FamilyInShape

There is no age limit for fitness

A woman joined an exercise class I was teaching about 45 minutes after the class had begun.  She came in, grabbed a mat and some equipment we happen to be using at the time. I approached her and gave her a medicine ball along with some directions about the next exercise.  She followed along as best as she could, performing crunches and other Pilates exercises I like to save for the end. 

After the class was over she approached me and introduced herself as Ms. Patti.  She wanted me to know that she was a former student back when the class was held at a later time, which is why she was so late.  She had been out for about three years due to surgeries and she explained that it was difficult getting back into a routine.  However, she realized that she needed to come back because she needed to "get in shape" and she had "made enough excuses."

Ms. Patti continued to explain that she felt her muscles were weak and quickly disappearing.  She was having trouble with her back and her joints as well.  She wanted help recovering the muscle tone and flexibility lost during her absence from the gym.  I was so impressed by her motivation and dedication to herself.  She was committed to improve her quality of life and to improve her social life by becoming more active.

Many people come and go from the gym.  Some buy a gym membership and use it for about two months out of the year; in January to get rid of the 5-7 pounds they gained over the holidays and again in May to get the body ready for bathing suit season.  Sure, that’s realistic.

I guessed Ms. Patti was about 70 years old.  She could have easily stayed home, knitting, watching her favorite TV shows, and waiting for meals on wheels to deliver her dinner.  Instead she decided to join her friends at the gym and attend a class that focuses on cardio, strength, and flexibility for seniors because she wants "to get in shape."  She likes to purchase and cook her own food, she likes to volunteer at the library, and she loves to socialize with her neighbors.

On a day when the temperature was about 40°F with wind chills as low as 34°F, many women would simply choose to stay home where its warm and cozy.  I know I would, I admit it.  It is so easy to use our environment as an excuse and we only cheat ourselves, no one else.  There have been plenty of cold or rainy days when all I want to do is ship the kiddos off to school and cuddle up on the couch with my favorite book, tea, the phone, the remote and the laptop, of course. 

Ms. Patti made a very wise decision.  She grabbed her gear, put on her exercise clothes and chose to do something she knows will improve her health and quality of life.  She decided to go exercise.
She motivates me and makes me think twice when I'm on the verge of doing something I know will sabotage all my hard work at the gym and on my plate.  I hope Ms. Patti's story inspires you to do the same.  Oh, I almost forgot, Ms. Patti's real age is 83 and she drives herself everywhere.

Stay well,

Spin Diva

A body ball workout for all

I recently remembered what it was like to have a teething, tumbling, owl-wanna-be, toddler in the house.  My youngest, before the baby, is now six years old and as most moms do, I put those days way in the back burner. Imagine what would happen if we kept it all fresh-- birth rates might drop quite a bit.

Our precious baby boy seems to think that teething entitles him to sleep only a few hours at night. He definitely has the “owl” syndrome. He fails to see why I disagree with this new routine. Still, on days when I feel energized by the forces of my coffee and my yerba-mate tea, I take him to the gym so he can play and I can 'de-stress'.  The 90 minutes of play time tires him out and he is usually asleep before I leave the parking lot.  Ever tried bringing a toddler into the house along with the car seat--not smart!

Anyway, I decided that for those days when I could not make it to the gym and he still needed his play time I would invest in, yet another, piece of exercise equipment.  I ordered the Valeo® Body Ball from Amazon.com, spent about $15 and got it in about 4 days--not bad.  I had TC fill it up, TA put the exercise poster on the wall (that's included) and soon after there were 5 people working, playing, exercising and using the ball as their new computer chair.  What just happened...I thought I bought it so I could exercise?  I think my family is really enjoying this new toy.  Every day, so far, all the kids and sometimes dad go in my one empty room and spend a good 30 minutes with the ball.  It’s not at all what I had in mind but I’m glad they can benefit even if only by playing around with it.

As for me and my workout, I get to play with the body ball during the day, after the baby's breakfast and before his morning nap.  He tries to kick it, tries to pick it up (kind of big for him), chases the ball across the room and down the hall...he's so cute.  Once he's down for a nap I get to work and spend about 20 minutes following the routine on the poster or I throw in a few of my own.  I guess I haven't been working my abs hard enough lately because I was pretty sore the next day. 

Bottom line, this was a really great investment for everyone in our family.  I use the body ball in many of the classes I teach and now I can really focus on my abdominal muscles, lower back, flexibility and balance without leaving my home.  Whether I use it as a toy, a chair or to exercise while watching a favorite show, the body ball is a fitness tool that won’t get dusty in my house.

Stay well!
Spin Diva

Don't whine because you gave up chocolate!

It seems people these days spend way too much time talking about miracle diets and fast weight-loss. My favorites are the ones that give up something for Lent in hopes they'll never crave it again. Like that's ever going to happen. They spend 40 days out of the year avoiding food, this is their big sacrifice.  The real sacrifice is to those of us who have to hear them whine on a daily basis.  Don't tell me you gave up chocolate or coffee or potato chips because the more you talk about it the more I will be tempted to always show up with all three in my hands, just to get a rise of out you.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a really good effort and what better time than Lent, when you feel you need to be accountable to God, to give up something you probably shouldn't be overeating to begin with.  I respect what you're doing; keep up the good work beyond Lent.  But please, quit whining about it.  Must you salivate at the site of chocolate brownies and behave like an unfed lion because you have not been able to eat chocolate in the last 30 days?  Whose fault is that? Not mine? Then, please, back off and let me enjoy my brownie and "fat-free" milk in peace.  And wipe your mouth, you're still salivating.

Personally speaking, I eat what I like to eat and I also eat what I crave, all in moderation. But because I eat nutritious foods, exercise and rehydrate my body regularly, I do not crave much on the junk side of foods.  When I do eat my share of 'junk' I don't feel one bit of guilt, I simply enjoy the blissful moment.

It is very important to understand what your body really needs when you are craving something.  Thirst is often confused for hunger and this often results in eating too much of good and sometimes bad thing. The problem is that your thirst will linger until you give it H₂O.  Other times we eat out of boredom and again we find that food will not satisfy that feeling, so if you are bored go for a walk or go to the gym- guaranteed you won’t be bored there.

Balanced nutrition, plenty of exercise, and H₂O--it's no miracle!

Spin Diva

Had to share this post...I'm inspired!

I found this podcast and was so mesmerized and inspired by this young man.  Makes you really think about your own limitations, excuses we use, and negative talk that sometimes keeps us from achieving our goals.  Check it out.

http://www.cr8health.com/2008/02/12/no-more-excuses/

Getting motivated...midweek dilemma!

The hardest thing about getting to the gym or exercising in any form is motivation.  We come up with every excuse in the book and every single one of them is justifiable.  I often hear myself saying, "I’m on a roll with my chores, now I need to finish."  Finish? Really?  Who am I kidding, there's no such animal.  We are never done decluttering, organizing or cleaning something in the house or the car (until recently, we had so many articles of clothing, books, water bottles and snack wrappers in the car, we could live in it for a season.)

Having a teething, tumbling, toddler in the house is even more reason for me to say, "I think I'll just stay home so I can get him on a schedule," or "he needs his nap, he had a bad night."  HE had a bad night?!  Seriously, he wasn't alone during this period of discomfort. I was up with him from 2:00 am until...well, he's still up and it's now 8:30 am.  I think most moms would agree with me if I decide to just stay home today.

NOT happening! He is going to play for one hour in the gym's nursery while I join the spin class this morning.  The adrenaline rush will help me through this workout.  I need my sanity and he will be ready for a nap as soon as we get home.  What motivates me?  Well, a few things help me stay focused regardless of how tired I am or what chores need to get done:

1.  I have an appointment set everyday at about the same time (30-60 minutes between 9:00-11:00 am).  This is my exercise time, at the gym or at home.
2.  I will be in a better mood, have more patience, and more energy.  All of this will make me a better mommy :-)
4. I will make better food choices throughout the day, which will make me feel better about myself.
5. I will sleep better tonight or at least have the energy in case he doesn't.
6. I will have more energy to deal with my grumpy toddler and my chatty, super-energized kids when they get home from school.
7. I refuse to be sick!

These are all contributing factors to my decision to stay active.  I can’t rely on others to motivate me so I have to motivate myself.  Tell me, what motivates you?

Get inspired to treat yourself well!