FamilyInShape

Really Missing the Farmers Market

 

Photo: "Healthy Food" by Spin Diva

I suddenly came to the realization that eating organic, market-fresh, good for me fruits and vegetables was going to be nearly impossible here in GiTMO and I am disappointed because this is, after all, a tropical island where things are supposed to grow abundantly year round.  So yes, my expectations were a little on the high side.  In the Dominican Republic, where I was born, we had just about everything we needed or wanted to eat growing all around us.  Not in GiTMO.  It seems that this beautiful weather comes with it's own set of consequences.  We have warm mornings, hot afternoons and cool nights in the Winter - everything gets about 20 degrees hotter in the Summer; however, we have the pool, the beaches and the AC to keep us cool.  Overall, it really is beautiful, every single day.  So what's the problem?  It doesn't rain.  The ground is dry, vegetation is scarce and the water is tightly controlled.  That's insane, how we could be surrounded by water (albeit, ocean water) and have such arid, dessert-like terrain.  That really stinks!!

I really miss the open air, farmers markets.  If you have them in your area, learn to appreciate them, visit them often and enjoy the real flavor of the foods you eat.  Unless one exists on base that I don't know about, it looks like I will have to depend on the food that we get at the Commissary (not always the freshest or bestest), frozen fruits and veggies (very limited options) and growing my own (Yikes!), I don't have the greenest thumb but maybe out of necessity I will acquire one, who knows. Will most likely be consulting my mother-in-law frequently in matters of the garden.

This makes being a semi-vegetarian very challenging but I'm up for it and will have to see what creative recipes I can come up with using only what's available to me from the produce and frozen isles; at least until something starts to grow in my own garden.  As for the dry goods I think I can make do with what we have. Many different types of grains are not available but I'm sure I can get someone back home to send me a box of goodies with things like Eight O'Clock Colombian Whole Bean Coffee (hint, hint), Quinoa, Bulgur Wheat, Barley and Sea Salt.  

In the mean time I will continue to climb that hill, get back in the swing of things with Spinning and Swimming.  The kids are spending a lot more time outdoors and because we are in such a small base there really is no competition or try-outs for sports, the kids just join a team and play "competitively" for fun, so we're looking at tennis, soccer, swim lessons and volley ball.  I'm really excited to get all that started. 

I hope you have resolved to not make resolutions this year; instead, put your time and energy into staying active, eating well, and enjoying life indefinitely!!

Stay Well,

For more GiTMO adventures check this out:  http://lifeingtmobay.blogspot.com/

Go for a walk, up a hill

Photo by SpinDiva "Windmill Walk"

For the first time since I moved I purposely engaged in physical exercise. I figured since I've been getting my workout from running up and down the stairs, lifting heavy boxes and kids; and walking through town, on the beach, to the pool, I should still be in relatively good shape. I was staying active with the kids even though I was not Spinning(r) or doing any type of organized exercise and that was one of my goals during this moving process.  

Here, in Guantanamo Bay, it is really easy to stay active. You almost have to purposely not want to be involved with anyone to be inactive because there is something going on for the entire family just about everyday and when there isn't, it's not hard to come up with something to do.

A couple of the mom's asked me if I wanted to go for a walk up to the Windmills early in the morning. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity to workout and have some fun company. The walk to the Windmills can range between 2.5 and 3.5 miles. It all depends where you start. The intensity can also vary depending on what you bring with you, a bottle of water vs. a stroller with a toddler. I drove the trail about a week ago and remembered thinking what a painful walk or run that would be because it is most definitely steep and unforgiving. It wold be a challenge.

Obviously, I have selective memory because when we started walking on this beautiful, warm morning I though "oh it may be challenging but I can do this a few times over." (So arrogant!!) NOT!!! or Not yet anyway. I walked with my friend and her toddler in the stroller, at first she pushed and I just held my water bottle. I could see pushing the stroller would add to the challenge so we decided to take turns pushing. Every time we turned I thought this must be the last one and every time I was wrong. The last strip was straight up right to the windmill. OUCH! Coming back was a piece of cake.

But can I just say how sore I am today and not just my legs. I expected everything from the hips down to be sore. Not my arms, back, chest and abs. Everything hurts!!! But it hurts in a good way. I needed to feel my muscles again. I needed to get a cardiovascular workout that would challenge me. Even though I am sore today, I feel great and feel a great sense of accomplishment. I will tackle that hill again soon. That will most definitely be part of my workout routine in the new year.

I hope you are finding ways to stay active alone or with your family. Have fun, despite the weather, and have a happy, energized, fantastic year 2010!!

Stay well, stay safe!

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Holiday Party Cookies from erincooks

Is that even possible? You know, to not gain any weight over the holidays?  Well for some people it is. They are the ones who can easily say no to the sweeter things in life.  Just so you know, I'm not one of them. For some reason, holiday baked goods just taste so much better between November 1st and January 1st.  It's like comfort food for the soul.  Except the only thing getting padded around here are the hips, waist, back legs and arms.  

But seriously, why is it that we require food to enjoy the holiday season? And it is a requirement I tell you.  I've conducted an experiment and invited friends over for coffee and the first thing they say is, "what can I bring, I can make cookies or a quiche?" Hmmmm, that sounds yummy! I have to admit that the first thing I think about is "what should I make?" you know, to serve with the coffee because it would be a sin to have JUST coffee.

Well, this is who we are and this is what we do.  We are trained to celebrate everything with food and there's no better time to "get away" with over eating like the holiday season.  The media and every medical profession in the media has been telling us that, on average, people gain five to seven pounds during the holiday season.  OUCH!  They say from November to December, more accurately it all begins on Halloween, October 31st and ends on New Year's day, January 1st.  So, even though we know this to be pretty accurate, we still manage to fall into the trap of the holiday weight gain.  We eat the tasty treats, the delicious foods, and the drinks and begin the process of putting off fitness as a new year's resolution. We simply give in to the fad.

So what do we do now?  The "weight gain season" has already begun.  Do we just stay on this slippery slope and start our healthy habits next year OR is it possible to avoid becoming a statistic? Of course it is. Anything is possible if you really want it to be.  I have tips, you have wants, so lets put it all together and see how we do.

  

 1.  Start moving NOW!  Why wait until after you've gained the weight to realize you need to get back in shape.  Start now!  

 

Exercise: Measure out an area that is safe for you to walk from your home and back.  Invite some neighbors to join you after dinner, early in the morning or middle of the day.  Do the math.  Walk two miles a day, times seven days a week-- that is just over a marathon in 2 weeks.  Challenge yourself and add a mile to your walk OR cut back on the time it takes to walk 2 miles. As you can see, you don't have to join a gym or hire a trainer. Make it fun for the entire family and take the kids for a bike ride, roller skates, or a hike through the park. However, if you feel inadequate about walking alone or working out alone, then by all means join a gym, hire a trainer, start taking classes.  Arm yourself with a fitness routine that does not allow you to cheat yourself out of enjoying special holiday treats.

2.  Eat well, everyday! If you haven't already started, spend a couple of days logging everything you eat before making any changes.  This will help you identify problem areas with your current nutrition plan (because we all know we have one right?)  

 

Nutrition: Ask yourself, am I eating enough fruits and vegetables? Five a day is what they say. Make them fresh or frozen, raw or cooked.  More is best.  To keep the fresh vegetables from going bad in the fridge, eat them within a few days or cook and refrigerate or freeze them so that they are ready to be used in soups and stews over the colder months.  

 

Speaking of soups and stews, stay away from creamy soups that only add on the pounds.  I know, it's the comfort food we crave when we're cold and it's OK to have them in moderation. But if you don't think you can have just one serving then stick with the less creamy soups loaded with vegetables, legumes and lean meats.  Best to choose good carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, whole grain, sweet potatoes, etc.  Low fat dairy, lean meats and fish are also important in your diet as they provide you with well needed protein your muscles will crave. Take this opportunity to teach the kids what a serving is and what's in that serving of food. Lead by example.

 

3. Rest, de-stress, sleep! I am so bad at doing any of these.  It seems I'm alway running somewhere (and I don't mean that literally, otherwise I would have nothing to worry about if I was really running,) cleaning, packing (for an upcoming big move), doing homework, and staying up late for no good reason.  

 

A lot of women do this in search of quiet, meditative time and that's great if #1 we can still manage to get enough sleep and #2 if we use that time wisely, i.e. meditating, stretching, etc. I'm back to putting meditative time on my schedule.  We don't need a lot all at one time, 10 - 15 minutes of being with oneself, in our thoughts, in our minds, and revisiting our souls is all.  Do it a few times a day, do it while waiting in line at the store, or upon rising, before bed.  There are opportunities, we just fail to seize them and instead go to bed with a mind full of junk we can't resolve in our sleep.  So rest your mind, sleep and the result will be = controlled stress management. Again with the family, take some time to read to your kids or with your kids; teach them how to be silent for one whole minute - make it  a game and then ask what they were thinking when they were still.  You'd be amazed at the stories you get. 

 

4. Drink Water.  Oh yes, this is a biggy.  I am terrible at drinking water in the winter time.  Did I mention I'm from the Caribbean?  As much as I love the beautiful fall foliage and a crispy cold winter's day, it is not my cup of tea to live in it everyday.  Definitely tropical and if I want winter I can drive to it instead.  That's ideal.  

 

Back to water.  Since I know that drinking anything cold is not all that attractive to me I make it a point of drinking plenty of water before, during and after my workouts.  Carry water with me wherever I go so that I'm not tempted to buy coffee or food.  I also keep my water bottle on the counter to maintain the room temperature.  I find that my kids don't drink nearly as much water as they should - I think sometimes they skip it all together, so new rule:  when they say they are bored or hungry I offer them a glass of water while I make a nutritious treat or plan an activity like going out to play in the piles leaves.  One other option if you don't like cold water is a cup of warm water with a twist of lemon in the morning is actually pretty good too.  My dad was told (prescribed by his doctor) to drink this every morning to keep his digestive system running smooth.

  

The Challenge:  To avoid any weight gain over the holidays.  Go ahead, challenge yourself to be different this year.  Don't bother making a resolution to get healthy, do it now.  Get in the best shape of your life starting right now.  Get the family involved in getting and staying active, even if you don't have weight to lose, living a healthier lifestyle IS the new fad.

Disclaimer: If you want to lose weight, PLEASE, keep in mind that this process takes time, it's not going to happen over night, it's not going to happen in ONLY 10 minutes a day.  However, with a little determination and motivation, it will happen as you burn 500 calories a day exercising, cleaning, chasing the kids around.  As you eat 300 less calories a day replacing junk food with good-for-you food.  It will happen as you burn off 1-2 lbs a week and replace body fat with lean muscle mass.  It will happen if you want it bad enough!

Let's do it together!! What are you waiting for?  Tell me, how will you avoid the holiday weight gain in 2009? I want to know! 

Stay Well,

 


When it rains.... exercise!

I was watching an episode of Army Wives in which Joan (a high ranking officer) is being deployed to Iraq and the day she leaves her daughter gets sick and daddy (Army husband) has to take her to the hospital in a hurry with 105 degree temperature.  What the heck!!??  She later calls to see how things are and he lies and tells her everything is great, baby is keeping me busy, we miss you, don't worry about us...etc.  Well, that's not all that uncommon.  It really is pointless to complain to them about our problems at home when they have much more to worry about and there's nothing they can do to help those left behind.

I'm not an Army Wife, I'm a Navy wife, but what we go through is pretty much the same.  OK maybe not so because his deployments have never been quite so long or so frequent.  However, when he does leaves it seems everything breaks down and things stop working, kids get sick, etc. People use to tell me all the time, "watch, when he leaves something will break down, you will be tested."  I used to think, oh why must you all think so negatively, everything here is fine.

I was so naive!

They were not kidding.  Over the last 19 years it has never failed.  When he leaves something breaks down and I'm left to fix the issues.  So I do. I think the yellow pages were invented for military wives. Seriously, I go there often when he travels for an extended period of time. 

He left on Friday and the very next day I had a notice in my mailbox stating that I needed to power wash my house and change the chimney cap.  What the heck is a chimney cap? And by the way I was planning to power wash my house.... eventually. 

Just before he left, the day before, someone ran into his Harley and caused some damages.  Well since hubby is leaving and I'm not yet certified to drive a motorcycle I guess I'll have to call someone to help take care of that as well.

So I sat at the kitchen table to sort all this stuff out, make some calls, pay some bills, etc. and out of the blue I hear a loud pop and crash sound. I thought maybe a tree fell, it was windy.  So I looked around, no tree.  I step into my patio and I see my glass-top patio table has shattered into a million little pieces.  A million pieces I must clean ASAP!!  How the heck do you pickup all these little pieces of glass without loosing a finger?

I know, I know...sweep them up, wear gloves, etc.  I just don't want to do it.  What's the big deal?  The big deal is that I try to get organized and to keep things under control around here.  After all, I still have my school work, my job at the gym and 3 kids to keep up with.  Every minute counts. I don't want more stuff to do. Ugh!

However, I didn't stress about any of it.  I didn't go nuts. I just made a few more phone calls and things will workout...eventually.  It's not the end of the world right? 

Until this morning.  I get up super early so that I have quiet time to write, study, plan the day and sometimes just so I can watch my favorite shows on Hulu.com.  Today the internet was down.  I called and they said "we'll come by and take a look, how's tomorrow between 1:00 and 3:00 pm?'  I said "that's unacceptable, I need this fixed now otherwise I wouldn't be calling now!"  Yes I was agitated, I was angry that things seem to be going against me everyday.  It makes me want eat oreos and milk or go shopping!!

I was over the internet issue fairly quickly.  The glass company is coming to replace my glass-top table, the bike is in the shop, and I even found a handyman to take care of the power washing and chimney cap. 

Can I just tell you what kept me going?  OK I will.

Exercise! Yes.  Proven to help relieve stress, prevent anxiety, pain relief, improves mood and sleep.

I improved my fitness routine to add more cardio, I'm eating a little better, could really improve on that but I am a work in progress.  The point is that I did not change my routine much since he left and therefore whatever unexpected event comes at me is really not a big deal.  I handle what I can, I control what I can and the rest will take care of itself.

I'm in control of me, that's it.  My kids will never see me sweat the small stuff and I like it like that!!  However they will see me sweat because today is WiiFit day and I have a score to beat in the hula-hoop challenge!

Stay Well,

Sore Muscles...Ouch!

Photo Credit: shadowandsilhouette

(Crossposted at Blogher.com)

Who knew that after not exercising like I normally do I would be this sore coming back.  I mean OUCH!! I can hardly move.  OK well, I knew this would happen and it's not quite that bad but I am sore today, very much so.  I can feel every muscle I worked this week and to be honest, it's a good feeling, except for when I try to get up out of bed or off the couch, when I squat the pick up the toddler and when I pull open the fridge door... you get the idea, it hurts.

My muscles are sore because of all the vacationing I've been doing lately at home and away from home. My latest trip took us to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, where we walked on sand and land, climbed the Nags Head sand dunes, and battled the waves of the ocean.  Evidently, that was not nearly enough to give me a good workout, however, it was nice to have such an active vacation.  We had a great time!!

Back in the gym I started my week off with weight training, Turbo Kick Box, Spinning, Elliptical training, and more weight training.  Although my diet was not bad during vacation, it is definitely better now that I'm home.  I think my body is in shock from all the egg whites, salads, lean meats, fruits and vegetables I've been eating this week.

When muscles are sore it is important to remember that:  

#1 stretching, massage, hot baths will help you fell better but it isn't going to make the soreness go away completely, 

#2 drinking water is essential, 

#3 eating high protein foods is a requirement to help muscles grow stronger, and 

#4 take it easy, take time to recover, but don't stop exercising.

The last one here, #4 is the one that can make or break your fitness routine.  Many people prefer not to feel that pain and they either never increase the resistance or quit exercising all together. That's never a good idea because if you return to the gym you will be sore all over again.  However, keep in mind that the endorphins released during exercise relieve pain so instead of not doing anything, exercise and experience the benefits of endorphins.

Ideally, you want to take 24-36 hours off between sets.  If you work chest, biceps and shoulders on Monday, then wait until Wednesday or Thursday before working that same set of muscles.  It largely depends on how hard you work each set.  The soreness you feel is the pain of your muscles getting stronger.  Your muscles are just getting used to the new fitness routine. You want to work those muscles and push yourself harder each time you go back.   

In order for you to become stronger, faster, and improve endurance you have to exercise beyond what you normally do, you have to make the muscles burn during the workout. Just like in running, you can't run the same mile every day and expect to become a better runner. So you run faster and further and feel the burn. In weight training or muscle conditioning you feel the burn by lifting heavier weights. This burn is a sign that you are damaging your muscles (that doesn't sound appealing does it?)  But it is. Because muscles have the unique ability to recover and when they do they are stronger and that's what we're looking for.  The more lean muscle mass you develop, the higher your metabolism, the more fat and calories you burn-- again, who doesn't want that?

While I do feel very sore today, I am confident that my muscles are once again adjusting to my workout routine, I know that I am becoming stronger, improving my physique, lowering my BMI and speeding up my metabolism.  I will rest this weekend from any weight training and go back on Monday for more burn!

When your muscles start burning, push just a little harder.  When you are sore, rest, stay hydrated, eat well. Whatever you do, don't ever stop exercising!

Stay Well,