Health & Fitness to help through illness

This weekend I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  My husband and I run this race every year but this year it was personal.  I had the honor of running along side my friend and breast cancer survivor.  It needs to be said that she beat my time by about 15 minutes.  While we ran she talked about her diagnosis, the double mastectomy, the months of chemotherapy and radiation and finally, her conviction to surviving. 

As we ran, I thought back to how surprised I was that she continued her health and fitness routine.  If anyone had an excuse to jump off the health wagon it was her.  These were the times she could have easily indulged in comfort foods and laid off the exercise. 

One of the first things she purchased was a wig with a baseball cap sewn to it so she could wear it to the gym.  As she began healing she returned to running and before long she was back to her usual impressive pace. 

When it came to food, she continued to follow her vegetarian diet and reluctantly added lean meats that the doctors insisted she consume to fight the anemia she had developed from the chemo. 

It was clear that in spite of how afraid she was of her illness, she was going to live and exist in a space of hope, which she found by continuing her commitment to eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.

Today she is happily cancer free.  Her doctors say that her recovery and prognosis have been good because of her lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle.  She would agree but she would also tell you that she also drew much strength and courage from the routine she created years ago.  That just the act of consuming fresh foods and engaging in exercise made her realize that she did have a future of ahead of her.  A future that she had to stay healthy and fit for.

Living in the Moment!

Living in the moment

We have all heard that we should live in the moment.  I admit to not having seen the sense of this saying until I began on the path to health and fitness.

The quote really seemed a little irresponsible to me.  If I was living in the moment who was taking care of my future?  As I began to take responsibility for my nutritional and physical needs the statement became my mantra. 

When it comes to healthy eating you must be in the present in order to make the right choices.  You can longer be satisfied to pull up to a drive-thru or to dig your hand in a bag of chips.  Those food decisions are poor because they have no nutritional value and are made in a mindless state.  Healthy eating takes planning and preparation and it is a wonderful way to begin the practice of living in the moment.  Instead of being annoyed by the amount of time it will take you to prep for a healthy meal, look at it as an opportunity to pamper yourself.  Nothing screams spa experience like fresh vegetables and fruits.  Toss in some delicious grains and lean meats and suddenly you are zen master spa chef. 

I apply this same philosophy when I exercise.  When I lace up I relinquish the need to project myself into the next hour or the next day.  I make a conscious effort to shut out worrisome thoughts and just focus on my steps, my breathing and the scenery. 

The other advantage I have found from adopting this simple wisdom is that when you are living in the moment you are less preoccupied with the urgency of later or tomorrow.  This is the same preoccupation that leads us to overeat because we are not paying attention to how much food we are actually consuming.  It is that mindset that suggests that we do not have enough time in our busy lives to exercise or take time to nurture and care for ourselves. 

By focusing yourself on the now, you will be taking care of your future one precious moment at a time.  

My journey to wellness!

Just over 20 years ago I was looking through some photos I’d just developed of my best friend’s birthday party.  As I scanned the photos I was struck by one of a large lady holding my infant son.  It took me only seconds to realize that the large lady was me.   I had never had a weight problem and suddenly this photo forced me to come to terms with the fact that I put on about 30 pounds after the birth of my son.  That’s right – after.  I had developed a 6 donut a day habit and my exclusive role was nurturing and nursing my baby.  And eating.  I vividly remember finishing his baby food straight from the jar.  I was eating for the sake of eating. 

Seeing the photo of this young, fresh-faced, new mom forced me to look inside and ask myself what was happening.  I attributed the weight gain to the fact that I was unable to hold things down for my entire pregnancy.  But that was then and this was now.  Once I got the excuses and reasons out of the way, I had to get to work.  For a couple of weeks I tried to do it on my own but quickly realized I needed professional help.  With the support of my husband and family I went to Weight Watchers and never looked back.

Two decades later, I am grateful for that weight gain because it forced me to learn how to not just feed my body, but to fuel it.  The other benefit was that now I would be able to pass along these healthy habits to my son.  The program also stressed the importance of balancing food with fitness - opening yet another door for me to live a healthy life.

This story is not just about weight loss or fitness.  It is about how quickly and simply you can change your life.  For me it was all about seeing a problem and making the decision to fix it.  It is a decision that I made over 20 years ago but live daily.  

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.