Discover the 'why'

Step 3: Get started! 

Document and share your progress of what you’re doing to lead a healthy, active lifestyle.  Let others know that you’re making a change. This will help to keep you accountable, but it might also provide you with some support to keep you going!

As you start out on your journey, I really want you to think about something.

Why?

You have set your goals and begun your journey, but why?  Why are your goals, your goals?  If you can’t determine the why part to each one of your goals, you will lose track of why you started in the first place. 

So, what are your health goals, and why?  

During a meeting, a trainer asked if someone would share their health goals with the group.  A guy raised his hand excitedly, and announced, “I want to lose this gut that’s appeared!  I’m ready to lose weight!”  The trainer responded by telling him that’s a great goal, but why?  The guy proceeded to talk about his son who was just a toddler, and how important he was to him.  He said that his own dad died very young of a heart attack, and it changed his life. The guy didn’t want his son to lose his father at a young age.  He said that he wanted to lose the weight so that he could live to see his son grow up.  He wanted to be able to play with his son without being short of breath.  He wanted to set an example for the next generation. 

There are so many benefits to living a healthy, active lifestyle.  Everyone wants to lose weight to look good or feel good.  But what about the impact your lifestyle is having on your health?  Are you putting your health at risk day to day?  And how is your health, current and future, affecting those around you?

Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is a normal-weight person.  Obesity is linked to numerous  serious medical problems:

·         Heart disease and stroke

·         High blood pressure

·         Diabetes

·         Cancer

·         Gallbladder disease and gall stones

·         Osteoarthritis

High blood pressure is also known as the silent killer because of the harmful effect it has on the body, without having any symptoms.  What is your blood pressure?  Is it normal? Have you had it checked recently?

 

Step 4: Discover the why

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/

 

I am a ‘morning person’.  This is when I feel the best, and when I am the most productive.   I am pretty sure I get more done before 11am than I do the rest of the afternoon.   I love the mornings (as long as I get my coffee).  They’re peaceful.  Seeing the sun just rising reminds me that each day is new.  Yesterday is gone.   And if you’re awake before everyone else – it’s like you own the day.

The problem is, if I don’t get something done early on in the day, I tend to save it for tomorrow. Then the next day, and then the next.   Procrastination is a dear friend of mine. Do you ever continually put something off for days, and then once you take the time to do it, it takes you 5 minutes – and you have no idea why you procrastinated so long?!  Then you feel so silly that you waited that long to just get it done! 

And what about starting an exercise program?  Have you ever delayed that?  One time I stopped running because I needed new shoes and didn’t want to go to the store to buy them.  True story.  Embarrassing, but true.  I won’t go into how much I hate shopping, but you can imagine how frustrated it felt when I had to start at the very beginning of my training once I finally did buy the new shoes.

There’s always a reason to delay starting a new exercise program:

I’ll start once I’m not so busy at work

I’ll start once I can afford some work out clothes.

 I’ll start next week. Or after the Holidays.

I have started and stopped so many different exercise programs, that for a while I decided that I just won’t even try to START at all anymore because I get so frustrated with myself when I give up! 

What are some reasons you don’t start the first morning of your new healthy, active lifestyle?  Each day is new. Why not start today?  And if you mess up, start again the next day.   Life is always busy. There are always excuses.  Life won’t go away so you can work out.  Start this week off right.  Small changes that I encourage you to make ASAP!

1.       Eat a healthy breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up.

2.       Drink at least one glass of water with each meal, and with each snack.

3.       Eat a small, healthy snack between meals.

Head to the grocery store and make sure you have good options for snacking. Don’t let yourself get too hungry in between meals.  These are all ways to keep your metabolism up, and also a good way to keep your energy rolling J

Good snack options:

String cheese, almonds (no salt), cottage cheese, apples w/ peanut butter, carrots with hummus, protein bars, celery w/ peanut butter, yogurt, trail mix, yams, beans, turkey, chicken, fish, tofu, beans.

 

Inspiring Change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RveeQafbdA0

How old are you? How old do you feel?

My husband, Robert, and I recently moved to the Los Angeles area.  A couple of weeks ago, I went to the library to get a new library card.  I don’t remember the last time I went to a public library, so I didn’t really know what I was doing. When I spoke to the librarian, I asked, “How do I sign up for a library card?”.  She gave me a puzzled look, then kindly responded, “I’m sorry, but you can’t sign up for a library card.”

“Oh….Why not?” I responded.

She laughed and said, “You have to be at least 18 years old to get your own library card, otherwise you’ll need an adult to be with you.”

Really?..... Seriously?.... I pulled out my ID, and we took it from there.

I know that I look young, but under 18?! 

One of my goals this season is to run a 5k race before Thanksgiving.  And then Thanksgiving Day, to run the local Turkey Trot.  I know plenty of people who don’t even need to train for a 5K, and run a race with no problem!  I’m not that person.  If I don’t prepare thoroughly for a race,  I get shin splints, lower back pain, asthma, stomach cramps, leg cramps….and also very discouraged.  I’m aware that I sound like an old, cranky lady. But in all honesty, I feel older than I am.  At my age, my energy level should NOT be where it is on a daily basis.  People constantly tell me that I look very young, and that I will appreciate that in the future.  But honestly, I want to feel young.  I don’t care if I look it, I want to feel it. My health coach and mentor, Elyse, is confident that if I continue on my journey, that I will soon start to feel the way I look, young.   Healthy, active lifestyle + nutrition plan = brand new me J

It’s just going to take a little lipstick ;-)

My friend, Perla Sanchez, turned me onto a training plan that I have used in the past.  I use it on my iPhone, but they also have a website where you can print out the program.  It’s called “Couch 2 5k”.  It is designed to bring you from sedentary to running for 30 minutes straight in 9 weeks.  The idea is that if you build up slowly and have an idiot proof plan, you are more likely to finish the program.   I put the head phones in my ear, start Pandora (right now I’m stuck on a Taylor Swift station – and I’ll probably never change it) and then start the C25K app.  I don’t have to check my watch constantly, because it tells you when to walk and when to run.  I love it J the less thought process, the better.  

If you’re interested in running/walking a 5K race, find a way to get started!  Find a training plan (google this, there are ga-zillions), get a partner and just START.  Don’t be hard on yourself for walking, or if you need to slow down your training.  In the end, it’s about the 30 minutes of exercise that you’re getting!   

 

And remind yourself: you have to start somewhere. 

http://www.c25k.com/

You don’t have to be a runner or train for a race in order to get into shape.  The goal is to look for something that will challenge you, in order to change you.  Without the hard work, there will be no change.

So set your goals.  Set them TODAY.  Write them down.  Share them. And after you write down your goals, make a plan of how you will achieve them. 

Challenge yourself. Accomplish your goals. And when you mess up, laugh.  Then keep going.  Don’t wait for tomorrow. Just START.

 

The couch. The enemy.

The weekend has arrived!  Do something!  We will get back to goals and persistance later!

 My friday evenings had slowly transformed to a night that I don't do anything but "veg out".  My couch, my husband, and my DVR.  Ummm hello?!  That's all I need.  I've missed a lot of shows during the week....and completing these shows is a big part of my "to-do" list. 

Isn't it funny that this is how we unwind?

Oh.  Stress management.  What a fun topic :-/  Eh. Let's skip the long lecture of explanation and get right down to the point:

You will feel less stressed if you choose an activity to set your mind on instead of "vegging out". So choose an activity, even if it's organizing your closet (oh please don't do that on a friday night), and change your mindset to be present where you are.  Be present in your activity.  Focus what you're working on, or the people you're interacting with.  Give yourself a break, even if you can only afford a small amount of time.  Watch your shows after your activity, they'll still be on your DVR. Start changing day by day what you do with your 'down time'.

Get active and enjoy yourself :-)

I've decided I want to wear lipstick....

Step 1: Get in the best shape of your life.  Hmmm… that’s a little vague, huh?  Let’s start at the very beginning.   SET YOUR GOALS TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS.

Elyse, my dear health coach, guidance counselor and encourager, has requested that I write down some goals.  She keeps asking me, “What are your health goals?”

Health goals?  Uh, cut out Snickers from my diet?  Exercise more? Get toned? Feel good?  Let’s talk about why setting goals is important, and how to SET and ACHIEVE them.

Why is setting goals important?

By writing down your goals, you are helping yourself to narrow and focus your effort toward goal-relevant activities.  If you narrow your focus, you are more likely to achieve your goals.

Setting goals can also lead to more effort (there’s that special word again). I encourage you to post your goals on a blog, or on facebook. Share them with the people around you.  Post them on your bathroom mirror.  Remind yourself to make that effort.  This will help keep you accountable.  Also, when your goals are open to those around you, you never know who will want to walk beside you and do it with you!  Partnering up, is always a good plan J

Setting goals also makes you more prone to work through setbacks.  If the goal is written down, and your support group is aware of your goal, you are more likely to work through all the distractions in order to achieve the goal. There are plenty of set backs to the goal of, “getting in shape” and I know we have all experienced set backs before.  Focus on persistence.

Last, setting goals can lead individuals to develop and change their behavior!  We have all developed habits over the years, and if you’re like me, the bad habits out weigh the good.  But this journey is all about the effort to change. 

Okay, Okay. There are a thousand reasons to set goals.  LET’S WRITE THEM DOWN! 

A quick crash course on what your goals should look like.  Goals should be SMART.

·         Specific

·         Measureable

·         Attainable

·         Relevant

·         Timely

Also, part of living an active and healthy lifestyle, is enjoying life!  Set goals that are merely about having fun, trying something new, or relaxing. 

 

Step 2: SET YOUR GOALS!

Dedicated to Tubbsy

The title of this blog, "Aren't you gonna wear a lil' lipstick?" is from my dear grandmother, whom we refer to as 'Tubbsy'. Tubbsy is a true southern woman who takes pride in her tennis, her home, her cooking and her appearance. Before any picture is taken with her, she reaches into her purse to grab "a lil' lipstick". And she will remind the rest of us, "Okay everybody, picture time! Everyone get their lipstick!".

My generation, however, hasn't really been big on the issue of lipstick. We are a little more into accepting everyone for who they truly are, and not judging their appearance. HOWEVER, repeated studies have shown that people decide early what they think of you; most commonly within the first 30 seconds of meeting you.

But this blog is not about impressing others or wearing lipstick, this blog is about YOU.  The real question in, "Aren't you gonna wear a lil' lipstick?" is, "Aren't you going to try a little harder? Aren't you going to make a little effort?"

This blog is about making that effort. Making the effort to live a healthy and active lifestyle, for yourself. For You. Isn't it time you felt good about yourself? Isn't it time you took PRIDE in everything you do? It's time to achieve your goals. Or maybe for you, it's time to just SET YOUR GOALS.

Let's learn to follow the example my dear grandmother has set, and learn to wear a little lipstick :-)