.

Here’s a funny endnote:  My 88 year old mother got a cell phone today.  The rehab hospital phone battery always goes dead and it’s frequently being used by other patients (I call that a dumb phone system).  So she bought a one-year plan.  She did a pretty good job of using it for the first time.  I did have to holler into the phone and tell her to hang it up.  She could burn a lot of minutes like that!

Your Turn:  Got anything to share about your fitness routine?  Any other comments?  Please share them at the comment link below.

We Adapt Quickly to Exercise

Jun 4th, 2009

a daily chronicle about getting back in shape

When stuff happens, you just get back on track.  That’s what happened to me on Wednesday.  I had every intention of going straight to the gym from the office.  I won’t bore you with the details, but it didn’t work out.

So with renewed determination I went to the gym today.  I’m really happy when I do what I say I’m going to do.  Life is so much better on all levels when I know I can trust myself to follow through.  For me, it’s really important.  And I’ll bet it’s important to you too.

Today’s Workout

• Elliptical machine (5 min. warm up)
• Lower Body Weights (35 min.)
• Crunches on an incline board (2 sets of 25)
• Sauna (15 min.)
• Then I went home, answered a few emails, and walked Toby – our regular 60-min. walk.

Today’s Healthy Dinner (you can copy it!)

In just minutes you can have this wonderful, healthy meal on the table:  Sauteed garlic, green onions, sliced carrots, asparagus, pea pods, spinach and about 3 ounces of sliced organic beef.  I added a little salt and pepper and a dash of hot pepper flakes.  I don’t want to brag, but it was so fabulous.  Simple, fast, and fabulous.  I had a little left over and will have it with an egg in the morning (mixed in).  Have you heard there’s a trend to have dinner for breakfast.  Guess I’m trendy.

The Really Good News (you’ll like this!)

Even though this was just my second lower body weight lifting session, I was already stronger, more acclimated, and less clumsy (and shaky) moving from machine to machine.  The first day I felt like a beached walrus flopping from machine to machine.  Awkward and embarrassed.  The 5 minutes on the elliptical machine was a lot easier to do too.  And remember how I said the 5 minute rowing session felt like 15?  Well today it felt like 5 minutes.  All in all, I’m much less tired at the end of the day than I was that first day when I zonked out really early-couldn’t move a muscle or do much of anything.

I am amazed at how quickly my body is adapting to these increased demands.  Amazed.  Of course, I have an aerobic base of walking about an hour a day most days for many years, so that has helped.  But I don’t have any strength training base and that piece is coming together fast!  So if you are starting a new fitness program, take heart – your body will adapt to it fairly quickly.  Maybe not at the same speed as others, but pretty quickly.

When instituting a new habit, it’s important to acknowledge any gains.  Successful businesses focus on ROI (Return on Investment)and so should we!  It’s motivating and satisfying to see improvements. 

Your Turn:  How’s your fitness routine going?  And your healthy eating plan?  Any other comments, resources, or suggestions.  Do tell at the comment link below.

Should you see a physician before starting an exercise program?

Medical Disclaimer: Any information you obtain from this blog series is not
intended and should not be construed as medical advice and is for the sole purpose of providing information derived from the experience of the author. Diet, exercise or other lifestyle changes should be made only after consulting with your own intuition, common sense, and health care practitioner.

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