What are you Thankful for???

November is the time of year when we are supposed to take a moment to be thankful for what we have.  Don't you think it is kind of funny that this implies that we only take time to give thanks in November during the holiday.  

Lately it seems that everyday at work is very stressful. My every thought is centered around when can I retire. You know how it is. On Monday you start thinking about the weekend and then on Sunday you start dreading the new week. We complain that we don't have enough money for all the things we want. It seems that everything is a hassle, from bad traffic to high prices. So we just complain and complain. Somewhere in all of life's craziness we have forgotten to be thankful for what we have. 

Maybe we should be thankful for having that job that makes us crazy and looking forward to retirement. Thankful for the car that requires that high priced gas. Thankful for our home, family and friends. Maybe we should take a moment to remember what being thankful means.

As hard as your life seems, there is always someone who's life is worse. So take a moment to be thankful for the things we take for granted everyday.

Shirley 

Embrace the Day!

Sometimes we need to think of ourselves first. What is it that you need to do to get to your happy place? As women we tend to focus on everyone else's needs and just let our own fall by the side. We need to learn that it's ok to not only think about what you want but to actively pursue what you want. Now is the time to finally take what you need.

I was divorced when my kids were very young.  So, they became my first priority. In everything I did, they were always first and foremost in my mind.  Now that my girls are adults I can look back and see that I planned very little me time.  My life has been truly blessed.  My daughters have grown into beautiful confident women, we are friends and do things together. I have also learned to do things just for me. Whether that is a manicure, pedicure or taking trips with friends.  I realized now that I did not have to wait for my kids to grow up, I could have been enjoying me time all along.

So remember take what you need now and be a happier healthier you. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us so make plans to enjoy your life's journey.

Shirley

WHAT HAPPENED, I AM LOSING MY HAIR!!!

Some twenty five years ago I decided to wear my hair in it's natural state. No more relaxers or any kind of chemicals. So after years of "Jerri curls & relaxers" I was free.  Now we know as we get older they tell us certain things are just going to happen because we're getting older. For example: at forty your eye sight changes. All of a sudden your eye doctor is mentioning "bifocals ".  Extra weight seems to have a permanent place on your hips no matter what you do to lose it. So I thought, " at least I will have my hair." Well after wearing extensions for several years, I noticed my hair was thinning at the top of my head. I thought it was the braids, so I stop wearing them.  However the area just seemed to get bigger and wearing wigs seemed to make it worst. I just figured it was another sign of getting older and I prepared myself for the bald look.

About a year ago my daughter attended a presentation by a dermatologist and said I see her. Of course I didn't because I figured what could she do for me. Basically I had given up. Fortunately for me my daughter signed me up for a consultation visit. Well it seems that it wasn't old age taking my hair but Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA). CCCA is a hair disorder that leads to the destruction of hair follicles, scarring and permanent hair loss (alopecia). This condition is seen most frequently in African-American women. It can progress very slowly with gradual hair loss with no symptoms or rapidly with tingling, burning, pain or itching of the scalp.  So it turns out that this it treatable if you catch it in time. So now,  a year later , my hair is growing back.  It's still a little thin on top but there's enough that I can put off shaving my head for a while and wearing wigs all the time. 

What I have learned is that sometimes we have to go back to the beginning and start over.  My advice from this experience is that if your hair is thinning at the top or sides go see a dermatologist. Your hair dresser, wigs or meaningful friends will not be able to help. Be proactive and you may end up keeping all your hair well into old age.  Don't be like me and wake up one day confused thinking "WHAT HAPPENED, I AM LOSING MY HAIR!!!

Shirley 

Stop the Madness!!

We live in a society that has become obsessed with weight loss.  There is a pill, drink or exercise that will let you achieve your goals in the blink of an eye. No one wants to wait, we want it now. What society has failed to let you know is that being thin does not necessarily mean being healthy. We need to take a step back from all the magic solutions and look at what you personally want your life to be. 

I know I want to be around a long time to enjoy family and friends.  I want to be able to travel and not be limited because of health issues.  Sometimes a quick fix can cause more damage to your body than the weight you are trying to lose. You can become stressed because you met the quick goal but did not substain it. Now the cycle starts all over again. 

So I say "Stop the madness". Find something that works for you. Make you own plan and stick to it. Focus on one day at a time and before you now it months have gone by and you are that closer to achieving your goal.

Shirley 

What's Next???

Sometimes taking the next step is the hardest thing to do. What is the next step in our ongoing quest for good health?  We start with the weight loss, then the gym membership, and finally we have reached our goal.  We settle into the new routine, but we also have a safety net. In our closet are clothes of every size.  Just in case we stumble, we are good to go. If we fall off eating right or stop the gym membership we will still look good in what we wear.

Well, the next step is cleaning out that closet.  Getting rid off all the clothes that no longer fit or look good on you.  When you think about it, why would you need clothes in every size?  How much of a challenge would it be to just have clothes in the size that you want to maintain? Would it mean that you believe in yourself? That you believe in the changes you have made in your life. 

I say think positive, believe in yourself and clean out that closet.  Take the next step.

Shirley

It's all about Me!!

Do you ever think, "who loves me?" I think we spend a great deal of time worrying about what others think of us. We go so far as to order our lives around what others think we should be or do. The clothes we wear, our hair style, what we eat is somehow influenced by what someone else thinks.

Well, what do you think??? How do you feel about you? Are you on a quest to lose weight because of how someone thinks you should look?  There is a saying that goes something like "charity starts at home". So I am saying start with how you feel about you.  Do you love you?  So what if you are over weight, so what if you have short hair and not long, so what if you are short and not tall. What matters is that when you look in the mirror you love the person you see. 

Once you acknowledge how you feel about yourself, everything else will fall into place. Remember it is not about what others think, but how you feel about you. When you look in the mirror your first thought should be "It's all about me".

Shirley 

Spring means Renewal!!!

When you think of Spring you think of a time of renewal. Look around  your neighborhood and what do you see.  Lawns being tilled, flowers being planted, houses painted and gardens growing.  Trees are bursting with green leaves giving everything a new and exciting look.

Spring is not only a time of renewal for our neighborhoods but for our bodies as well.  It is a time to renew our mind, body and spirit.  During the winter you may have been sitting more than usual because of the cold and now your joints are a little stiff.  After a long dark winter it's time to get out and feel the sun on your face. You will need to wake your body up slowly. Start with a walk or bike ride to get re-acquainted with your neighbors and friends.Get out of the office at lunchtime for 5 - 10 minutes. Take the kids to the park or zoo. Instead of joining a  gym to get in shape look for activities that you can do outside and in the sunshine. Try finding something new and exciting that will keep you from getting bored.  If you like to dance try line dancing. It's something you can do anywhere, in your back yard, in your basement and at a park with the kids.  It's fun and exciting and guess what: great exercise. Check out: http://www.dancepartythrive.com.

Remember: "Spring is a time for Renewal", so get out of the house, smell the roses and find something new to start your renewal process.

Shirley

How Do You Face Fear???

How many of us let fear run our lives? Every day you can see advertisements for new medications for illnesses that (according to some statistic) one out of every five people will soon have.  If you are not diabetic now, you soon will be. Every ache, pain or headache could lead to an incurable disease.  It is no wonder that we fear going to the doctor for a checkup. Our fear of the unknown lets us live with back aches, headaches that never go away, and pains in our chest that we call indigestion. If we all looked hard enough, we would see that we let fear run many aspects of our lives from health, to relationships to our jobs.   

Fear is not an easy thing, but if we tackle it one day at time we may defeat it.  Maybe you aren't feeling well and are afraid to find out why. Remember there are people who care about you and will be there for you no matter what. Are you being passed over for someone younger with a degree at your job?  Think about going back to school one class at a time.  

I worked in the Human Service field as an Executive Administrative Assistant for twenty-five years.  I figured that my experience was as good as any degree.  However in the real world, my experience meant nothing without the degree to back it up. I lived in fear of being the first to get let go when the budget was cut and fear of losing my job to someone younger with a degree. So I faced my fear and went back to school.  At 52 I got my Associates, at 56 I received my Bachelor’s and at 61 I received my Master’s in Business Administration.  This is how I faced by fear, how will you face yours???

Shirley

Relax and Enjoy Life!

Why it is so hard for us to enjoy life as adults? Do you remember when you were a kid and how easy it was to laugh and have a good time?  When did we as adults forget to play? When did our lives  become extension of our jobs?   Something is wrong with the picture when you want to go to work because you are bored at home.

If you remember, when you were a child life was far from perfect, however you still managed to have fun.  You found joy in running outside, biking, roller skating and jumping rope. How could we forget the fun we had hoola hooping?

Tell me, what do you do now for fun? I know we have to work hard during the week because of our responsibilities.  But, on the weekend, think hard about having fun.  Instead of making plans to clean the house, plan to be outside, hiking, biking or just smelling the flowers. Read that book about absolute nothing (but will make you laugh),  watch a movie, call a friend and go to dinner. Just get in the habit of  putting something fun into your life.  Remember, we have one life to live,  so enjoy every moment because you can't get those moments back!!

Shirley

Retirement - Re-Invent Yourself!!!

Are you looking at retiring within the next couple of years?  Have you make plans or are you dreading the whole process?  I am sixty -two (62) years old and I am  looking forward to retiring as early as next year.     However as I speak with persons my age around this issue I get mixed feelings on the subject.  Most of us have been working since our teens so the question becomes "What will I do when I stop working?".  Also there are issues around money and being able to maintain your present lifestyle. Some said they would be bored.

How  nice would it be to wake up and not have to worry about being late and punching that time clock? What about not having to figure out how much time you have to take that vacation you want.  Or just waking up and doing whatever pops into your head. Our generation has spent most of our lives taking care of husbands, kids, grand kids and our jobs. We work hard to make the company we work for grow. We are good employees, getting to work on time, staying late to finish that project that was due yesterday, and never using a sick day. While all of this looks good for the job, what are they doing for you? Younger people are being hired and you are training them. Those promotions elude you because you don't have a degree even though you been on the job more than twenty  years.

I say stop dreading the process and embrace it. I suggest several years before you plan to retire you do a couple of things.  First, you start with a financial plan and then a plan to reinvent yourself.  The possibilities are endless. You could write that book or turn that hobby into a business. Maybe you like gardening or painting. You could even take cooking classes to prepare that gourmet meal you always wanted.  You could travel, or just read all those books you never had time for.  With the Internet at our fingertips there is an  app for almost anything you want to do. So relax, and don't see boredom in your future but the beginning of the next chapter in your life.  Remember: Re-Invent Yourself and Enjoy !!

Guess What: It's Just Food!!!

It Just Food!!!

Do you remember the movie "Soul Food"? That movie brought back so many memories for me around food. The Sunday dinners our family used to have.  Eating until you couldn't move. Never leaving the table without have a second helping.  But it was not just Sunday, we ate like this every day. There was no such thing as fast food for dinner, my mother cooked every night.   So I grew up with a love for good food. I am guessing that many of you did as well.

Now with all the cooking shows on television, you too can be a gourmet cook. Fixing those wonderful meals like all the top chefs'. Making all those wonderful desserts (chocolate cake, cheese cake, muffins, cookies and the list goes on and on). But guess what? It gets better! Now there are restaurants, bakeries  and all kinds of places where you can get all this wonderful food without having to  make it yourself.

When I started having weight and health issues the first thing the doctor wanted to take away was all my wonderful food.  Because I could not imagine life without my chocolate cake, ice cream, cookies, fried chicken, fried fish,  mac & cheese and potato chips, my health issues just continued to get worse year after year.  Somehow I came to understand that  I didn't need chips, ice cream and chocolate to survive.  Rather than making food the most important thing in my life I kicked in down a few levels. Being here to enjoy my family and friends became my top priority.  I finalized realized: It's just food.

Shirley

Thinking Outside the Box!

Have you noticed that we tend to follow a pattern in the way we live our lives.  But where did that pattern come from?  We raise our children the way our parents raised us, we eat the same foods that we were taught to cook, and sometimes we even work in the same jobs just like our parents and grandparents.

So is it no wonder that we carry the same problems generation to generation.  Those wonderful recipes passed down  through the years tend to yield the same health problems for each generation. Some things are heredity but some are just us doing the same thing over and over again.

Why not try  thinking outside of the box and  look at changing how and why we do things. We might need to bake sometimes rather than fry.  Maybe we need to look outside of the "food pyramid" for our healthy eating choices. What might have been a healthy choice twenty or thirty years ago may be the wrong choice today.  Dare to be different and start a new trend for the next generation. Throw out that old way of thinking and embrace "thinking outside of the box".

Shirley

What's Really Making Us Fat?

There are many causes of overweight and obesity but eating too much and exercising too little (aka energy imbalance) seem to be the only reasons that people focus on.  As a matter of fact, if you read the page I've just linked you to, energy balance appears to the main cause while everything else is "other". 

For little over a year now, I have been focusing more and more on the "other" causes of overweight and obesity.  I have been growing especially concerned about the chemical additives that are in foods.  This has been mostly because of my personal experiences with weight loss combined with information I picked up in school.  However, this week I was going through my copy of the January issue of Prevention magazine and I stumbled upon an article that seems to validate my concerns. 

The printed version of the article is titled, "What's Making Us Fat?" and it talks about a study done on the effects of obesogens.  Obesogens affect us by 1) increasing the number of fat cells in the body or storage capacity of fat cells; 2) changing our metabolism; and 3) affecting the way our body regulates hunger and fullness (Henig 2014).  Get this: exposure to obesogens will affect future generations.  Example--you could be exposed to an obesogen but the effect will be felt by your children and grandchildren.  Whoa.  Please, read the article to get more information on obesogens-what they are, where they are, and who's at the highest risk. 

Let me just say, I do not think that this absolves us of our responsibility to eat better and to exercise.  In fact, I think eating better (by better I mean real food) could possibly help the body cleanse itself of the toxins we're exposed to.  And, I've been clear that I believe in exercise. I just think if you're trying to lose weight then it's important to recognize everything that has contributed to your weight gain or is making it that much more difficult to lose weight. 

Antoinette


Reference:
Henig, Robin M.  (2014 January).  What is making America so fat?  Prevention. 

Is Time Really the Issue?

 

The number one reason people give for not exercising is, “I don’t have time” (Springen 2014).  This fact is probably the motivation behind several workout programs that are geared toward that belief.  For example Shaun T’s Focus T25® and 10 Minute Trainer by Beachbody®.  Even the CDC advises that 30 minutes of daily recommended exercise can be done “10 minutes at a time” (CDC 2014). 

I wonder though, is time really the issue?  I say that because this is what I know about people:  people make time to do the things they want to do.  If that’s true, then the real issue is that people don’t want to exercise.  And if that is true, then the next question is, “Why?”

Ok, ok.  I know I’m making some really broad, general statements but it is based on what I have observed of my family; friends; former co-workers; and acquaintances.  They always seem to have time to watch TV, read a book, or go to the mall, etc.  And of course, they find time for anything involving their children or meeting the needs of family members.  But let’s get back to exercise. 

Everyone says, “I need to work out” but very few people ever say, “I want to work out”.  If desire is the real issue, then how do we address it? 

Easy (or maybe easier said than done), find something you actually want to do!  There’s so much to choose from: walking, tennis, rollerblading, roller-skating, volleyball, hula hooping, dancing.  Try one, try them all! But most importantly, do something.  Exercise is so important to our health, we can't afford not to.

Anyone who know me knows I love line dancing.  I love it so much that I travel to line dance workshops and I’m constantly on YouTube looking up dances.  I even created a workout, HustleFit™, that is based on how I like to learn and practice line dances.  I invite you to try it out at www.dancepartythrive.com.   Oh, and don’t feel like you have to stick with any one thing.  I’m going to try a kickboxing class with my sister later this month.  Who knows, I might find something new that I enjoy.  Hmm---can I cross line dancing with kickboxing?  LOL-- even if I could, who would do it? 

 

Antoinette

Choices, Choices, O MY!!!

Everything we do in life involves making a choice. From what car to get, where to live, what to wear or what to cook for dinner, a choice must be made. The choices we make every day have a profound effect on us as well as the people in our lives.  So, let me ask this, how much thought do you put into making choices that will change how you feel and live?   I am sure that it is was  not any one's choice to gain weight and to then become burdened with  health issues.  However, it is your choice whether or not to address these issues or to let them ride.

It came to me one day that I had made a choice and I didn't like it very much.   The choice was to ignore the fact that I felt bad and was tired all the time.  I choose to  listen to  "you are just getting old" as a answer to all my health problems. ( yes that answer was for the weight gain as well) One day I made a choice to become serious about living a healthier life.  I chose to be an active participant  in making my life better and healthier. What choices are you ready to make to live a healthier lifestyle???  Choices, Choices O MY!!! 

Shirley

What is your Aah Ha Moment???

Making changes is not an easy task.  But what is even harder is breaking old habits and starting new ones. Our head might know what we need to do but our body is not playing along.  We fall into bad habits that somehow become the norm and we don’t understand why we need to change.  For years I blamed my weight gain on having my children and that somehow made it OK to be overweight.  Well, when they became adults I had to find another reason for the weight gain.  So let’s see, college bills, my job, family issues, health issues, and the list could go on and on.   In other words there was always a good reason for the weight gain and that made it OK.

Have you noticed that instead of changing we adapt. For example, when I would go out to eat, I couldn't fit comfortably in a booth or on a stool, so I always sat at a table with room for me to maneuver. When I would fly I would try to sit next to my kids because they wouldn't care if I was sharing their seat. And guess what, I always had to request a seat belt extension from the flight attendant. I would always be the last person down the steps because I was walking slow and breathing hard and trying not to hold everyone up.  I did this for years, so you see rather than change I adapted.

My aah ha moment came one day  when I was at work talking to two of my co-workers who were 7 or 8 months pregnant. Imagine my surprise when  I realized that my stomach was as big as theirs and no I was not pregnant. That was when I decided to stop adapting to my weight gain and make changes to lose it. Even though change is hard, it gets easier as you work at it one day at a time. When you reach your Aah Ha moment  be ready to embrace the  changes that will make your life better.   

Shirley

Are You Planning to Have Fun This Weekend?

 

After a week at work, I know there are some things that we need to catch up on over the weekend.  For instance, housecleaning, yard work, grocery shopping, laundry, etc.    But I still think we can find a few minutes to do something enjoyable for ourselves.  Curl up with a good book; take a day trip; or give yourself a home spa treatment. 

Fun is subjective; what might be fun for me might not be fun for you.  Also, there might be some chores that you enjoy doing.  For example, I’m going to spend some time over the weekend working on a Hustle Fit™ workout.  It is work but it’s also something I really love to do. 

What other fun stuff do I have planned?  Well, I’m going to start reading “A Discoveryof Witches” by Deborah Harkness.   I read a lot of non-fiction so I like to treat myself to fiction every once in a while. 

I’m also going to practice applying dramatic eye makeup.  I really liked JLo’s dramatic eye look on this week on American Idol.  I don’t want to duplicate her look per se, but I want to see if I can pull it off.  It gives me a great reason to dust off my Mary Kay consultant caseJ. 

 

Do you see what I mean?  I’m not doing anything adventurous or even spending a lot of money or time but I am doing some things that relax me and take my mind of off my stress. 

So, what fun things are you planning to do this weekend? 

 
Antoinette

What is fun for You??

Do you remember the fun things you did as a child? When you went outside to play what did you do?  Did you jump rope, hula hoop, roller skate, play dodge ball, stick ball or just ride your bike? Can you remember the joy you had in doing these things?  Isn't it amazing that while you were doing any number of these things you were also keeping your body healthy and fit.  You played hard, slept hard and woke up the next morning refreshed and ready for whatever the day held.

Why then as adults  have we forgotten how to have fun. We have taken the joy out of healthy living by doing what we think will gain us the best results. We do a number of things that we may dislike such as, jogging, running on the tread mill, lifting weights, or exercising 2 - 4 hours a day. If these things are your idea of fun then I say enjoy.  But if not, find something that is fun for you.. Because if you don't like whatever form of exercise you select, you will not stick to it.  Several years ago I was introduced to line dancing.  I found that I loved it. It is fun,  the  music is great (takes me back to younger days) and I get a great workout doing something that I enjoy. So when you are planning your healthy life changes put something in your plan that you love and will be fun for you.  Doing something fun will go a long way to ensuring that you meet your goals and keep them. Think FUN!!!

Shirley

I Want to Be Fit and Fabulous!

Although extra body fat has been shown to contribute to the development of some illnesses and diseases, being thin is not a guarantee that you will never develop those same illnesses and diseases.  So I have tried over the years to focus on health rather weight.  Easier said than done; after over 12 years, I’m about 2/3 of the way there. 

Looking at health from a holistic view rather than a strictly biological view has helped me.  Yes, biological health is important.  Blood pressure, cholesterol levels, physical fitness, blood sugar levels, weight, etc.—those are all very important.  However what is also important is how we feel about ourselves; how we manage stress; and how we take care of ourselves. 

I’ve decided I want to be more than healthy, I want to be Fit and Fabulous!  I want to have more energy and I want to be free of sickness, but I also want to be mentally and spiritually healthy.  And, I want the same quality of life I have now or better.  It's a lot to ask for but the better I am, the better the world is.  That sounds arrogant but imagine if everyone felt that way.  The world would be an awesome place. 

I can’t change the world, but I can change myself.  So I put together a list of things I needed to focus on to be Fit and Fabulous.  This list is by no means complete, but it’s where I needed to start.  I’m still working to make a few of the items a daily habit but I know I’m not a failure; I’m going to keep trying until I do J .  Click here to download it.  Read it and let me know what you think! 

 Antoinette

Living in the NOW!

When you woke up this morning did you think about all the possibilities that lay before you. Did you think "today is the first day of the rest of my life"?  Maybe you just started to worry about all the things you did not get done yesterday.  Maybe you started that to do list for tomorrow and the rest of the week and wondered how you would get it all done. Living a healthier life involves more than getting your body in shape.  It also involves the right mind set, free from as much stress as possible.

Sometimes we forget that illnesses such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol often stem from living stressful lives.  Every commercial or ad tells us how we should look head to toe. How your hair, face, and body should look and how to achieve those goals. We hear this so often that we totally forget about feeding the mind and soul. Where is the ad about living in the now and enjoying it? Where is the ad about taking life one day at a time?  I am sure they are out there buried deep beneath the surface of how to  look good and  how to keep your body in shape. 

I suggest that when you wake up tomorrow you think "today is the first day of the rest of my life". With this as your mantra your possibilities are endless. Leave yesterday behind and focus on the positive for today.  We need to feed our mind, body and soul in order to be healthy.  So start living in the now and make today a positive statement for feeling good. 

Shirley