From Denise Austin's email
Rise to the Challenge!
Ever wonder how professional athletes are born? Sure, they have tremendous talent that lets them run faster, jump higher, or hit the ball harder than the average person. But these men and women couldn't reach their level of success if they didn't push themselves — physically and mentally. And that's really the key to accomplishing any feat!
If your workouts aren't challenging enough, you risk getting bored and then losing interest altogether. And when you perform the same routine over and over again, your body gets used to these movements and eventually starts running on cruise control — and that's when you might notice that the scale isn't budging.
Never be afraid to turn things up a notch! Switch up your routine — in every aspect of your life! Do things you've never done before. Tired of the treadmill? Get in step with salsa dancing! Sick of cooking the same meals? Experiment with different flavors by using vegetables, herbs, and spices you've never tried before!
And when you meet these challenges, you'll see that the rewards are huge! You'll improve your body, expand your mind, gain self-confidence — and you'll be living proof that anything's possible! Give it a try!
Currently loosely using the Flat Belly Diet plan. A healthy way of eating for LIFE!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
June contest
OK, John is fit is having a new contest and since I won a BIKE in his contest last summer, I'm not going to pass up the chance to win again! Yeah, I'm greedy! ;-) And I REALLY like cash!
And since I'm so greedy, I'm going for the 3 extra entries, too. To get those, I need to write about John's Product reviews - like the pedometer review. I obviously was not smart enough to read John's reviews and just picked one up at Walmart. First one, lost it while shopping one day. Stupid clip on thing that doesn't hang on very well. Plus it was a talking one and several times it scared the crap out of me, so good riddance! :-P The second one, it took me almost half an hour to figure out how to set it up. But the clip is more secure and it hasn't yet been knocked off by any of my daily activities yet. And it hasn't scared me, but it does rattle a bit. Annoying. But what do you do when you are wearing a dress with no belt???? Maybe I should get a holster for my thigh. Whaddaya think???? ;-D
And since I'm so greedy, I'm going for the 3 extra entries, too. To get those, I need to write about John's Product reviews - like the pedometer review. I obviously was not smart enough to read John's reviews and just picked one up at Walmart. First one, lost it while shopping one day. Stupid clip on thing that doesn't hang on very well. Plus it was a talking one and several times it scared the crap out of me, so good riddance! :-P The second one, it took me almost half an hour to figure out how to set it up. But the clip is more secure and it hasn't yet been knocked off by any of my daily activities yet. And it hasn't scared me, but it does rattle a bit. Annoying. But what do you do when you are wearing a dress with no belt???? Maybe I should get a holster for my thigh. Whaddaya think???? ;-D
Son is sick
My son has not been doing well and we went to the Children's Hospital yesterday. His weight was down and his O2 sats weren't very good. He has Cystic Fibrosis, a lung disease. When we first moved to Colorado, he averaged 3-4 hospital stays every year, but it's been TWO YEARS since his last stay, so we thank God for His mercies. We've got extra IV meds and the inhaled antibiotic that was unavailable for a while, and Kendall thinks that's why he's been coughing so much lately. We go back on Friday and if he isn't better by then, he'll have to be admitted, so prayers are much appreciated. He and his dad went car shopping today. He ended up with a brand new purple Hyundai Elantra. He's pretty excited, naturally. He'd saved some and we gave him the same amount we spent on his sister's car when she graduated high school. (Minus the repairs MY car needs after he backed it into a fence last weekend.) :-)
I've decided that I need to avoid all alcohol while I'm still grieving my mom's passing. Tonight I had a couple of glasses of wine and got very weepy. It may be a coincidence or hormones or who knows what. It's that time of the month, but I'm usually most emotional 2 weeks before, not during. (This week did include Mom's b'day so that may be a big part of it, too.)
This week I've alternated cardio and strength training. Did my weights today and we did some ballroom dancing tonight, but got there late because of the car shopping excursion, so we didn't get as much dancing in as we normally do.
I've decided that I need to avoid all alcohol while I'm still grieving my mom's passing. Tonight I had a couple of glasses of wine and got very weepy. It may be a coincidence or hormones or who knows what. It's that time of the month, but I'm usually most emotional 2 weeks before, not during. (This week did include Mom's b'day so that may be a big part of it, too.)
This week I've alternated cardio and strength training. Did my weights today and we did some ballroom dancing tonight, but got there late because of the car shopping excursion, so we didn't get as much dancing in as we normally do.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Musings and a look back
As I take a break from challenges, I'm trying to catch up with the bloggers I adore. There are SO MANY of you who are talented writers and deep thinkers about your journey. I feel like my blog is often pretty boring in comparison! :-) And it's hard to keep up with everyone.
Then, someone new comments on my blog and I find a new friend and I just have to read her entire blog. My new friend is Diane. Check out her fit to the finish blog and program. She's lost 150 pounds! WOW! AND, kept it off for 12 years.
I decided I would give a recap of my path to health. Also have some health issue updates. This will be a long one, so get a big glass of ice water or a cup of green tea and kick up your feet! ;-)
My journey has taken quite a while. It took a certain photograph (isn't that usually the story???) to make me stop and find the determination to change my health and that meant changing habits! When we lived in Texas, we bought a treadmill, mainly for our son who has serious health issues. That treadmill stood in our very large master bedroom and was rarely used. And who wants to walk OUTSIDE in south Texas where summer lasts 11 months out of the year? Well, in our house in Colorado, the treadmill now stands in the finished basement and the first habit I started was walking on that treadmill. Started out slow, but walked six days a week for quite a while. Lost a couple of sizes and about 15 pounds, then stalled. Sigh, OK, guess I'll need to start eating better. I also started doing stability ball workouts. (I'd bought one when we lived in Texas and a bunch of us homeschool moms got together once to learn how to use them from a personal trainer. But it was about as neglected as the treadmill.)
A few books that have helped me along the way:
Flip the Switch by Robert K. Cooper, PhD - has lots of great ideas for fueling your metabolism & burning fat 24 hours a day. It also has lots of tasty, healthy recipes.
the Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko - love the list of the Abs Diet power foods that have so many yummy options. Also has lots of tasty recipes. This book has some great weight-lifting routines which I continue to use.
Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello - the one book that really helped me turn the corner and up my weight loss to more than a couple pounds a month! Many, MANY wonderful recipes and the specific portions and calorie counts were what made the light bulb come on for me. I had been eating a LOT more calories than I realized, so that explained my snail's pace with the weight loss in the past. This book had pages for journaling about your emotions before and after meals, plus gave you some little steps to take that helps you notice your patterns with meals. AND get rid of the unhealthy habits you may have incorporated.
And not a book but the magazine Prevention has been one of the best magazine subscriptions I've ever bought. They have wonderful food advice, different workouts to shake things up a bit if you get bored with your current routine, and it's MUCH cheaper than a gym membership. ;-) I do almost all of my working out at home (other than the ballroom dance lessons my husband and I take.) :-D Most of the new things I try are fairly inexpensive, like my latest toy, the Ultimate Abs ball by Danskin. I think this is the best workout I've ever done for abs, especially the obliques!
My body seems to be breaking down, the more I incorporate healthy habits. Seems SOOOO not fair, but maybe I'd be a lot worse off if I didn't have those healthy habits. Digestive issues led to an endoscopy and THREE colonoscopies within 3 months last year. Ugh. Nothing serious was found, but I did have to get a barium enema as a follow-up and that's where it was discovered that I have a tortuous colon that is QUITE long. Any future colonoscopies, I'll be insisting on general anesthesia. Nuff said.
Lately I've had some shortness of breath with very little exertion, like taking a shower or just walking from the living room into the kitchen. I went to the urgent care clinic a while ago and that doc thought it was just a virus. I saw my regular doc today and told her it's continuing. Not constant, just enough to make you go - huh??? As the day went on and I was thinking about everything, I'm wondering if I'm breathing too shallowly when I'm at rest. Today the doc did a peak flow test, an EKG and a chest x-ray. Also ordered pulmonary function test and I have that appointment next week. I'll have a follow-up app't with her on the 30th. I also told her that it should probably be noted in my records that my mom died of ovarian cancer and 3 of her sisters have had cancer, two of them breast cancer, including my youngest aunt who is only 10 years older than me.
With all of my frustration over slow weight loss, I knew that I couldn't quit if I wanted to be healthy. So on I go. I'm not going to obsess over every little thing I eat. I still want to be able to enjoy life, time with friends and family and be able to splurge on a treat now and then. Everything in moderation. :-)
Then, someone new comments on my blog and I find a new friend and I just have to read her entire blog. My new friend is Diane. Check out her fit to the finish blog and program. She's lost 150 pounds! WOW! AND, kept it off for 12 years.
I decided I would give a recap of my path to health. Also have some health issue updates. This will be a long one, so get a big glass of ice water or a cup of green tea and kick up your feet! ;-)
My journey has taken quite a while. It took a certain photograph (isn't that usually the story???) to make me stop and find the determination to change my health and that meant changing habits! When we lived in Texas, we bought a treadmill, mainly for our son who has serious health issues. That treadmill stood in our very large master bedroom and was rarely used. And who wants to walk OUTSIDE in south Texas where summer lasts 11 months out of the year? Well, in our house in Colorado, the treadmill now stands in the finished basement and the first habit I started was walking on that treadmill. Started out slow, but walked six days a week for quite a while. Lost a couple of sizes and about 15 pounds, then stalled. Sigh, OK, guess I'll need to start eating better. I also started doing stability ball workouts. (I'd bought one when we lived in Texas and a bunch of us homeschool moms got together once to learn how to use them from a personal trainer. But it was about as neglected as the treadmill.)
A few books that have helped me along the way:
Flip the Switch by Robert K. Cooper, PhD - has lots of great ideas for fueling your metabolism & burning fat 24 hours a day. It also has lots of tasty, healthy recipes.
the Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko - love the list of the Abs Diet power foods that have so many yummy options. Also has lots of tasty recipes. This book has some great weight-lifting routines which I continue to use.
Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello - the one book that really helped me turn the corner and up my weight loss to more than a couple pounds a month! Many, MANY wonderful recipes and the specific portions and calorie counts were what made the light bulb come on for me. I had been eating a LOT more calories than I realized, so that explained my snail's pace with the weight loss in the past. This book had pages for journaling about your emotions before and after meals, plus gave you some little steps to take that helps you notice your patterns with meals. AND get rid of the unhealthy habits you may have incorporated.
And not a book but the magazine Prevention has been one of the best magazine subscriptions I've ever bought. They have wonderful food advice, different workouts to shake things up a bit if you get bored with your current routine, and it's MUCH cheaper than a gym membership. ;-) I do almost all of my working out at home (other than the ballroom dance lessons my husband and I take.) :-D Most of the new things I try are fairly inexpensive, like my latest toy, the Ultimate Abs ball by Danskin. I think this is the best workout I've ever done for abs, especially the obliques!
My body seems to be breaking down, the more I incorporate healthy habits. Seems SOOOO not fair, but maybe I'd be a lot worse off if I didn't have those healthy habits. Digestive issues led to an endoscopy and THREE colonoscopies within 3 months last year. Ugh. Nothing serious was found, but I did have to get a barium enema as a follow-up and that's where it was discovered that I have a tortuous colon that is QUITE long. Any future colonoscopies, I'll be insisting on general anesthesia. Nuff said.
Lately I've had some shortness of breath with very little exertion, like taking a shower or just walking from the living room into the kitchen. I went to the urgent care clinic a while ago and that doc thought it was just a virus. I saw my regular doc today and told her it's continuing. Not constant, just enough to make you go - huh??? As the day went on and I was thinking about everything, I'm wondering if I'm breathing too shallowly when I'm at rest. Today the doc did a peak flow test, an EKG and a chest x-ray. Also ordered pulmonary function test and I have that appointment next week. I'll have a follow-up app't with her on the 30th. I also told her that it should probably be noted in my records that my mom died of ovarian cancer and 3 of her sisters have had cancer, two of them breast cancer, including my youngest aunt who is only 10 years older than me.
With all of my frustration over slow weight loss, I knew that I couldn't quit if I wanted to be healthy. So on I go. I'm not going to obsess over every little thing I eat. I still want to be able to enjoy life, time with friends and family and be able to splurge on a treat now and then. Everything in moderation. :-)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Fitness Flash from Denise Austin
Fitness Flash
Are You Committing a Fitness Faux Pas?
Are you sabotaging your own fitness agenda? Lots of people make certain mistakes when working out. Learn how to avoid these exercise pitfalls — your workouts will be safer and more effective! Here are six common workout problems — are you guilty? — along with solutions.
* Working out while tired: Not getting enough rest can lead to sloppy technique and an injury (not to mention crabbiness!). Get your rest the night before, or take a power nap right before exercising.
* Forgetting to warm up: Skipping a warm-up can lead to injury. It's best to warm up with dynamic stretches — moving stretches — and/or light cardio for about five minutes — your body will thank you later!
* Using momentum to lift weights: If you jerk your motions, you're not working your muscles and you could hurt yourself. Make sure your movements are slow and controlled — when you lift and when you lower weights.
* Leaning on the handrails of the stair-climber, elliptical trainer, or treadmill: This weakens the effect of your workout and can even injure your wrists and back. Instead, stand up tall and lightly hold the handrails for balance.
* Locking your knees: Always keep your knees slightly bent to prevent an injury.
* Getting stuck in a workout rut: Bordeom leads to quitting! Keep things fresh and interesting — change up your routine!
Are You Committing a Fitness Faux Pas?
Are you sabotaging your own fitness agenda? Lots of people make certain mistakes when working out. Learn how to avoid these exercise pitfalls — your workouts will be safer and more effective! Here are six common workout problems — are you guilty? — along with solutions.
* Working out while tired: Not getting enough rest can lead to sloppy technique and an injury (not to mention crabbiness!). Get your rest the night before, or take a power nap right before exercising.
* Forgetting to warm up: Skipping a warm-up can lead to injury. It's best to warm up with dynamic stretches — moving stretches — and/or light cardio for about five minutes — your body will thank you later!
* Using momentum to lift weights: If you jerk your motions, you're not working your muscles and you could hurt yourself. Make sure your movements are slow and controlled — when you lift and when you lower weights.
* Leaning on the handrails of the stair-climber, elliptical trainer, or treadmill: This weakens the effect of your workout and can even injure your wrists and back. Instead, stand up tall and lightly hold the handrails for balance.
* Locking your knees: Always keep your knees slightly bent to prevent an injury.
* Getting stuck in a workout rut: Bordeom leads to quitting! Keep things fresh and interesting — change up your routine!
Happy Birthday, Mom!
Today is my mom's birthday, so I'm going to be laying low. I'm a little envious that she gets to celebrate with Jesus this year. I may go shopping for a pearl ring to remember her by since that was her birthstone.
Love you, Mom and miss you terribly.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Productive
Yesterday I got a ton of stuff done. I remembered to put on my pedometer in the morning. I boxed stuff up from my office that I don't need daily (hardly EVER!) and put it all downstairs in my daughter's old room. She had two large closets, one with large shelves, so I'm going to store stuff in there. I also bagged up a lot more clothes to give away - all of my size 14 jeans are gone! :-D So with all of the trips up and down the stairs I got in more than 10,000 steps. And my daughter came by to spend the day with us and visit the kitties, so all four of us had dinner together, which was very nice.
In a box of summer clothes, I sorted through some shorts and found some 16s and held them up to the size 12s and was really surprised by the difference. Love it! I ended up staying up way too late because I have a hard time stopping in the middle of a project. Sigh. But I did get a lot accomplished.
Started my period this morning, so feeling blah all day, but I did do my ultimate abs ball workout (the stretches do feel good if you get back cramps) and my weight-lifting routine. Then I went to my hair appointment and got to watch another thunderstorm. Seems to be a daily occurrence lately!
I was a little shocked the other day looking at my ticker when I realized that I have less than 15lbs to go to goal! When it's 30 or 40lbs away, it seems like SO MUCH and all of a sudden it feels doable! (OK, it's a little more than 15 with the TOM bump. Still doable.) ;-)
In a box of summer clothes, I sorted through some shorts and found some 16s and held them up to the size 12s and was really surprised by the difference. Love it! I ended up staying up way too late because I have a hard time stopping in the middle of a project. Sigh. But I did get a lot accomplished.
Started my period this morning, so feeling blah all day, but I did do my ultimate abs ball workout (the stretches do feel good if you get back cramps) and my weight-lifting routine. Then I went to my hair appointment and got to watch another thunderstorm. Seems to be a daily occurrence lately!
I was a little shocked the other day looking at my ticker when I realized that I have less than 15lbs to go to goal! When it's 30 or 40lbs away, it seems like SO MUCH and all of a sudden it feels doable! (OK, it's a little more than 15 with the TOM bump. Still doable.) ;-)
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