Hump Day Helpers

Brain Gym...we are all familiar with gyms or facilities where we exercise our bodies, but how often to we exercise our brains.  I mean break the routine and really challenge ourselves intellectually.  At my sons school, they have what is called Brain Gym--it's a series of physical activities that require that they cross the mid-line of their bodies as well as other physical tasks that make the right and left brain interact.  This is designed to stimulate brain activity and wake up the brain to think differently and more focused.  How often do we just veg out at the end of the day? We just want to chill, turn off the workday or the noise and relax. Well, when was the last time you stimulated your brain.  I mean picked up the Wall Street Journal, did Sudoku, completed a crossword puzzle, watched a documentary, or in some cases try this "new math" they are teaching now?  It's important that as we work to challenge our bodies physically, that we don't forget about our brains.  Go ahead--Think of something you can do to challenge your brain.  Don't forget to share what you did.

Monday Motivation

Happy rainy Monday!!! I want everyone to picture a box.  Go ahead, look inside, imagine you are in the box.  I want you to decorate your box, imagine some color on the interior of the box, put some furniture in it, go ahead sit down.  Get comfortable!!!!  Feels good right? We all have "a box" that we live in,  we maneuver through and sometimes we even invite others to join us in our "box".  We all get comfortable with our boxes, and when we grow tired of our box, we usually redecorate, or rearrange things until we like the way our box looks again.  Sometimes, we need to STEP OUTSIDE the BOX, to get another perspective, redirect our thoughts and focus as well as to make changes.  Stepping outside the box involves taking a risk and overcoming fear.  Once you step outside, it enlightens you to new discoveries and experiences.  When was the last time you stepped outside the box?  I encourage everyone to step outside the box, get a different view, and see what happens once you are OUTSIDE the box!!!

Friday ConFessions

It's FRIDAY!!!! and as usual, I am glad to see it arrive.  Spring has Sprung and even though it brings alot of liquid sunshine, I am glad for warmer temperatures.  I seem to be in a groove with getting one of my workouts done early in the week, then getting up earlier on Friday to complete the second workout.  I need to break this cycle though.  I had hoped to have increased my exercising to three times per week, but that hasn't happened.  I'm still hopeful that with the days ahead, I will be able to increase to three times per week.  Anyone exercising more than twice per week?  If so, share how you make time.... As far as the eating, doing well,  making good choices,  but I need to do better with eating dinner every evening.  I've skipped a few dinners because of the boys schedule, or because I'm not hungry.  Don't worry--the Boys eat.  I am glad that I'm resisting emotional/stress eating and grabbing a Coke.  I did have a bout with impulsive eating--damn those girl scout cookies.! Well, that's all folks...Your turn.....

Hump Day Helpers

Happy Hump Day.  Usually Wednesday feel like slump day...Ever feel that mid-afternoon slump?  Most people feel a drop in energy level anytime between 2-5 in the afternoon.  We feel drained, lethargic, and basically want to take a nap.  Here are some tips to beat the mid-afternoon slump.

• Start each day with a good breakfast, which includes a mix of carbs and protein.  Women should eat about 300-400 calories at breakfast (recommended-WebMD).
• Carbs help get you going (energy) and protein fuels the brain and muscles.  The combination of carbs and protein helps to increase concentration levels.
• Eat a well balanced lunch, no matter how busy you are, lunch is essential to help beat the afternoon slump.  It might even prevent that afternoon headache.
• Eat light at lunch, a mix of carbs and protein is recommended.  Heavy lunches or lunches with a lot of fat help increase that lethargic feeling.  
• Take a walk outside
• Drink some water
• Have a healthy mid-afternoon snack.
• yogurt with granola
• select peanut butter crackers instead of a candy bar
• trail mix with nuts (skip the one with the M-n-M's, my personal favorite) 
• eat fresh fruit or veggies
• And of course,  a 20 min. power nap, if possible.  (don't try this at work!)

Monday's Motivation

We have entered week 5 and should have some new and improved changes taking a foothold in our lives.  We should be in a groove, right?  Usually just as soon as we think we've gotten into a groove,  we hit a pothole, encounter a detour and sometimes, we fall completely off the wagon.   It is those times when we need to GET UP,  go back, re-evaluate our goals and sometimes adjust them or redefine them.  Remember, it doesn't matter how many times we fall, but it's important to Get Back UP!!!!! Just like when we were learning how to ride a bike...How many times did you fall off, before you were riding?  Once you got the hang of it, you were riding and enjoying the ride!  Think about it.... Okay, time to get back on the bike...and RIDE!!!!!

Friday conFessions

We did it!!!! We are a month down the road to change.  How's the journey going for you?  Any new revelations about yourself or your goals?  Notice anything different about your attitude or your body?  Anybody saying "why am I doing this?"  I hope the past month has allowed you to implement some changes for the good and start to eliminate some things that may have been unhealthy or not as good for you.  I am proud to say, it's been a FULL MONTH since I've indulged in drinking a Coke and trust me,  I've been challenged to want to go grab one or two!!  In addition, at this moment, I have a CASE of it at home, thanks to my parents who are visiting.  BUT I have had a mind shift and I am now able to not grab that Coke as a comforter as I once did.  Exercising has been challenging, I won't make excuses or list reasons,  but I have successfully managed to get the minimum required two times for 30 mins. per week in.  It's been hard though and honestly the past 3 Friday's I've been up in the morning exercising to be in compliance with the requirement I set up.  As far as the eating, I'm making much healthier choices, eating more fruit and veggies...and I stopped indulging in the Friday Fish Fry at work and the occasional hot dog and fries for lunch.  Okay, your turn.  Holla at your girl!!! How you doin?  

Hump Day Helpers

Ever been stressed out or emotionally in a low place and you grab something to eat or drink.   Before you know it, you are like "why did I eat that?" or,  "why did I eat so much of that?"  Same thing with drinks, whether it be non-alcoholic or alcoholic.  For me, Coke was my MAIN thing to grab if I was stressed or bothered by something.  Of course Coke, isn't the worse thing to gravitate towards, but you get my point.  For some it's a pint of ice cream, some an entire package of Oreos, for others it could be more serious.  Ever eat something just because it was right in front of you, or you smell food and then want food, even if you aren't hungry.  What do you do to avoid emotional or impulse eating?  Here are a few tips to beat impulse or stress induced eating.  Once you try one of these tips, you will be less likely to indulge.

• say a prayer
• take a walk, get some fresh air
• chew a piece of gum or have a mint
• take deep breaths
• call a friend
• drink some water
• keep raw veggies around and chomp on a few of them
• eat a piece of fruit
• write a note or letter to someone (when was the last time anyone did that?)
• start a food journal and write down when you want to eat because you are stressed and what you are feeling.  see if you can track a pattern.  
• work on a hobby

Monday Motivation

Habits are hard to break!  But the good news is, they can be broken.  There are numerous resources available to help people break habits.  We are in Week 4 and I know we all have set goals to break old habits and start new and improved habits.  Breaking a habit takes steps, sometimes the steps are lengthy, sometimes short, depending on the habit, our will power and our use of resources.  Researchers say it takes anywhere from 21-30 consecutive days to start or change a habit.  Based on the feedback I've been getting, everyone is one the road to breaking bad/old habits and starting good habits.   Stay on the path, keep progressing and even when you get off course, return to the path quickly.  Remember, it doesn't matter how long it takes you to finish, just make sure you get to the finish line!  

Friday conFessions

Wow...we've completed 3 weeks.  Stand up and give yourselves a hand!!!!  Earlier this week, I took advantage of the weather and walked outside for 40 mins. I even decide to jog/run up a hill thinking I was Rocky....hmmm what was I thinking.  Thanks to Doris, I decided to try FitTv.  I enjoyed my early morning workout with Gilad, however, I wasn't prepared for commercial breaks.  Am I supposed to keep working out during the commericals, or sit down and catch my breath?  True confession: I planned to work out 3 times this past week, but only made the 2 time requirement; however, one day I did extend my time to 40 mins. and I worked out with Gilad and that was a stretch to keep up.  I thank Gilad for letting me know that I can use my own limbs as weights!  So, how is it going for you? 

The American Cancer Society - Relay For Life of Fredericksburg:

Please sign up to join the team Inspired Girlfriends to participate in the Relay for Life, May 15-16. It's from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 a.m. Yes it is all night--reason being, Cancer never sleeps...This is a great cause and a great experience to make a difference. Please join me. If you can't join us during the relay, please consider making a donation. As our team forms, I will send out details and more information. I also have fundraising ideas that I learned from the Team meeting. Click on this link: The American Cancer Society - Relay For Life of Fredericksburg:

Get OVER the Hump!

Are you in a rut, do you need a change of pace, are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?  When you begin to feel any of those things, it's time to Shake Things UP!  Change causes us to rethink, refocus and shift our thoughts and behavior to make things different.  Did you know that complaining takes up more time and energy (negative energy) than actually sitting down and coming up with a plan of change.  Notice when you complain-it's like a chain reaction, you tell one person, then you tell two, and then the complaint becomes the song of the day playing over and over in your head.  With any complaint, there should be a solution or plan to resolve that complaint.  When you are in a rut, you must decide to change. Don't stay in the rut.  Here are some suggestions on how to Shake Things Up:

• Step outside the Box.  Get out of your comfort zone and do something different. 
• Change your exercise routine so you don't get bored.  Try a dance class or since the weather is changing-go outside, go to a park--grab your bike and hit a trail.
• Add different fruits and vegetables to your diet.  Try something new.
• Grab a favorite recipe and evaluate how you can make it healthier.  Replace some higher calorie or fat items, with lower calorie of lower fat items.  See if you can tell the difference.  Do you like it?
• Look at water as a vital ingredient to life.  Water Gives Life and Energy to your body, cells and organs and keeps it healthy.  Drinking water can change the entire way your body feels and responds-all for the better.  It helps you look and feel younger too!
• Look in your pantry for foods that are triggers for over-indulging or foods that are less healthy.  Look for healthier alternatives.
• Write down your goals and realistic steps to get there.  This will help make the vision plain as well as add some accountibility to your plan. 

Okay--go grab a shovel and dig yourself out of that rut!!!!

Monday Motivation

Ready, Set, Go!!!! It's time to conquer another work week and face new opportunites and challenges.  When you start your day, do you start it with a mindset of positivity and a spirit of I can conquer anything that comes my way?  Do you feel like a conqueror? If you think you can you will, if you think you can't you won't.  Remember your words and thoughts have power.  Only you can determine how you respond and react.  You may not have complete control over your current situation, co-workers or enviornment, but you can control how you interact within each circumstance.  You also have a choice to change.  When you can't immediately change your situation, change your mind!  Go ahead--go out and conquer!

Friday conFessions

This week was a blur.  Time to fess up....How you doin?

Can you say-GLAD IT'S FRIDAY!!!! whew.  I am proud to say I've been Coke free for 2 weeks.  This week as far as food planning was a BUST. I mentally planned to make good choices and I did, however, I failed to bring my lunch for the entire week.  Oops, I did make a trip to Five Guys out of desparation of it being a late night and have two starving boys that just practiced really hard for their tournament.  Not to mention Five Guys is next door to their Tae Kwon Do Studio.  Ok--DO NOT LAUGH-I ask the man at Five Guys--"do you have Veggie Burgers".  Okay--He CRACKED UP!  Well, I ate a little burger with cheese, but I opted not to have the bacon.  I did have a few fries, but not my usual quantity and the major thing for me was,  I bypassed the Coke...big step for me.   I squeezed in my exercise--but barely.  I'm stepping up my time next week!

Incentive Time: since it appears that drinking water is a challenge for many of us.  For those who want an added incentive--set a water intake amount goal--stick to it over the next week and you will get a "little prize".  In order to "qualify" you must make your goal public (to me or the blog) and send an update next week.

Alright---Go and conquer!!!

Hump Day Helpers

Planning, Preparation, and Perseverance are keys to success.  We've all been in a meeting or training session and it seems as if the facilatator isn't prepared.  We all remember having to take tests and we know we need to study but haven't studied properly or planned our time for studying wisely. 
Being prepared can help with reducing anxiety and stress, in addition to helping make good decisions.  You know what happens when you are hungry and go grocery shopping, or you go without a list-we get home and reflect-what did I buy?....  When you are working on improving your eating habits, being prepared can help conquer rash and poor decisions as well as overeating.  When you plan your meals in advance, plan snacks and even pre-plan for when someone offers you something that isn't in line with your "meal plan", you increase your chances of staying on track.  Staying on track also requires perseverance.  Keep your eye on the prize.  Yes, we will be tempted, yes we will fall off the wagon, but we can't stay in the wagon indulging in our tempter.  Remember to plan, prepare and persevere!   Now go and be conquerors!!!

Monday Motivation

It's Monday!!!! How many of you grumbled this morning when you woke up and realized the weekend was over and it's time to get the work-week started?  Did you need an extra few minutes to snooze? Did you need an extra shot of expresso to get going? You know that we have the mental power to change how we feel about a day, a situation or a person.  Words and thoughts have power--positive or negative.  For some reason I woke up with this song in my head "rise and shine and give God the glory, glory, rise and shine and give God the glory, glory..." My mother used to sing that to get me out of the bed in the morning.  You can imagine my reaction back then, but now it all makes sense.  Wake up with a song on your heart and get the day going!  What song will you sing?  Come on, Rise and Shine---Let's conquer the MonDAY!!!