Marching to the beat of your own drummer!

The most important thing I have seen repeatedly in people that have successfully adopted a healthier lifestyle is that they have personalized it to their lives.

So many of these diet and exercise programs being pitched to us daily are all about taking one formula and applying it to the masses.  It is no wonder so many people try and fail using these methods. 

I talked to a few of my friends and family that are living out a healthy lifestyle and they shared with me some of the ways they have made this journey more personal and more successful.

Calorie replacements:

-Maggie kicked her daily soda habit replacing it with seltzer water and sometimes spiking it with juice or a squeeze of lemon or lime.

-Samantha had a lifelong love affair with dessert after dinner.  An affair she was not willing to give up.  Her solution is to allow herself a dessert a day as long as it is 100 calories or less.  She has found a variety of 100-calorie desserts to keep her satisfied and fit. 

-Chris is a self-admitted carnivore.  In an effort to keep the beef but cut out as much of the fat as possible he now makes his lean meat burgers by adding oatmeal to the mix.  He can still enjoy a thick juicy burger but with half the meat.

Adapting exercises to your life:

-After years of trying to use the hundreds of dollars worth of exercise equipment he purchased for his home Rob finally decided he was best motivated at a gym.  He sold and donated all of his equipment and joined a 24 hour gym near his work.  Now he makes it a point to either work out on his way to work or on his way home from work. 

-The best exercise for beginners and couch potatoes is walking or running.  This exercise is one you can do on your time and pace.  It’s the perfect starter and gateway exercise to a lifelong healthy habit!

You are unique and should embrace that daily especially when it comes to your food and fitness!

Happy New Year – One Day at A Time

 I am writing this on New Year’s Day 2011.  Earlier this morning I read a post on Facebook from a friend who said he is celebrating 19 years of sobriety.  I congratulate him and anyone else who has taken the necessary steps to regain their lives.  I am sure you have heard that one of the key steps to succeeding in conquering such challenges is to take things “one day at a time.” The same can be said when it comes to our fitness and nutritional goals. 

Do not overwhelm or sabotage yourself by worrying about what you will do tomorrow or in the days, weeks and months ahead.  Just concern yourself with exercising and making good food choices TODAY.  

As we approach the New Year and it’s many expectations I not only share my friend’s resolve and accomplishment but also a wonderful quote by Tom Landry that I will carry with me throughout this year, and many others.  “Today you have 100% of your life left.” 

Like the sentiment that we should take one day, one moment, one choice at a time, this quote further reminds us that every day is an opportunity to start over.  It really does not matter how far away you are from your goals, nor how out of shape or overweight you may be.  The cold hard fact is that you truly do have an opportunity to turn it around today just by making the decision to begin.  And once you have made the decision you can assure your success by adopting the mindset that your overall good health and fitness is not about one resolution but to recommitment yourself anew each morning.

So Happy 2011 to you.  Live it and commit to it one day at a time.  

The Language of Success!

 When it comes to health and fitness it is all about “you are what you eat” but this common and wise expression should include that “you are what you think.”

As the new year approaches and resolutions are made, we become a bit more anxious to begin life changing routines that will improve our lives. Often this promise is about weight loss and body sculpting.  We stand in front of the mirror at a dressing room or in our bathroom and determine we are hideous and grotesque and we must change right now.  Or, we are trim but not fit or fit but not trim.  Our general dissatisfaction with our appearance sends us into a panic that eventually ends with us attempting to motivate ourselves by bullying and belittling. 

Aside from caloric intake and exercise the single most important ingredient to a successful healthy lifestyle should be the dialog you have with yourself. 

-Do not attempt to motivate yourself to lose weight by telling yourself that you are fat.  Remind yourself that you deserve a healthy body and a healthy weight.

-Do not sabotage your diet by telling yourself that you are too busy, tired and overworked to follow your healthy routine.  Remind yourself that there is always a healthy alternative to snacking and eating on-the-go and you are worth taking the time to seek it out and enjoy it.

-Do not beat yourself up when you encounter a set back and deem yourself a failure.  Remind yourself that falling is part of the process and that your true success comes from getting back on track. 

-Do not aspire to look like anyone else.  Remind yourself that your body is uniquely yours and your main goal should be to be the best you that you can be. 

-Do not set yourself up for failure.  Remind yourself that you have all the tools necessary to succeed and plan accordingly.  Work with your real life and real schedule and fail-proof your eating and fitness routine.

Be kind to yourself and be your biggest cheerleader.  And take the time to whisper to yourself: “You are AWESOME!”  

Home Sweet Home

After years of fighting the dangerous habit of smoking, my friend sought the help of an addiction specialist.  She was surprised that the first suggestion her therapist made was to go home and rearrange her furniture. 

This may have surprised her but it did not surprise me.  I learned at Weight Watcher’s that in order to change your life, you have to change your surroundings.  You must set up your home to motivate, inspire and encourage your health and fitness goals.

When it comes to your kitchen you may think it is just as simple as to empty your fridge and cupboards of all the bad foods.  But that is just the beginning.  Your home is an influential environment and taking a few of these steps may help you on your path or continued commitment to living a healthy lifestyle.

Once you have brought in your nutritionally sounds foods be sure not to hide them but place them front and center.  Make them easy to see and reach.  Place fruits on the counter or on the top shelf of your fridge.  Put mixed nuts and whole grain chips and crackers in the spot once reserved for your snack foods.

Freshen up your living room in order to reenergize yourself in your home.  Get rid of items that are no longer useful to you or your current and future health goals.

If you exercise at home, do a quick inventory of the items you want to keep and discard. Create an area in your home where you will use these items and then neatly store them for quick and easy access.   Keep the area fresh and well stocked with a towel, full length mirror and your favorite tunes.  As a runner I was always derailed by having to search the house for all of my gear, now I keep all of my running clothes and gear in the guest room which is right next to the front door. 

By making your home a partner in your health and fitness goals you set yourself up to succeed daily!

Fitness as we age...

 If you thought that all of your diet and fitness routines could be set aside when you reach your golden years, think again! 

Researchers are continuously finding the benefits of diet and exercise for people of all ages, especially our aging community.  Exercise can decrease the chances of older individuals developing dementia.  It also works to keep away stress that can plague an idle mind and body.  Older adults can also enjoy better flexibility, balance and even improve their bone density.  All things that can dramatically impact the quality of life.

Although the news is encouraging for the future, the time to start an exercise routine is now.  By introducing exercise into your life today, you can bring with you a strong body and mind into your advanced years.  This discipline and passion can keep your body younger and even reverse some of the signs of aging.

As I age, I am encouraged by the amount of older people I know that are involved in a variety of fitness activities.  As a runner I meet lots of participants at races in their 60’s and 70’s, but they are not jogging, they are outrunning a lot of us youngsters!  There are also lots of seniors bicycling these days and they are not riding a bike with a bell and basket, they are geared up to the teeth and seriously competing and winning.  Tennis, golf and swimming are also very popular with this group of super seniors.  Most of them report that they are not just keeping their body fit but also keeping an active social life that is health driven.  Rather than only meet for lunch or card games where they find themselves either complaining about their aches and pains, or their kids, they are now involved in more proactive discussions and behavior. 

Age and aging brings on a lot of stress.  Be it physical or financial. It is for this reason that your best weapon is to bring a healthy and strong body into your senior years so you can enjoy a long and happy life. 

Fitness to Fight the Blues!

We are living during some difficult times.  Our nation is in financial flux.  Unemployment and foreclosures are affecting us directly or someone we know.  It is during these times that we are prone to using comfort food and isolation to cope but now is the time to realize that we must be fit to fight!

The reality is that life is in a constant state of change and evolution and it is for this very reason that we should not allow good or bad times to dictate our commitment to the one constant in our life that we should protect: our health and fitness. 

One of the reasons we are terribly stressed during these uncertain times is because we feel as if we have no control over what is happening.  Exercise will release endorphins in our bodies that help improve our outlook while also giving us a sense of control and purpose as we take responsibility for our health and fitness.

My mother has lived through her share of good and bad times and the best advice she has given and instilled in me is that no matter what you are going through make an effort to act and live beyond your situation or your pain.  It is no wonder that at 88, widowed, and being the last sibling standing out of 11, she still laces up and walks twice a day.  She used to walk for an hour a day but when her knees began to hurt her, rather than retreat, she now takes two 30 minutes walks.  My friend Jodi has also been a wonderful example by refusing to let a breast cancer diagnosis, followed by a double mastectomy, chemo and radiation derail her fitness.  The busy mother of two still makes time to go to the gym and watch what she eats.  Like my mother, she understands that once the dark times are over, she will still have her body and health to sustain her. 

Remember tough times do not last but tough people do.  Stay healthy and fit so you can fight!

Holiday-Proof Your Fitness Plan

Holiday-Proof Your Fitness Plan

The holidays are almost here so now is the time to Holiday-Proof your health and fitness plan!

It happens every year around this time.  Your well-intentioned co-workers, family and friends start baking and sharing treats.  Someone places a small plate of cookies or brownies in the break room, or your sister stops by with some cupcakes or your friend gifts you with an autumn basket filled with candies and other confections.  You nibble here and there and before you know it you’re consuming about an extra 500 calories a day.  The other casualty of the holidays is your fitness plan. You find yourself putting your exercise routine on hold while you have to run to the store for gifts, visiting friends and family and attending a variety of holiday parties.  Suddenly three months have gone by and you haven’t worked out and are 10 pounds overweight.

That is why now is the time to eliminate the stress caused by the feeling that you do not have the time or discipline to manage your health and fitness during the holidays.  Create a plan that works for you and your particular situation.  Begin each day by mentally reviewing your allotted daily caloric intake and then make choices throughout the day that honor that, even if it is with foods you do not normally eat.  Apply the same strategy to exercise.  Make a decision as to what your routine will be for the week.  If you must shop or attend parties at night, switch your exercise time to the morning.  At our home we have a few strict rules to keep the madness at bay.  We designate one day a week where we shop for gifts and we only attend 2 parties a week, limiting our stay to an hour.  

The most important thing is to enter into the holidays with the decision not to compromise your health and fitness.  If you start planning and practicing with your schedule today, the end of the holiday season will find you healthy, fit and stress free!