Well, speaking of red wine a few post’s ago, I just read about another study touting the benefits of my favorite poison. Not only did the Realage site mention that drinking 4-oz of wine with a meal increases HDL (good) cholesterol, a Reuters article suggests that there’s a strong correlation between women who drink red wine and a slimmer waistline.
Now this is a weight loss plan I wouldn’t mind trying. Cheers!
Peanut and I took a nice long walk on Saturday, and you know what they say about having kids? The old cliche about how you see the world in a different way again? It’s a common miracle many of us get to experience every day. As Peanut and I walked a simple stretch of about four blocks, we found entire worlds in between.
First, there was the choo-choo. We watched that and listened to its sound until it was out of sight, walking backwards at times. A little further down the road, we gawked at a burned-down house. Peanut was probably just wondering why that house looked so goofy. I wondered about our own home and all the tiny little belongings that we take for granted and where the inhabitants of that home found themselves that morning and what had to have been racing through their minds.
As we continued, the little ramps that slope from the sidewalk to the street were like mini hills for Peanut. Each time we approached one, we ran down it really fast and he giggled like it was the most comical thing. I suppose those little ramps are big hills for those tiny little legs.
Then, we went on a squirrel-watching hunt. There were two comical characters in a tree near the still-frozen lake, chasing each other. We sat watching those guys for a good five minutes until the crows called. We tried to imitate their sounds and follow their flight paths until we came across the playground.
After plenty of swinging, sliding, climbing, hiding, peeking, running across unstable bridges, and “driving” the fake truck, I finally had to tear Peanut away so we could head back home.
There’s just something about a quiet Sunday morning with very little traffic, light beams bending across the road, very little sound except for the birds, a tiny hand in your hand, the little bits of dirt decorating his knees, and those baby blues taking it all in. There’s nothing more sublime.
Take the RealAge(r) test at the Realage website to see how old your body is in terms of how you take care of it, how healthy you are, and other contributing factors. I am happy to say, I am feeling 6 years younger today.
After you take the test, you can find out what’s making you younger and older. There are Health, Habits, Relationships, Diet and Fitness recommendations you can follow to help improve your score. It’s amazing what flossing, drinking red wine with dinner, and owning a dog can do for your body! But it also told me to buy that silver SUV we’ve been looking at (larger vehicles provide more protection and apparently silver vehicles are 50% less likely to be involved in serious accidents. Who knew?) I don’t know if we can swing that since unemployment checks don’t fly as income.
Here’s something else I had a sneaky suspicion about. The quiz results say I work out TOO MUCH. It says, “In fact, your workout is at the level of an athlete” and then offers strategies to slow down a little bit. I’ve programmed myself to find exercise opportunities in all those extra daily minutes, like one segment of the 10-minute Solution DVD before work, then walk to work, walk briskly with a friend at lunch, walk home, and fit in a more intense workout and strength sessions MWF, and then sneak in a few more walks and workouts on the weekend. I loathe sitting around, what can I say?
But it seemed like after I had my baby, breastfed, and walked slowly with him, weight fell off my body faster than it ever did before. Perhaps less is more.
It’s kind of funny, because after a health assessment at work one time, the nurse insisted that I get more exercise. I repeated how much I worked out several times and she kept saying I needed to do more. I just rolled my eyes. I always knew it was the food holding me back, not the exercise.
I also learned from the quiz that my target heart rate for working out is about 194 (220-age). I think I’ll try to keep track of this tomorrow and request a heart rate monitor for Christmas:)
Well, I used to be a potato too, a couch potato that is. I never really had a very active upbringing aside from dreaded gym classes and recreational volleyball and softball. So, I completely understand the “Potato Mentality.” I picked up a fitness habit around 2001 and have stuck with it ever since. I later added the healthy eating part of the equation, and still work on this part to this day.
The trouble is, my husband is a true couch potato. There are noticeable markings on the area of the couch where he always sits indicating that he spends a lot of time there. This can be very discouraging. It’s also difficult, when you understand the high value of healthy habits, watching your partner not take care of themselves. It’s difficult when you don’t have the same goals and you feel as if you’re missing out on having the perfect workout buddy.
There’s a difference though between acquiring your partner’s participation and acquiring his support. My husband has always supported my fitness habits. True, there was a time when he offered me an unhealthy serving of cake right after I worked out, but for the most part, he’s very supportive. Just two days ago, I was on the treadmill for maybe 10 minutes when I turned if off and said “I just can’t do this tonight.” He encouraged me, well…nearly demanded, that I get back on. It worked! I stayed on for a full 35 minutes and felt much better afterwards. So, the support is very important. You need only ask.
By being a role model, perhaps one day you will inspire your significant other to begin their own healthy habits. You can offer little nudges, perhaps by showing them interesting articles you’ve read or relaying other tidbits. My husband has an injured back, so when I come across articles about how exercising decreases back pain, I like to gently remind him of how he could “cure” himself or at least feel better, which he is understandably highly receptive to. Also, hearing it from a source other than me improves the likelihood that it will get through, but that’s a whole different story. Just please promise you won’t nag! This will make health-ifying that much more of a chore for your partner. And it’s a very private, personal choice that a person has to make for themselves.
Aside from being encouraging, maybe you are able to control the weekly menu to help your partner at least in the diet arena. Find a healthy cookbook that remakes some of your partner’s favorites. You need not mention what you’ve done lest they refuse the food on principle. Some secrets really are healthy!
The good news is, my husband has agreed to run a 5k with me in April. Well ok, maybe he’ll walk it with me, but that’s a wonderful change either way. It seems he has been finding more and more excuses to walk and fit in extra exercise. So, I signed the registration, sent in the money, and smiled at the thought of crossing the finish line with my new fitness buddy.
I’ve identified more dangerous triggers that cause me to eat when I don’t need to. It all comes down to the value of the dollar.
The first trigger is free food. When I see a spread of fruit, dips, and other indulgences, I see something I could never afford to have all at once at home. I see dollar signs in the drink mixes and shiny gold glazing on the meat slabs and it’s hard to resist the temptation when posed against the lackluster frozen meals at our house. Along the same vein is the value of my time. The free homemade cake offered at work, that I don’t have to slave over, is doubly tempting. (And I will NEVER pass up a slice of cake!) I figure as long as it’s only one indulgence every other week or so, maybe I throw a few bites away, and I only take a partial serving, I should just enjoy the frosting, guilt-free. And there can’t be much harm in filling my plate with mostly fruits and vegetables first.
The second downfall is the incredulous idea of wasted food. Knowing how much our weekly grocery budget has grown makes me want to sip, soak up, suck on, swallow, and chew every last penny’s worth that I can. The downfall of this is that those extra bites end up taking up residence in my fat cells, which is worse than living in the garbage can. I guess the easy solution to this is to buy less calorie-laden foods and serve smaller portions. Also limiting the indulgences would help, so that when I eat every last bite, it’s more likely to be broccoli and brown rice than greasy prepackaged burritos.
My third downfall is when food is offered that I wasn’t prepared for. Identifying the cost and amount of time and love spent by mommy making a double batch of cookies makes it impossible to refuse. The gooey heaven is laden with guilt from many different angles. Next time, I’ll ask for my treat to-go, fully enjoy just a few bites, and get rid of the rest or share the bounty with others. Mommy will never know.
The fourth downfall is how going out to eat has become a “treat.” My husband and I are at odds over this. My family of 5 used to go out to eat on $20 total, a rare treat. We’d share meals; scour flyers, newspapers and circulars for coupons; skip extras like drinks (only water), dessert, sides and appetizers; and memorize where the deals were. (We once had lunch at a furniture store because they were giving out free hot dogs). My husband’s family set no limits on food or cost and ate out as a convenience, versus a rare splurge. So as we combine our families, we have a habit of going out for a “rare treat” sometimes twice a week or more. Not good. I’ve bought a few quick healthy recipe books that will hopefully deflate this ballooning eating-out budget. We are in need of some variety and much more enjoyable bites at home so we don’t crave going out. After all, I’d much rather save for memorable vacations than watch money drain away on food, with nothing left to show for it.
Who knew money was so inextricably linked to diet?
I always wonder what the Kool Kats do when they go home from work. I like to imagine that everyone is immersed in a challenging home improvement task, slaving away at complicated recipes, penning the next Harry Potter, attending humanitarian club meetings or catching up with a handful of close companions. But I am willing to guess there’s a lot more couch glorifying and TV trance-partaking than any world-changing events happening behind those double French doors.
There’s also the choice between keeping yourself up-to-date on the best seasonal television shows and other buzz-worthy programs or crafting purses out of vintage fabric for a few extra dimes. It’s “lazy versus productive” pitched against “current versus out-of-the-loop”. Where’s the balance?
Being a mom brings with it a vault-full of extra guilt. If I’m not spending my free time building block towers for my 1-1/2-year-old to destroy, I always feel a little remorse (except during naptime). If I thought I never had any time B.C. (Before Child), I was out of my mind! Now, I really don’t have any time. Or do I?
I struggle with getting any writing, crafting, or other projects to show for my time accomplished without curious digits yanking pens out of my hand or demanding my full attention. Cleaning is feasible with Peanut around, but only to a point. Don’t get me wrong, I love engaging Peanut in wrestling, building and hiding games. But I also spend a lot of time thinking about what I could be doing with my free time. Even during Peanut’s naptime, I struggle with the what to do, what to do… When noontime on a Saturday rolls around, I often just want to crash and then I suffer the guilt afterwards of all the life-changing challenges I could’ve taken on during those blessed three hours.
The trouble is, I lose interest in projects. I start writing projects and abandon them. I print off art projects and never so much as buy the supplies. I dream about decadent gourmet dinners but lose interest in bringing them to fruition. But I feel like I need these projects to unleash my creative energy upon.
It makes me wonder if anyone else with these strong impulses to be productive actually do produce anything or if they succumb to numbness once in awhile. It’s much easier to relax into a simple lifestyle and suppress those urges than to twist wire into museum-worthy sculpture. Will the Kool Kats emerge from their basements with an amazing invention one day or do they just shop and get their hair done to rectify their status?
If you’re a mommy looking for tips for taking a toddler on a flight, here are my tips from first-hand experience a short 2 months ago. Now, my son likes toys to a point. A very small point. A few minutes max. This worried me for his first flight…on a lap, no less. I was sure he’d squirm his way out and bother dozens of aisle-seaters, but he actually did better than expected. The key was to have several “activities” lined up for him, one after the other. Our flight also happened to be during nap time, another good tip if your child is able to fall asleep in your arms.
1. Wear the child out at the airport before boarding. After all, you do have two hours to kill. We walked, looked in stores, looked out every window in the place watching airplanes and workers, found another young boy to talk to for awhile and it was magical how he fell asleep during takeoff.
2. Change the child just before the airplane starts boarding.
3. Take a bottle/sippy cup with for all the ear popping. I think our son finally figured out that drinking made him feel better. Also, don’t forget their lovies (Blanky) so they feel more comfortable.
4. Encourage your child to watch out the window for as long as it holds their attention. Point things out and explain the flight to them for extra interest.
5. Bring along a meal to feed the child. This can eat up at least a half hour. Little snacks here and there help as well. Just be sure it’s nothing too messy and you brought a bib.
6. Bring along a Magna Doodle and a few books. Also a few blank sheets of paper and a small carton of crayons. It’s difficult to pack the whole toy box, so just pick a few smaller items that have the most potential to hold the child’s interest. Drawings do quite well in little space.
7. Pack your iPod® and let them in on the head boppin’. They’ll get a kick out of listening to your music.
8. Page through the in-flight magazines and fliers. Pointing out airplanes, doggies, and even refrigerators will keep them occupied for some time. Better yet, pack their favorite Highlights or age-appropriate magazine.
9. Some people will give you dirty looks when your toddler kicks their seat a few times (sorry, I tried to keep the little kickers contained, but sometimes it just happens), but a few will coo. Let them coo for as long as they like. My socialite son soaks it up, especially when it’s someone he’s never met before.
10. If there’s an open seat next to you and the flight attendants allow it, try buckling your child in to that seat to keep him “in place.” Our son didn’t even try to squirm out when we tried this. He somehow knew the seat belt meant business.
11. Pack your carry on with a fresh set of clothes, a stack of diapers and wipes. This saved us on BOTH flights. Don’t underestimate the importance of this seemingly no-brainer.
These are what worked for us. But I have absolutely no tips for changing a child’s diaper in-flight. Good luck with that!
I told my husband this past weekend that the bad things that people do to me are “fuel for the fire,” so to speak. Each time I’m ignored, overlooked or have been snubbed by someone, I use that experience as ammunition for pursuing my passions. I’ll write extra pages in my novel, try to outshine myself at work, or create a goal that surpasses anything the villain has ever done. I’ve adopted sort of an “I’ll show them” attitude.
This is just how I am. I don’t think it’s good to only be motivated by someone else’s actions, but I do think that this is a very productive way to turn something unfortunate into something positive. Even if I don’t “show them,” I’m using that madness to spur myself in a positive direction.
Next time you’re faced with a snub, insult, admonition or bad review, visualize the success of something you’re working on. Place all that extra energy, emphasis and irritation you’re filled with into something productive. Instead of punching a hole in the wall, direct that energy into your passions. It also happens to be very cathartic.
I swear Honey, my book about gaming widows is going to be a best-seller!
I promised I would have a post about this, so here it is. I have read countless articles about emotional eating and pinpointing its triggers. Usually, if we’re not actually hungry, there’s some sort of emotional connection when we eat anyway. With sadness, we may turn to comfort food; with fond memories, we may turn to fatty treats; with camaraderie, we may turn to deep-fried pub fare.
For me, it’s boredom. Not necessarily emotional boredom, but boredom of the mouth. I feel like I always need something in my mouth to taste, suck on, enjoy. I’ve found this can be quite dangerous to my health when I make the wrong decisions (oh chocolate, how I love thee), so I’ve had to come up with a few ways to combat the problem.
The best solution is sugarless gum (Wrigley’s Cinnamon). This keeps my mouth busy and occupied for hours. Sugarfree candy and Tic Tac mints are also helpful. I love Celestial Seasoning’s Black Cherry Berry tea. With a little sweetener, that practically tastes like candy itself. There’s probably something I’m ignoring about artificial sweetener, but I hope a few pieces of gum won’t kill me.
You hardly need to spend anything to get fit. If this is your excuse, you can’t use it anymore. Motivation is probably the biggest stumbling block of all. But money should not matter.
I am the queen of working out on a budget. I am also the type of person (Gemini?) who gets very bored very easily with workouts. I need something different all the time that doesn’t cost me anything. It sounds impossible to please me, but it is not. For eight solid years, I had and loyally used my gym membership, but due to recent money constraints and logistics, I had to quit. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to work out at home, but it has actually worked out quite nicely and I have been able to maintain my faithful habit. The only hurdles I have at home are a 1-1/2-year-old who enjoys sitting on me during ALL floor exercises and a pup who sometimes compromises my form by getting underfoot. Oh, and the dishes and other distracting messes, but I’ve learned to hold off until after my workout.
Here is my list of budget-friendly workout helpers:
1. I have rummaged, thrifted and craigslist-ed my way to a stocked workout video collection. I don’t think I’ve paid more than $1.00 for a used workout video. You can never predict what you’re going to find, so you have to practice being open-minded when going the second-hand route.
2. I also got a sweet treadmill for just $100 at a rummage sale. We have gotten WAY more than our money’s worth.
3. A $2 thrift store stair stepper is great for step aerobics and also works as a makeshift weight bench for chest presses, leg lifts and all sorts of other exercises.
4. I have a $1 jump rope that gives one of the best workouts ever. I compiled a list of jumps to try on my sparkpeople blog.
5. I got some inexpensive weights at the store. A 5lb and 8lb set will do for a lot of women. I found my husband found some 15 pounders on craigslist for $15.
6. I have magazine subscriptions to Self and Shape Magazines, which cost something like $12 each for a full year. I have hundreds of workouts pulled from these magazines, and filed away by workout type, that I can always turn to. At best, you can log on to these or other health-related magazines’ websites to learn something or print workouts. Self has some really good workout videos you can follow along with as well. As a side note, Self Magazine was one of the first major health motivators for me way back in 2000. The upbeat, anyone-can-do-it attitude really got me revved to start a fitness program.
7. If you’ve heard it from me before, you’ll hear it from me again. Sparkpeople is one of the best free health sites I have ever come across. Here you can log workouts, log what you eat, and look up health articles on almost any topic. There are health calculators, health calendars, community forums and so many things I can’t even list.
8. Free workout videos in a variety of different practices and time limits are provided by exercise TV. Also Yoga Today provides a free hour-long Yoga workout every day and offers over 200 downloadable videos for cheap.
9. The library is a rich resource for workout videos, health books, healthy cookbooks and more for free. Or check out their CD selection for fresh workout music.
10. Check out your local video store as well. We have a local one where educational videos, which includes workout videos, are free to rent.
11. For parents, playgrounds offer a really nice workout opportunity that allows you to play like a kid again. Do a Google search for playground workouts to find something like this.
12. A good pair of running shoes provides plenty of workout hours, whether you prefer free local trails, the sidewalk, the treadmill, or the track.
13. For around $300 each, my husband and I each bought a kayak. We have definitely gotten our money’s worth out of these too. We barely have to plan when we want to go out for a row and we can drop them in the water almost anywhere that’s open to the public. For the cost and the experience in nature, it sure beats slaving away in the gym!
14. I also recommend a set of stretch tubing and a fitness ball. For around $10-$15 each, you get more workout options than you can imagine for your money. If you’re lucky like me, you might happen upon these at a rummage sale or inside a workout DVD itself for even less!
Home gym Complete!
