Healthy, Happy, Resilient People

Aug 16th, 2009

Body Mind Wisdom

Aug 16th, 2009

I’ve recently listened to two audio series by Drs. Christiane Northrup and Mona Lisa Schulz:  Igniting Intuition and Intuitive Listening.  If you’ve ever wondered if your body is trying to tell you something, but are not sure what the message is, these audio programs are a must for you.  Now, I’m preparing to listen a second time…..and eventually a third and fourth time.  If we listen, our bodies can unlock the key to our health, serenity, success, and happiness. 

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.

Seated Stretching Routine

Jul 14th, 2009

When you get tired and a little stressed, what do you do?  Do you walk to the vending machine?  Or do you get physical?  You can save a lot of stress-related calories if you do something physical.  You don’t have to worry about time because you can pep up or calm down in just a couple of minutes. 

Here are 7 stretches that reduce stiffness and tension . . . and you can do them while seated at home or in your office. 

Drop the Fatitude to Lose Weight

Jul 14th, 2009

You might enjoy this great article about weight loss at SparkPeople.  It’s about changing your thoughts in order to lose weight. 

If you aren’t a member of SparkPeople you may have to register to read this article….or you can just read this one without registering.

Back into Fitness (again!)

Jul 11th, 2009

Sometimes you just need to keep committing to something.  That’s how it was for me and strength training … until I made the one decision that it was important for my health and well-being and that I would commit to doing it – even if I didn’t particularly like it.

After a month off (traveling to NC to help my parents get situated for their move into assisted living), I didn’t have to decide again to do a strength training program – because I had made the one decision.  I just needed to decide when to start back – big difference.

It’s much easier to stick with a fitness program once you’ve made the BIG decision that it’s a life-long commitment for you.  Getting back into it after a long or short break becomes MUCH easier if you don’t have to make the big decision each time you head off to the gym or mountainside or dance studio. 

And now my day is going much better because I feel really good – about myself and about my life.  I have more energy and I’m happier.  If I had made the decision to put off going to the gym, I know my day wouldn’t have taken a turn for the better so sharply. 

Doing what I say I’m going to do is my antidote to negative self-talk.  It gives me a proud feeling, a wee bit virtuous.  Try it!

Comments Please.  Have you experienced this feeling?  Tell us about it at the comment link below.

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!

Fitness Routine Inspires Healthy Eating

Jun 7th, 2009

a 30-Day chronicle about getting back in shape

Have you  noticed that when you make a commitment to do something healthy, you end up doing even more healthy things than you originally planned?

That’s happening with me.  Sticking with my fitness program has really inspired me and it made me want to eat really well.  Notice I said “really” twice!  I find myself thinking all the time, “How can I make this healthier.”  I used to think “How can I make this taste better.”  That’s quite a switch for me.

Since I got serious about fitness, I’ve been drawn to raw foods-also unusual for me.  I’ve often said it’s got to be hot for me to be happy.  Eating raw food is definitely more appealing to me when the weather is hot, so I’m taking advantage of this hot weather and my newfound interest in extreme eating (for me that means raw!). 

Today’s menu made me really happy about eating.  Friends who know me well will be saying “where’s the meat?”

Morning Meal

Watermelon – lots of it!

Lunch (see video below)

More watermelon,
Whole Rye Bread (gluten free)
Hummus
1 oz leftover Chicken from Middle Eastern Restaurant

Dinner

Green smoothie (rainbow chard, spinach, apple, cucumber, water)  This was my first green smoothie ever and it was surprisingly satisfying.  I felt very virtuous.

Evening snack

Raw nuts (Brazil and almond)

Here’s a 35 second video peek at my lunch….

Your Turn:  Do you eat raw food?  What percentage of your diet is raw?  Got a favorite raw combo to share?  Comment at the 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.

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.