Next to yoga and meditation, I rank massage right up there as a valuable and useful (and heavenly!) way to relax. There are certainly different ways to ease the mind and body, but for me, it's massage.
We all have a tendency to give up what is important to us, to make room for conference calls, meetings and errands -- and before we know it, we feel burned out. Taking the time out of a busy day to get a massage is one of the most important ways to heal the body, mind and spirit.
Massage therapy is especially helpful for de-stressing the muscles around your neck and shoulders, where most people hold tension.
When you have relieved muscles, you can perform better at your workouts and your everyday life. A professional massage therapist knows where to touch, how much pressure to apply, and how to make a difference.
Finding the right massage therapist takes some research. Obviously, you want to find the best fit for you. Start by asking friends whom they recommend -- bearing in mind that everyone will swear they have the best massage therapist EV-er. ;-)
Before you hop up on the table, do ask the clarifying questions, which really do matter: How long they been in massage therapy? (One of my Denver favorites, Carolina Gosselin, has been performing massage therapy for so long, she very literally rubbed the fingerprints off her fingers!)
Where did they acquire their certification? What kind of massage therapy do they perform? And most importantly, just see if you connect with them. There’s nothing worse than showing up at your appointment, only to feel ill at ease, for whatever reason.
What if you don’t feel comfortable? You have two choices: Stay and tough it out, or get up and leave. I tried the first path once, at a chain that offered cheap-cheap-cheap ($30) massages – and ended up with a severely stiff neck for several weeks afterwards. I knew as soon as she started jamming her elbow into my neck that it didn’t feel good, but I stayed quiet, stayed polite. I should’ve gotten up and left. Do have the courage to get up and walk out.
(Massage Etiquette 101: Just as it’s tacky to ask for a doggy bag at an all-you-can-eat buffet, don’t get up and walk out 55 minutes into your one hour massage. If it’s not working, leave within the first 10 to 15 minutes.)
Taking the time for massage is very important for your mind, body and soul. An hour every two weeks is ideal (and luxurious!). If you can’t commit to the ideal, then try once a month. Even once a quarter is better than none.
Here are some links to help you find the right massage therapist for you:
www.finda.com
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Punishment of Gluttony
Independence Day: A time to rejoice the birth of our nation, celebrate our individual and collective independence … and watch 20 or so big eaters go nuts gorging on Nathan's Famous Weiners, in their 94th annual hot dog eating contest?
No really. I’ll spare you the flatulent details, but suffice it to say there were well over 400 hotdogs (with buns) eaten by these bingers. Fans cheered and rooted on their 'heroes'. The winner, in fact, slammed down FIFTY FOUR HOT DOGS in 10 minutes. It probably won’t come as any big surprise that my mind wandered off to the dangers of overeating.
Hey. We all go off our 'program' at times. What’s most important isn’t as much the recognition of our 'sin' as how we handle it afterward. On Independence Day weekend, we find ourselves focused on fireworks, togetherness, celebration and re-birth....but let’s be realistic. We also find ourselves focused on potato salad and cheeseburgers and beers and ice cream.
None of this is bad - unless you go overboard and cannot control the difference between what your mouth wants, and what your body needs. If you find yourself eating too much, which many of us do, don't feel so bad. It happened. It's over. Turn the page and start fresh. Put some distance between that “bad eating day” and many good days, and, soon enough, it’ll be in the rear-view mirror.
A good way to keep your food mentalities in check is to apply the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time we should eat well and healthy and drink lots of water. And 20% of the time we should be human! ;-)
Live a little! Have some fun. I think the 80/20 ratio is a great way to stay healthy in body and mind.
We all fall down. It's how quickly we get up and make the right choices that’s the difference between 10 “vanity” pounds that could go, and 50 “health-impacting” pounds that must go.
So on those holidays that invite overeating and drinking, have fun. Then, as soon as you can, get back on track.
No really. I’ll spare you the flatulent details, but suffice it to say there were well over 400 hotdogs (with buns) eaten by these bingers. Fans cheered and rooted on their 'heroes'. The winner, in fact, slammed down FIFTY FOUR HOT DOGS in 10 minutes. It probably won’t come as any big surprise that my mind wandered off to the dangers of overeating.
Hey. We all go off our 'program' at times. What’s most important isn’t as much the recognition of our 'sin' as how we handle it afterward. On Independence Day weekend, we find ourselves focused on fireworks, togetherness, celebration and re-birth....but let’s be realistic. We also find ourselves focused on potato salad and cheeseburgers and beers and ice cream.
None of this is bad - unless you go overboard and cannot control the difference between what your mouth wants, and what your body needs. If you find yourself eating too much, which many of us do, don't feel so bad. It happened. It's over. Turn the page and start fresh. Put some distance between that “bad eating day” and many good days, and, soon enough, it’ll be in the rear-view mirror.
A good way to keep your food mentalities in check is to apply the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time we should eat well and healthy and drink lots of water. And 20% of the time we should be human! ;-)
Live a little! Have some fun. I think the 80/20 ratio is a great way to stay healthy in body and mind.
We all fall down. It's how quickly we get up and make the right choices that’s the difference between 10 “vanity” pounds that could go, and 50 “health-impacting” pounds that must go.
So on those holidays that invite overeating and drinking, have fun. Then, as soon as you can, get back on track.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Working With Your Personal Ideal
So you don't feel like Wonder Woman today? Cut yourself some slack. Which is not the same as slacking off.
When we wake up each morning, sometimes we can smell the coffee, and sometimes not. Let’s face it: We don’t always wake up at our personal best. Not enough sleep. Too much stress. Too much on the to-do list.
Distractions, real and imagined, prevent us from consciously committing to being our best selves.
As a trainer, and having worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, I’ve developed a keen sense of intuition about how my clients are doing on any given day -- often without them even speaking a word to me.
Yes, friends, I can tell when you’re stressed, tired, sick, or just a little ho-hum. I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a tidal wave, and I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a faucet trickle. My job is to create a workout for you that jives with your vibes.
It works better for me, though, when we work together. When you go to see your trainer, or your yoga instructor, or your pilates class, and you’re feeling like a 3 out of 10, don’t overcompensate. Toning it down a little is not a bad thing!
Our bodies get overworked and stressed out and yes! Exercise aids in all of that. No doubt. But it’s all relative, and it’s important to factor in some reality about how hard to push ourselves at any given point in time.
So if you’re a 3 out of 10, take it down a notch for today. Maybe a little less incline on the treadmill, or, if you lift, drop your weights back a few pounds. Do fewer repetitions, do whatever it takes to get you through your workout. Importantly, get THROUGH it. You’ll feel satisfied that you did. Maybe it’ll even bring you up to a 5.
Be conscious about wanting to work at your personal best, but know that it’s not always possible. Every day is a new day. Maybe tomorrow you’re rested and ready to take on the world. Then you can push yourself a little harder. As with everything, seek balance and consistency.
At the end of a longer timeframe, say a month or two, you will see the difference in your results. Write it down, if that works for you. I write down in my journal daily about how I’m feeling, what may have influenced me and what kind of energy I had. Was I high energy or low energy? Did I give it my all, and if not why? I ask more questions about my own behavior because it teaches me what works, for me, to try to live healthy.
And hello: This is not an invitation to slack. Be very honest with yourself. Tag a low energy day as such, but go do your workout. Get through it. Don’t skip it.
When we wake up each morning, sometimes we can smell the coffee, and sometimes not. Let’s face it: We don’t always wake up at our personal best. Not enough sleep. Too much stress. Too much on the to-do list.
Distractions, real and imagined, prevent us from consciously committing to being our best selves.
As a trainer, and having worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, I’ve developed a keen sense of intuition about how my clients are doing on any given day -- often without them even speaking a word to me.
Yes, friends, I can tell when you’re stressed, tired, sick, or just a little ho-hum. I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a tidal wave, and I’ve seen you when your energy hits me like a faucet trickle. My job is to create a workout for you that jives with your vibes.
It works better for me, though, when we work together. When you go to see your trainer, or your yoga instructor, or your pilates class, and you’re feeling like a 3 out of 10, don’t overcompensate. Toning it down a little is not a bad thing!
Our bodies get overworked and stressed out and yes! Exercise aids in all of that. No doubt. But it’s all relative, and it’s important to factor in some reality about how hard to push ourselves at any given point in time.
So if you’re a 3 out of 10, take it down a notch for today. Maybe a little less incline on the treadmill, or, if you lift, drop your weights back a few pounds. Do fewer repetitions, do whatever it takes to get you through your workout. Importantly, get THROUGH it. You’ll feel satisfied that you did. Maybe it’ll even bring you up to a 5.
Be conscious about wanting to work at your personal best, but know that it’s not always possible. Every day is a new day. Maybe tomorrow you’re rested and ready to take on the world. Then you can push yourself a little harder. As with everything, seek balance and consistency.
At the end of a longer timeframe, say a month or two, you will see the difference in your results. Write it down, if that works for you. I write down in my journal daily about how I’m feeling, what may have influenced me and what kind of energy I had. Was I high energy or low energy? Did I give it my all, and if not why? I ask more questions about my own behavior because it teaches me what works, for me, to try to live healthy.
And hello: This is not an invitation to slack. Be very honest with yourself. Tag a low energy day as such, but go do your workout. Get through it. Don’t skip it.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Relax, Meditate, Slow Down
Relax. Meditate. Slow Down.
Along with making definitive room for your workout in your busy schedule, you do need to get a little relaxation. Sounds counter-intuitive, but, so are lots of things! The world is yin and yang, black and white, good and evil. Life needs balance, you need balance. Without balance you are stressing too hard on one side vs. the other.
In short: To keep your mind, body and spirit healthy, you need to carve out some quiet time.
Do it by finding 30 minutes a day to sit quietly. (This will be the hardest part, finding the time!)
If you’re familiar with meditation, all the better. If not, just sit still. Sit in a quiet room: No TV, no radio, no iPod, no screens. Just sit quietly. Try to clear your mind. Try to think of nothing. Yes it’s hard to do, but with some practice you can calm the mind. If your mind is totally corkscrewed into a motor-head realm, start with 5 minutes. Work your way up to 30. Set an alarm, so you don’t have to worry about how many minutes have passed.
Why stillness and meditation matters: It helps aid in stress relief, sicknesses, and above all, peace of mind.
Here are some techniques that can help:
Count Your Breaths. That’sright, just count. Count every inhale, count every exhale. It’s a way to clear the mind that you can do even when you’re walking.
Follow Your Breaths. This means focusing more intently on your breaths. If you’ve taken yoga, you’ve heard the line “go to your breath.” This is a variation. Relax, breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth; in through your mouth, out through your nose, doesn’t matter. Just focus on filling your lungs with air.
Visualize. Go to your happy place, in other words: Think about the cool breeze of the beach, the sunset, a very delicious mango shake or whatever you feel like thinking about, as long as it is positive. Not only will you start to relax. You really will reduce tension and stress.
Want more?Here’s a useful web site for further meditation techniques:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-491/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-Demonstrated-by-Deepak-Chopra-Video.html
Along with making definitive room for your workout in your busy schedule, you do need to get a little relaxation. Sounds counter-intuitive, but, so are lots of things! The world is yin and yang, black and white, good and evil. Life needs balance, you need balance. Without balance you are stressing too hard on one side vs. the other.
In short: To keep your mind, body and spirit healthy, you need to carve out some quiet time.
Do it by finding 30 minutes a day to sit quietly. (This will be the hardest part, finding the time!)
If you’re familiar with meditation, all the better. If not, just sit still. Sit in a quiet room: No TV, no radio, no iPod, no screens. Just sit quietly. Try to clear your mind. Try to think of nothing. Yes it’s hard to do, but with some practice you can calm the mind. If your mind is totally corkscrewed into a motor-head realm, start with 5 minutes. Work your way up to 30. Set an alarm, so you don’t have to worry about how many minutes have passed.
Why stillness and meditation matters: It helps aid in stress relief, sicknesses, and above all, peace of mind.
Here are some techniques that can help:
Count Your Breaths. That’sright, just count. Count every inhale, count every exhale. It’s a way to clear the mind that you can do even when you’re walking.
Follow Your Breaths. This means focusing more intently on your breaths. If you’ve taken yoga, you’ve heard the line “go to your breath.” This is a variation. Relax, breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth; in through your mouth, out through your nose, doesn’t matter. Just focus on filling your lungs with air.
Visualize. Go to your happy place, in other words: Think about the cool breeze of the beach, the sunset, a very delicious mango shake or whatever you feel like thinking about, as long as it is positive. Not only will you start to relax. You really will reduce tension and stress.
Want more?Here’s a useful web site for further meditation techniques:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-491/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-Demonstrated-by-Deepak-Chopra-Video.html
Turning it OFF will Turn you ON
Here’s a reality sequence that may sound familiar: You come home from a long day at work. You put your stuff down, look in the fridge, scrounge up some dinner -- and sit down in front of the screen. Doesn’t matter what screen it is – TV, laptop, family PC, iPad. It’s a screen. You sit in front of it. It’s a habit.
Perhaps this is obvious, folks, but in case it’s not: Screens are a habit. The bad news is, they’re a sedentary habit. We SIT in front of our screens.
The good news is, just like rules, habits can be broken. We look our screens day in, day out, week after week, month after month. We get tons done! Right? (And they’re a plausible refuge, right? “I have to work.”)
Get UP. Stop thinking so much. Move your body. Push your body! Go for a walk around the block, for starters, or pretend you’re a Marine. Drop and gimme 50! (Ok, 10. To start.)
Head too busy? Ok, get out another tool: Your music. I often work out with my iPod. It doesn’t quiet the brain’s restlessness, in making lists and multi-tasking, but it can drown it out for a while.
Or, go to the farthest extreme: Unplug. Disconnect your satellite or cable subscription, and back off on the Hulu and the YouTube, too. Go look at the bugs in your garden. Count the bees. Pull a weed or 10. Bitch about the Miller moths, this time of year. Just keep your eyes off of the screen.
The best way to become a former couch potato is to stop spending so much time there. End up there, instead of starting there.
Whatever you choose to do, understand that it's not all that bad, but like anything good it’s best for the physiology of your body to choose moderation over excess. That goes for the screens, too.
So here’s an alternative. Come home from work, put your stuff down, and change into something more comfortable. Something you’d wear to, say, go for a walk, or a run, or a hike, or a bike ride. If your brain is too busy, plug in to some tunes.
This isn’t news to you, right? You know this, and you know what to do. I’m just here to remind you to apply some discipline. Get your eyes off the screen. Turning it off you will turn it ON!!!!! Try it. Tell me what happens.
Perhaps this is obvious, folks, but in case it’s not: Screens are a habit. The bad news is, they’re a sedentary habit. We SIT in front of our screens.
The good news is, just like rules, habits can be broken. We look our screens day in, day out, week after week, month after month. We get tons done! Right? (And they’re a plausible refuge, right? “I have to work.”)
Get UP. Stop thinking so much. Move your body. Push your body! Go for a walk around the block, for starters, or pretend you’re a Marine. Drop and gimme 50! (Ok, 10. To start.)
Head too busy? Ok, get out another tool: Your music. I often work out with my iPod. It doesn’t quiet the brain’s restlessness, in making lists and multi-tasking, but it can drown it out for a while.
Or, go to the farthest extreme: Unplug. Disconnect your satellite or cable subscription, and back off on the Hulu and the YouTube, too. Go look at the bugs in your garden. Count the bees. Pull a weed or 10. Bitch about the Miller moths, this time of year. Just keep your eyes off of the screen.
The best way to become a former couch potato is to stop spending so much time there. End up there, instead of starting there.
Whatever you choose to do, understand that it's not all that bad, but like anything good it’s best for the physiology of your body to choose moderation over excess. That goes for the screens, too.
So here’s an alternative. Come home from work, put your stuff down, and change into something more comfortable. Something you’d wear to, say, go for a walk, or a run, or a hike, or a bike ride. If your brain is too busy, plug in to some tunes.
This isn’t news to you, right? You know this, and you know what to do. I’m just here to remind you to apply some discipline. Get your eyes off the screen. Turning it off you will turn it ON!!!!! Try it. Tell me what happens.
A Positive Attitude is Extremely Contagious
So far so good: You wake up each morning knowing that you have to work out, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. From there, you start the conversations with yourself – to get motivated to go to the gym, go for a run, or to just curb a food craving.
How to break the bad habits that shunt forward progress? Start with that conversation. Keep it positive. Positive self-talk is an invaluable tool when it comes to changing behaviors – either to lose weight, or to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
I just can’t say this enough: Staying positive while taking the steps to better your health is what will deliver you to success.
It follows that when you work out, you’ll feel exhilarated and positive, which continues you on the journey.
Attitude is everything. Take a look at yours. Are you negative? Do you get all over yourself at the first mis-step? Find all kinds of good reasons to postpone your good health?
Stop. Re-frame. How do you re-frame your attitude? What works for me is to think of something funny. Smile. It doesn’t have to be “Pollyanna” – goody two-shoes humor. You know what funny is to you. Go there.
Do what it takes to nourish a positive attitude, which will direct your perspective, which will give you control over being motivated. It’s all connected.
And it does snowball. The more you stay positive, the more it becomes contagious. Next time you’re feeling stressed, or that you’ve hit a wall, or that you’d rather do any of a dozen other things than get your butt in gear, stop. Re-frame.
Ask yourself: How do I WANT to feel today?
Hint: Try “I want to feel fabulous.” Tell me what happens. J
How to break the bad habits that shunt forward progress? Start with that conversation. Keep it positive. Positive self-talk is an invaluable tool when it comes to changing behaviors – either to lose weight, or to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
I just can’t say this enough: Staying positive while taking the steps to better your health is what will deliver you to success.
It follows that when you work out, you’ll feel exhilarated and positive, which continues you on the journey.
Attitude is everything. Take a look at yours. Are you negative? Do you get all over yourself at the first mis-step? Find all kinds of good reasons to postpone your good health?
Stop. Re-frame. How do you re-frame your attitude? What works for me is to think of something funny. Smile. It doesn’t have to be “Pollyanna” – goody two-shoes humor. You know what funny is to you. Go there.
Do what it takes to nourish a positive attitude, which will direct your perspective, which will give you control over being motivated. It’s all connected.
And it does snowball. The more you stay positive, the more it becomes contagious. Next time you’re feeling stressed, or that you’ve hit a wall, or that you’d rather do any of a dozen other things than get your butt in gear, stop. Re-frame.
Ask yourself: How do I WANT to feel today?
Hint: Try “I want to feel fabulous.” Tell me what happens. J
Will and Desire - If they can do it, you can, too!
Last Sunday my husband and I took the dogs out for a run, and saw the inspiration for this particular post. It was a man, an older man, walking with a walker on a trail. He had to be in his late 80s. Smile on his face. Whistling. I turned to Ross and said, now that’s what it means to have the will and the desire to keep moving. I hope when we’re that age, we still have that will and desire to MOVE, just get out there and smell the sweet summer air and move the body.
I don’t know what external or internal factors caused the man on the trail to require a walker. The moment passed without any conversation.
But it reminded me of another inspiration of an older man, also instilled with the desire to keep moving. My grandfather. We called him Popa. He had poliomyelitis as a child, and was very sick, for a very long time. We hardly think of polio now, because we’re vaccinated against it when we’re young. But for people who grew up in the early part of the 1900s, polio was a hideous, literally crippling viral disease.
Popa overcame his polio, but for the majority of his life, he wore braces on his legs to keep him stable.
I bet you can guess where I’m going with this. Yes. Popa was an exercise anamoly, especially in that timeframe. He wanted to be strong. He lifted weights, and even went out to the back fence to do squats and stretches. Meaning, he not only had the will and desire to be strong – he also had to do it without a gym membership, or a personal trainer. In the lingo of that (Depression-era) timeframe, he had to "make do with nothing new." And he hardly missed a day.
We are surrounded by people who’ve experienced debilitating accidents, loss of limb(s), partial paralysis, you name it. And guess what: They lift weights, play basketball, ski, surf -- you name it, they do it. They have the will and desire to keep moving.
So I guess what I'm trying to say here is simply this: HEY YOU. Hey you with the two working hands, arms, legs and feet. You with the perfectly fine heart, lungs, internal organs. Get it together. Keep moving.
Because you can.
I don’t know what external or internal factors caused the man on the trail to require a walker. The moment passed without any conversation.
But it reminded me of another inspiration of an older man, also instilled with the desire to keep moving. My grandfather. We called him Popa. He had poliomyelitis as a child, and was very sick, for a very long time. We hardly think of polio now, because we’re vaccinated against it when we’re young. But for people who grew up in the early part of the 1900s, polio was a hideous, literally crippling viral disease.
Popa overcame his polio, but for the majority of his life, he wore braces on his legs to keep him stable.
I bet you can guess where I’m going with this. Yes. Popa was an exercise anamoly, especially in that timeframe. He wanted to be strong. He lifted weights, and even went out to the back fence to do squats and stretches. Meaning, he not only had the will and desire to be strong – he also had to do it without a gym membership, or a personal trainer. In the lingo of that (Depression-era) timeframe, he had to "make do with nothing new." And he hardly missed a day.
We are surrounded by people who’ve experienced debilitating accidents, loss of limb(s), partial paralysis, you name it. And guess what: They lift weights, play basketball, ski, surf -- you name it, they do it. They have the will and desire to keep moving.
So I guess what I'm trying to say here is simply this: HEY YOU. Hey you with the two working hands, arms, legs and feet. You with the perfectly fine heart, lungs, internal organs. Get it together. Keep moving.
Because you can.
There Are No Shortcuts
Maybe this sounds familiar: You're in your 30s or 40. You’ve been battling a bulging belly for years. You’re driving down the road one day, and there it is! The miraculous cure, up there on the billboard: “CALL NOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST.”
Maybe it’s the Lap Band, or some other elastic band miracle. Maybe it’s gastric bypass, to go to the most formidable extreme.
Really? Could this work? Should you call the number?
Guess what, friends: It all comes back to one thing, and that’s mind over matter. Being conscious and deliberate and intentional about what you want for your body. Because “get rich quick” schemes (or, in this case, “get skinny quick” schemes) are just that: Schemes.
Repeat after me: Physical modifications do not change the behavior of the mind.
Nor do habits change easily. Eating the whole pie, or three burgers with fries, or polishing off six meals a day? Not good choices. Healthy living is about a slow and deliberate walk toward good choices. Healthy living isn’t a speed round!
Try this: Instead of going for the quick fix, try for 21 straight days of intentional “sobriety” about whatever it is. Three weeks of taking a deliberate stand, thought by thought, about what you want out of your fitness life. Whether it’s about eating less, drinking less, or exercising more, you can make it happen. One thought at a time.
Maybe it’s the Lap Band, or some other elastic band miracle. Maybe it’s gastric bypass, to go to the most formidable extreme.
Really? Could this work? Should you call the number?
Guess what, friends: It all comes back to one thing, and that’s mind over matter. Being conscious and deliberate and intentional about what you want for your body. Because “get rich quick” schemes (or, in this case, “get skinny quick” schemes) are just that: Schemes.
Repeat after me: Physical modifications do not change the behavior of the mind.
Nor do habits change easily. Eating the whole pie, or three burgers with fries, or polishing off six meals a day? Not good choices. Healthy living is about a slow and deliberate walk toward good choices. Healthy living isn’t a speed round!
Try this: Instead of going for the quick fix, try for 21 straight days of intentional “sobriety” about whatever it is. Three weeks of taking a deliberate stand, thought by thought, about what you want out of your fitness life. Whether it’s about eating less, drinking less, or exercising more, you can make it happen. One thought at a time.
Tracking Your Progress
When I only see clients occasionally, it’s hard for me to know what’s going on in their “fitness lives.” Some journal their time in the gym, which is great. It gives me a better idea of what they’re doing, which helps me to fine-tune our time together. I strongly recommend it!
Yes, yes, it’s hard to write everything down. I’ll soon be up with a “Get Movin’ with Jaime” hot list of things to get you on your way. But until then, a few tips on how to make a fitness journal that works for you.
For starters, the raw materials: There’s no shortage of journals and journaling books on the market. An Amazon.com search produced 423,542 results! From workouts to calories to enlightenment to parenting, journals exist. Such resources can be very useful -- but you don’t need to spend a pile of money on a journal. A spiral-bound notebook is just as effective. The important part is to put the pen on the paper regularly.
Next: What to write. The basics include notes about your workouts, exercises, diet. Goals, achievements, ideas. Your energy goes where your mind goes, so keep it positive – if you’ve had an off week, filled with commitments and perhaps more food/drinks than you’d like, don’t beat yourself up about it.
Why did I eat that ice cream cone (or drink that extra glass of wine) when I didn’t need it? How do I work out when life is such chaos? It was cold and rainy and I just wanted to stay in bed – these things happen. Life isn’t perfect, fitness isn’t perfect. The trick is to just keep going. Then write it down.
For me, journaling is almost an out-of-body experience. I write it all down – what went well, what didn’t go well. It’s a release of stress (good and bad!). It’s an internal feedback mechanism, which helps me to make adjustments. Refreshing older goals, and setting new goals.
Yes, yes, it’s hard to write everything down. I’ll soon be up with a “Get Movin’ with Jaime” hot list of things to get you on your way. But until then, a few tips on how to make a fitness journal that works for you.
For starters, the raw materials: There’s no shortage of journals and journaling books on the market. An Amazon.com search produced 423,542 results! From workouts to calories to enlightenment to parenting, journals exist. Such resources can be very useful -- but you don’t need to spend a pile of money on a journal. A spiral-bound notebook is just as effective. The important part is to put the pen on the paper regularly.
Next: What to write. The basics include notes about your workouts, exercises, diet. Goals, achievements, ideas. Your energy goes where your mind goes, so keep it positive – if you’ve had an off week, filled with commitments and perhaps more food/drinks than you’d like, don’t beat yourself up about it.
Why did I eat that ice cream cone (or drink that extra glass of wine) when I didn’t need it? How do I work out when life is such chaos? It was cold and rainy and I just wanted to stay in bed – these things happen. Life isn’t perfect, fitness isn’t perfect. The trick is to just keep going. Then write it down.
For me, journaling is almost an out-of-body experience. I write it all down – what went well, what didn’t go well. It’s a release of stress (good and bad!). It’s an internal feedback mechanism, which helps me to make adjustments. Refreshing older goals, and setting new goals.
Stuck in a Rut?
'Stuck in a rut and can’t dig your self out’?
Scenario: My client came to me today with a challenge, she said to me that she feels stuck in a rut and can’t get out of it. So I asked her a few questions to see where we need to make changes to her program. She works out 3 days a week with me and can’t find the time to do more on her own. As mentioned in my last blog, you have to make commitments for yourself and place them in your calendar.
We changed her cardio program to going to spinning classes (as she input the classes into her schedule) and started her on a circuit weight training session with me at my studio. TBD on her progress.
We all get to this point of our workouts and feel like we keep digging that hole. Here are a few things for you to start doing to get you on that path again. You must look at what you are doing in your workouts and make modifications to them. CHANGE IT UP!!!!! Try a new class or try a circuit weight training (add cardio and weight in the same work out) (10 minutes cardio and 10 minutes of weights and do 3 sets of each in that same session). If you are stuck in a rut in the gym, then go outside for workouts. Run stairs, hike, bike, swim, etc…. Whatever it is you like to do outside, go out and DO IT!!!!!!
"The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging."
~Warren Buffett~
Scenario: My client came to me today with a challenge, she said to me that she feels stuck in a rut and can’t get out of it. So I asked her a few questions to see where we need to make changes to her program. She works out 3 days a week with me and can’t find the time to do more on her own. As mentioned in my last blog, you have to make commitments for yourself and place them in your calendar.
We changed her cardio program to going to spinning classes (as she input the classes into her schedule) and started her on a circuit weight training session with me at my studio. TBD on her progress.
We all get to this point of our workouts and feel like we keep digging that hole. Here are a few things for you to start doing to get you on that path again. You must look at what you are doing in your workouts and make modifications to them. CHANGE IT UP!!!!! Try a new class or try a circuit weight training (add cardio and weight in the same work out) (10 minutes cardio and 10 minutes of weights and do 3 sets of each in that same session). If you are stuck in a rut in the gym, then go outside for workouts. Run stairs, hike, bike, swim, etc…. Whatever it is you like to do outside, go out and DO IT!!!!!!
"The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging."
~Warren Buffett~
No Time You Say? MAKE TIME
Seize the Day!
We all come up with excuses and we have a million of them. I'm too tired, I have to wash my hair, it's too hard, gotta make dinner. We have all used em and heard em. Well it’s time to stop making excuses and get up and move. As I mentioned in my previous blog, you can make the change. But only when you are ready, will you know.
As most people are on a calendar, schedule, etc… why not make an appointment to workout? If you write it in your schedule you will make it happen. You wouldn’t miss a hair cut or hair color for that matter would you?!?
The best way to do this is find that time of day which works best for your energy. Personally, I’m a morning person. If I don’t workout in the morning I find it harder to get motivated to workout in the afternoon or evening, but I do it anyway. Out of the 24 hours in your day, isn’t there one hour you can find to move your body? Say it isn’t true!!!! You can find the time if you are ready to commit to getting healthy.
Some other ways to make the time is find a workout buddy, a neighbor, friend or hiring a personal trainer. Having someone with you while you work out is very motivating and inspiring. It also makes the workout go that much faster. If it’s a cardio or toning class you like to take at your local gym then put that class in your schedule every week.
You can make the time and before you know it, you will celebrate that hour you took taking care of yourself.
~ Open your heart and mind to new possibilities and you can have a memorable and pleasurable experience ~
Change - It Starts Right Now
Change is hard for most people. It requires a lot of will and desire to make that change. My business partner said it the best “One of the best days of your life is when you decide you’ve had enough and you decide to change”. Well I agree. Making changes is like making habits. It takes two weeks to start or end a habit.
You must ask yourself these questions and look at your lifestyle. For example, are you?
- Sitting at a desk
- Sitting in a car
- Sitting in front of a TV
- Sitting in front of a computer
- Eating out at restaurants
- Drinking alcohol
- Eating fast food or junk foods
- Staying up late/not getting enough sleep
The best way to get started would be writing down your goals as a checklist. To start making changes you must start out with having a small goal and a big goal. Baby steps are the only way you won’t get burned out so fast. Try these few changes
- Being active in general (taking the stairs, walking instead of driving, standing instead of sitting, etc.)
- Doing cardio exercise, walk on the treadmill or take the dog out for a walk
- Strength training for all muscle groups. Joining a health club and find a weight training class
- Preparing your own meals and snacks and eating fruits, veggies and wholegrains
If you can just think of moving for one hour a day, you will start seeing changes in your habits. Then you will make changes to how you are moving. You will be surprised on how good you feel and want to continue on your journey to making those goals happen.
Coming Soon – “No time you say? Make time”.
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