6 Tips for a Workout that Works

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Angela

Hey, when’s that baby due?

A friend of mine told me that while she was at the doctor’s office getting a checkup, a nurse came in and asked her if she had felt the baby move yet. My friend was horrified – she’s not pregnant. I can only imagine how embarrassed the nurse felt! Like the comedian Brian Regan says: “The rule to asking that question is never, never, never, never, never, never…..”

Fortunately, I’m no longer at risk for anyone asking that question – not because I have nice firm belly, but rather because I simply look too old to be procreating. In fact, our kids think Mark and I are too old to even have sex. If they only knew….

Anyway, regardless of how old I may appear, I am determined to reduce the risk of appearing pregnant to the best of my body’s ability. So, I’ve started running. Surprisingly, I’m almost enjoying it. I don’t particularly enjoy the muscle cramps, soreness, Charlie horses, or aching back – but I like the part about gasping for breath…no, wait – not that. Ok, I enjoy sweating….no, not really. It must be the…..uuummmhh….I can’t think of what it is, but I must really love it. I keep doing it.

The truth is, I’ve never been a runner. Actually, I avoid it at all costs. Come to think of it, I really don’t like any form of exercise. However, since I’m getting older and I really do care about my health – not to mention the fact that I don’t want to be confused as being pregnant – I must keep at it.

If you are anything like me, meaning you hate to exercise, can’t find the self discipline to keep at it, but really want to improve your health – here are 6 tips to get you going:

1. Don’t’ be bored.

I have adult ADD. It’s really, really difficult for me to not get bored. One of the reasons I chose running as exercise is location, location, location. I can run the same route about three times before I get completely bored with it. If I’m bored, I won’t do it. So I find a new place to run, a new challenge, somewhere I haven’t been before.

On days that I cannot get outside, I use an elliptical machine, but the only way I can stay on it for more than 10 minutes is by having it in front of the television. I have found that if I put on something that gets me riled up – that’s even better. I love to watch Animal Cops while I’m exercising – it really gets me moving.

Find a way to make your exercises interesting. If you have ADD or you get bored easily, try not to have a rigid program. Make sure your workout plan is flexible enough to match your many changing moods. Mark and I have tried to have a schedule – again, three appears to be my limit and once I do something that many times, I get bored and quit. This brings me to the second tip:

2. Know and understand you.

This is your body and your workout. It’s very important to know how to motivate yourself, what your limits are, and where your weaknesses lie. Understanding my “three” limitation helps me understand why I keep quitting a program before I see physical results.

For me, it’s not a question of finding the right exercise. It doesn’t matter which type of exercise because I really don’t like any of them. Instead, what’s important for me is variety. Know yourself. Take a look at your attempts to accomplish something, whether it is exercising, dieting, or any other task that you quit before you reach your goal. Find out what stopped you. Look for patterns.

Of course knowing yourself also means understanding your limits as well. There’s no point in pushing yourself over the limit and hurting yourself. Yet at the same time, you can’t underestimate yourself either. You must challenge your abilities in order to grow.

3. Have a reasonable goal.

I’m not sure how reasonable this is, but I’m currently working on a running goal. I’ve never ran a race before, but Mark and I are planning on running the Currahee Challenge. The course is one that was featured in Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan & The Dirty Dozen as the training site for the 501st, 506th, 511th, and 517th Parachute Infantry Regiments. It’s known for “3 miles in/3 miles out” and the course has a 900 foot change in elevation. Yeah, that feels like straight up!

However, due to tip # 2 – we know we aren’t ready to do the entire 6 miles, so we are opting for the easier 3 mile race. We have a month to get ready and it’s do-able. Of course next year – we may be able to take on the whole mountain!

A view from the top of Currahee

The point is to have a goal. Not just one goal but as many goals along the way that you can. Just be sure they are reasonable, measureable, and have a time limit placed on it. To ready for the race, I’m using a training program for beginner runners that has goals already spelled out for me. It’s doable.

4. Peer Pressure.

The power of peer pressure is amazing! I first learned about the Currahee Challenge from a man I work with. Knowing that he will be running the race has placed a bit a pressure on me to get ready. I don’t want to be embarrassed in front of my friends. Also, he occasionally asks me how my training is going. When I don’t feel like running, I remember that he may ask the next day and I don’t want to feel embarrassed by saying I didn’t feel like it. So I run.

Mark and I also invited our children to run in the race. Two of them took us up on the challenge. There’s no way I can back down now…unless I want to be teased for the next several years about it. It’s another source of peer pressure that makes me get off my butt and put my running shoes on!

I don’t know why I did it, but I also posted my intentions to run the Currahee Challenge on Facebook. So not only do I have peers at work, peers in my family, but now all my friends know that I’m trying to get ready for this race. Obviously I can’t quit now! That’s a good thing!

5. The Pay Off!

I love rewards. It’s taken me a while to learn not to use dessert as a reward though. I’m an over-achiever so it’s quite obvious looking at the weight I’ve gained that I’ve rewarded myself with too many brownies and ice cream! =D

The good news is that I also enjoy other things as a reward. Although I probably will only sleep in it, I’m looking forward to earning the right to wear the Currahee Challenge t-shirt! The t-shirt plus the satisfaction of finishing the race will certainly be award enough for me.

If you set out to accomplish something and you actually do it – reward yourself with something special. It doesn’t have to be a real big deal – just a little special treat to say “well done!”

6. Have a buddy.

This one isn’t completely necessary, but it sure makes the job a lot more enjoyable! If you can, find someone to do it with you. Whether it’s a diet or an exercise program, having a friend to encourage you along the way can make a huge difference in the level of your success! I don’t do anything without my best friend, Mark. Oh sure, I could do it without him. By why would I want to?

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Cinderella’s Secret and Workbook

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Angela

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Stop, Think, Roll

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Angela

You know what? Everyone has problems. I’m no different than anyone else – I’ve got problems too. All successful people have them. Every parent certainly has their fair share. Even kids have them. In fact, sometimes kids get way more than their fair share because of the stupidity of adults in their life. But the fact is: everyone experiences problems at some point in their life. The one thing that separates the “haves” from the “have-nots” or the successful from the unsuccessful or the lucky from the unlucky is what they do next. Problem solving takes a special kind of skill that some people never take the time to develop – critical thinking.

It sounds kind of clinical, doesn’t it? Critical thinking skills. Hmmm….perhaps it’s a section of testing on the SAT or the GMAT? It’s probably not required in everyday living, right? Wrong.

We all engage in critical thinking at some time during our usual waking hours. Few of us are wise enough to know how to engage in critical thinking while we are sleeping, but it can be done. Basically it means that you have a bunch of information which you assemble into some sort of conclusion and then make a decision based on your conclusion. It comes quite naturally to some. For others, read on. I’m going to give you some pointers on how to hone in on this important skill which will provide all sorts of solutions to your problems when used correctly.

The first step is STOP. Whatever you are doing that isn’t working toward a solution, stop. Perhaps you need to stop whining. Perhaps you need to stop applying old solutions to new problems because they aren’t working. You have probably heard that one definition of insanity is to keep trying the same thing over and over expecting different results, right? Well, stop the insanity.

Stop worrying too. If worrying solved even a small fraction of our problems, I would have already solved most of the world’s problems! Worrying is nothing more than a delay tactic. You cannot act on the solution if you are too busy worrying about the problem. Stop worrying!

Stop complaining. No one wants to hear it! Do you know why no one wants to hear you complain about your troubles? Because we all have our own troubles! Complaining is a sign that you are not taking ownership for the solution to this problem. Stop complaining!

Stop blaming! This is yet another sign that you aren’t taking responsibility for the problem or the solution. If you are busy pointing fingers at the economy, your job, your boss, your parents, your spouse, or any other brute force that has made you a victim, then you simply cannot solve it. We must take ownership of our problem before we have the right to do anything with it! Stop blaming!

Whatever you are doing right now that isn’t moving you in a positive direction, stop it!

Next, start thinking. This means learn all the facts you can find about the problem. It’s important to scrutinize what you think you know about the situation at hand, because more than likely, your emotions have put all sorts of lies into your head which causes a bad case of stinking thinking.

Think about what is true. Examine the facts. If you don’t know, ask someone. Look it up online. Go to a library. Find a therapist or life coach. One thing that always helps me with a problem is to talk it over with a friend so you can get a different perspective. Sometimes if you approach the problem from a completely different view, the solution is right there!

There are all sorts of techniques available to help you get a different perspective on things. I’ve written about many of them on this site.

Here are a few:
• Have an imaginary talk with your older self. Ask your older self what he/she would do. Ask if this problem is really as big as you feel it is.
• Pray. But don’t just spend time complaining and whining to God. Ask Him for the solution and then listen!
• Journal. Sometimes the answer become obvious as you write down your feelings and the facts about the problem. Write out possible solutions with pros and cons.
• It’s become a cliché but try “googling” the problem. Perhaps others have come through this problem in ways you haven’t yet considered.

The important thing is to make sure you are thinking clearly, with facts rather than with emotions.

The last step is to roll. I love the thought of rolling. If you think about the old adage used in fire situations, “stop, drop, and roll,” it gives you the sense of urgency. It’s an action, but not a random action made out of desperation. It’s a controlled, purposeful roll. In other words, take action. Don’t just think up some solutions and then sit around and wait for your problem to go away. Put what you’ve learned into a plan of action.

The term “let’s roll” became the battle cry in the war against Al Qaida after it was uttered by Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93, to put into action the plan to take back control of the aircraft on September 11, 2001. They made a collective decision based on the facts at hand. Once that was accomplished, all that was left was to act – “Let’s roll!” It was a demonstration of critical thinking in its purest form. They all knew they would probably die, but rather than allowing their fear to take them to their certain death, they made a decision that certainly gave them a hero’s grave.

Another aspect I love about the word roll is the application of rolling with the punches. Sometimes a problem doesn’t have to stop you in your tracks. Sometimes, many times in fact, you should simply roll with it. Learn to be flexible. Get into the habit of asking whether or not the new situation really changes things or if it’s as big of an obstacle as you think? If it’s not, then go around, climb up on it! Maybe the problem isn’t really a problem but actually a catalyst to help you reach your goal.

If you train your mind to stop, think, and roll – you may find that you don’t have nearly as many “problems” as you do opportunities.

However, if you are faced with a situation where you have to make a decision and you can’t decide, here’s one last piece of advice: flip a coin.

No really. I read one time that the answer comes, not based on which side up the coin falls, but in that split moment while it’s in the air – you are secretly hoping it falls a particular way. And that is the answer. Go with it!

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Crazy Lady

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Angela

Last night, Mark and I watched a repeat episode of “Rules of Engagement.” In this episode, Jeff accidentally sticks himself with “lady juice” while trying to give Audrey an injection of hormones (to help her conceive.) For the remainder of the show, Jeff was concerned that he was acting like his crazy wife, at one point stating, “I’m starting to feel feelings. I don’t like it.”

Jeff, welcome to my world!

I have often addressed the issues of emotions and the importance of not allowing our feelings to dictate our decisions….but that was BEFORE my own hormones started jumping on and off the charts! I’m beginning to get a broader perspective, one that I don’t really care to experience. Mark has started calling me “crazy lady.” That’s funny…no wait, that’s sad…..then again, it makes me mad…or is that contempt I’m feeling….no, I just don’t give a damn – maybe I am crazy! (See what we are dealing with here?)

For years I’ve understood about how the fluctuation of hormones can affect teenagers, making them stupid and emotional. I just never dreamed I’d have to be a 46 year old teenager! In fact, I can say with a great deal of certainty that I was not nearly this stupid when I was a teenager. Oh sure, I jumped off the deep end and got married when I was only 16 years old….but I was still sane. I know, I know, I had two babies before I was out of my teens, but hey, I never did drugs or go out partying all the time. I didn’t joy ride or get into trouble with the law. I was too busy changing diapers to get into any real trouble.

Now here I am. An advocate of self control and personal responsibility….and completely crazy! How on earth can you act responsible when your emotions are flinging you from one side of the loony bin to the other? And seriously, how am I supposed to be positive when I feel like screaming one minute and crying the next?
There are only two things getting me though this difficult aging process. The most important one is Mark. He’s understanding and hell-bent on finding ways to make me laugh about it all. He really does call me ‘crazy lady’ but he does it with good intentions. It makes me remember that I’m not really sad…it’s just the hormones. I’m not really mad…it’s just the hormones. I’m still me under all this emotional nonsense!

The second thing that is helping through this is the fact that I do believe in personal responsibility and self control. I may be going through a storm, but I’m not just tossing on the waves with no plan or safety measures. I have an anchor, I have a plan, I have information, and I have safety measures.

First of all, I have a clear understanding of what is taking place inside me that is causing all this ruckus. This knowledge provides tools and plans that I can put into place. For example, I know it’s more important than ever for me to eat properly, stay away from sugars, and get lots and lots of exercise. I also know that I must use a hormone balancing cream that helps restore my body to its younger state. (I use Arbonne’s Phyto ProRelief – which Mark calls “crazy cream” – just send me an email if you want to know how to get it.)
I also have to use self discipline. That not only means I have to exercise when I don’t feel like it, it also means that when I feel like yelling or crying I simply choose not to. Yeah, it’s hard. But I do it. And when I feel like eating a doughnut, I have to stop myself – now that takes some serious discipline! Crazy lady loves doughnuts!

Still, even with all these action plans and self discipline – sometimes it just isn’t enough and that’s when I fall back onto my safety net, Mark. He reassures me that I’m not really going crazy. He holds me when I feel lost and he makes me smile as much as possible. Together, we will get through this difficult time. That’s what life is all about.

If you or someone you know is suffering from hormonal imbalance either due to perimenopause, pregnancy, adolescence, hysterectomy or just eating too many hamburgers – I suggest you drop the anchor, make a plan, and find a safety net. Perhaps you need to visit your doctor and find out what’s causing the emotional storm. Then, follow his suggestions by improving your diet and participating in a solid exercise routine. Don’t forget to employ good old fashion self discipline and positive thinking to get you through it. Lastly, find a safety net. Sorry, Mark is already taken!

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The “N” Word and the “F” Word

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Angela

I just learned that Dr. Laura is calling it quits. I can’t say I blame her.
First of all, let me say that I’m not a huge fan of Dr. Laura – but I do think she is a common sense woman who isn’t afraid to speak the truth in a world full of incredibly stupid people. However, I have often been put off by her harsh personality and the way she speaks to certain incredibly stupid people. With that said, I believe that the incredibly stupid people population just lost a valuable asset.

Apparently, Dr. Laura was speaking to a black lady and referenced the use of the “N” word. Dr. Laura was simply pointing out the discrepancy with the black population being “hyper sensitive” over the use of a w-o-r-d and the way the same population of blacks uses the word at will. She talked about watching black comedians using the word and it prompting laughter, but if a white person says it – even just referring to the word, it prompts anger and judgment. Dr. Laura wasn’t calling anyone the “N” word, she was simply saying the forbidden word – on public airways – obviously a privilege reserved for black people. They do it all the time, in movies – songs – standup comedy. What gives them the right to use it and no one else? It’s offensive no matter whose mouth it comes out of. You can call Dr. Laura a lot of things – rude, mean, brass – but prejudice? I don’t think so.

Before you get all up in arms about this, let me say that I sort of understand the black person’s sensitivity to the word. I feel the same way about the “F” word. But you know what? No one really cares that the “F” word offends me. It’s just a word. Right? Wrong. And furthermore, since I am offended at the obscenity that the “F” word conjures up – I would be the last one you’d hear saying it. I certainly don’t think it’s alright for any group of people to throw the word around at will. So in that regard, I agree with Dr. Laura. If the “N” word is THAT offensive, black people shouldn’t be using it either.
But is it really just a word?

Let’s look at any other slang and potentially offensive word: When my children were small, I didn’t not allow them to say the word “crap.” I can’t really see a difference between “crap” and “shit.” They both have one vowel, four letters, three consonants and refer to feces. They are interchangeable. So why would I make the rule that my four year old cannot say shit, but it’s ok to say crap? That would be ridiculous. It’s just a word, right? So maybe we all should start teaching the toddlers how to say shit, right along with teaching them all the other words they’ll need to communicate with the world.

No? You don’t like the idea of a sweet, beautiful two year old saying “Oh, shit!” Why?

I believe the answer to that lies in the fact that words are extremely powerful. The Bible says that the power of life and death is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Wars have started over words. The words someone speaks can make your day or totally destroy you. Words can make you laugh, cry, or want to kill yourself. There’s no denying that words are powerful. You can bring blessing to someone with your words. You can destroy trust and even love with your words. There are no weapons of mass destruction more powerful than the words we speak. But at the same time, there is no medicine, drug, experience or any good thing that can bring more healing, happiness and joy than the words we speak.

At some point we really need to become aware of the consequences our words and actions have on the entire world. You may think that you can go around spouting off anything that crosses your mind, but the fact is – the entire world is doing the same thing. Just look at us. We are a mess. We think nothing of tearing one another down, spewing out obscenities, and making such talk as common as chewing gum. Even women have succumbed to the world’s example of filthy mouths and base meanness. The day of ladies acting like ladies is over. Our children, toddlers, and babies are soon to follow. And it’s our fault.

It’s time we all become accountable for our words because we are shaping our world with every syllable that comes out. We are co-creators with God. Just as He spoke the worlds into existence, so we are creating our current world. Eph 4:29 says let no unwholesome word come from your mouth. That includes the blacks who throw around the “N” word. It includes those who let any vulgar sound fall from their lips. It includes the politicians, the movie stars, the comedians, the mothers and the fathers. And please tell me, it includes the toddlers.

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