How do you lay a foundation for a healthy life?

Over the years, I’ve made numerous l attempts to lose weight and what I’ve come to accept is that my success lies within my habits.  If I want to change the direction of my life or reach a particular goal, I need to let go of the habits that are keeping me from reaching my goals and adopt habits that will move me closer to my goals.

Looking at this idea from a health, fitness, and weight loss perspective, when I look back on those attempts to lose weight I realize that I was trying to do too much, change too many habits at once.  Part of the reason for that was that I never fully realized how many habits I would have to change in order to meet one goal.  Let me give you an example. 

I would decide to eat healthier.  Seems simple enough, right?  On the surface, it appears that eating healthier is just one habit.  But eating healthier involved the following:

·         Eating different foods                                                                                              

·         Shopping at a different grocery store than the one I was used to

·         Changing the amount of food I ate

·         Counting calories

·         Removing specific foods from my diet

See what I mean?  Adopting one “simple” habit really meant changing or adopting at least six different habits.  Whew!  That’s a lot to change, a lot of new habits to change all at once.  After a while, it’s a lot to keep up with.  I would have some success, but eventually I would fall back to my old habits. 

So that’s got me thinking a lot lately about the habits I need to establish in designing a healthy lifestyle.  I asked myself, “What can I do that will help me lose weight while at the same time support my health? What basic things can I do that serve as a foundation for the healthy life I’m creating for myself? What can I do that will not be a drain on my time or my wallet, will not disrupt my life, and be easy to implement?”  My thought process was that these habits would serve as a foundation and that I can build from there.  I was also thinking that if I went off the rails, I’d have a simple starting to point to go back to. 

So, I know you dying to know---what are they?  I like to think of them as the “five healthy habits I can live with” and I believe they will be instrumental in helping me to design a healthy life that I love and enjoy.  And they are:

·         Drink plenty of water

·         When I’m hungry, eat

·         When I full or not hungry, don’t eat

·          Move more---add more physical activity in the course of daily living

·         Get the sleep I need

I’m going to dig into each of these habits individually in separate posts and explain why and how I settled on them.  In the meantime, I want you to think about them and ask yourself:

·         Am I drinking plenty of water? 

·         Do I have a habit of over eating?

·         Do I purposely skip meals even when I’m hungry?

·         How active am I during the day?  Am I spending more time sitting than moving?

·         Am I getting enough sleep?

Again, I’ll explain in later posts why I believe these habits are a good starting point in designing a healthy lifestyle and how I think they can be very instrumental in helping you to reach your goals, and me as well.   But in the meantime, think on them and let me know your first impressions of them. 

Antoinette

Have you learned from the past?

The New Year is practically here and I’m pretty sure there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of women (men too) counting down the days until the 1^st (or the first Monday after the 1^st) to begin their new fitness and/or eating programs.  I was the same way for years and years and years.

If this is not your first rodeo, and your efforts did not lead you to the success you were anticipating, then let me ask you this:  Is the plan you are about to implement this time around the same as the one before? 

I ask because for years, my plan was always the same:  eat better and exercise 5 days a week.  Eating better usually meant cutting out or cutting back on sweets and/or try some new eating plan.  Exercising could mean going to the gym 5 days a week or using the new exercise program I bought or received for Christmas.  Seems simple enough, right?  That’s what I’d think too so I’d be really confused and disappointed in myself when two months later, my plan was out the window.  And you know what I’d do?  I would try one or two attempts to get back to my plan; give up; spend the rest of the year trying to not to gain too much weight; and start over on January 1^st of the next year.  Does that sound familiar? 

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started asking myself, “Why hasn’t this plan worked?”  The answers to that question (and there were many) helped me to see the internal and external obstacles I was encountering each time I started a new plan (which was really the same plan over and over).  This was not easy and it didn’t happen overnight but I can say finally that I’m finally able design a wellness plan that I can actually follow through on. 

So before the New Year arrives, take some time to think about why the previous plans did not work.  Was it the food, was it your schedule, was the food too expensive, did you dislike the workout program you started, etc?  Keep digging and once you have your answers, compare the plan you’re about to start to the previous plans.  Will you run into any of the same obstacles?  If you will, great!  You’ve discovered it in advance and you can make adjustments now. 

I want to know if this helped you.  Reach out to me on Twitter: @HustleFitOnline, or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dancepartythrive/. 

Thanks and good luck!

Antoinette

Have you found a workout that you love?

Can I tell you something? I absolutely love, love, love to line dance! I started back in July of 2008 and I had no idea at the time that I would love it so much. It has become my major mode of exercise. The really cool thing about line dancing is the social element. There are parties and weekend long events that take place all over the country. And it's amazing to be a part of hundreds, even thousands, of people all dancing in concert with one another.

If you've been having trouble sticking to an exercise program, try line dancing! If you are a member of dancepartythrive.com, I've got some awesome line dance workout videos you can try.  It’s the perfect solution if there are no classes in your area or you want extra practice. If line dancing isn't your thing, try it anyway--you never know, I sure didn’t know I would love it so much!  I don't expect everyone to love it like I do but my point is, try something new.  Stop trying to stick to an exercise program that you haven't been able to stick to in years.  It could be you're having trouble sticking to that workout because you don't like it.  And guess what? That's ok! Go out and explore and keep exploring until you find an activity that you truly enjoy and would do if health, weight loss, and fitness were not a consideration. Good luck!!

Antoinette

P.S. I found a video of myself at the first line dance weekend event I attended, courtesy of I AM Kenny J Productions.  I found it on YouTube, but the song was removed due to licensing issues.  The song playing is The One by Mary J. Blige but more importantly, check out the looks on everyone's faces.  they are so into it!  

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

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

What's My Motivation?

 

 

One of our Twitter followers posted a list called, “10 reasons for weight loss”.  I was so disgusted by that list!  I’m not going to share it because I don’t want to spread I what I consider to be negative ideas about people who are overweight.  But I will say that the list further promotes the stereotypes that our society seems to have about people with extra weight.  They lack confidence, don’t love themselves, and are embarrassed by their personal appearance.  WTH?  Do you have to have extra weight to have any of these issues? Aren’t these issues that anyone can have? 

After I calmed down, I started thinking about my motivations for losing weight.  The real motivations that moved me from trying to lose weight to actually losing weight.  They are:

·         Age

·         Health

·         Quality of Life

How many people do you know who started complaining about various ailments once they turned 40 or 50?  I know quite a few.   I told myself I didn’t want to be one of those people who start falling apart at 40. 

I’ve read too many articles, books, magazines that talk about the link between overweight, obesity and disease--cancers (some), diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and probably a few others. 

As I grow older, I want to enjoy the same quality of life I have now, if not better.  I don’t want to spend my mornings taking ten different medications; I don’t want to travel with an oxygen tank; I don’t want to spend three days a week in dialysis, and I want to maintain as much mobility as possible. 

So those are my reasons, my motivations not just to lose weight but to be healthy.  What are yours?

Antoinette



Slow & Steady wins the Prize

We live in  a time of instant gratification.  The main  question seems to be  how fast can we get what we want? We don’t want to wait or plan,we just want it now. And when we don’t get it “now” this leads to disappointment and frustration.

As you move towards a healthier lifestyle don’t get caught up in the fast and easy.  Don’t get caught up in the hype that in seven days or seven weeks you will be the person you were twenty years ago. The reality is that no one went to sleep and woke up fifty pounds heavier.  It happened slowly over an extended period of time. Just like it took time to gain, it will take time to lose. Save yourself the frustration and disappointment and take it slow and steady.  Just remember the tortoise and the hare: "slow and steady wins the prize every time".

Shirley

Go Hard or Go Home, Baby!

There’s a line dance called, “Go hard or Go Home”.  Where I live, people refer to it as “the Mary J.”  It’s a pretty advanced line dance that was created years ago and it was one of the first advanced dances I ever learned. 

What makes a line dance advanced?  An advanced line dance will have:

·         longer rotations, meaning it will be a long time before it starts over (for you dancers out there, probably more than 64 counts)

·         complex steps

·         and sometimes, but not always, a faster tempo

 

I love advanced dances!  They get my heart going, I love the complexity of the routines, and they usually have great music.  Doing an advanced line dance is like doing a high-intensity workout, so I decided to call our high-intensity dances and workouts, “Go Hard or Go Home”.  Depending on the workout routine, I might sneak a “Go Hard or Go Home” dance into it (like the one I’m going to start in our live class next week J).  But I’ve also put together some “Go Hard or Go Home” workouts and all I can say is, “Whew!”  Get ready!  

 

Antoinette

Sticking to your plan

I mentioned to a co-worker jokingly that : my trainer is trying to kill me, as I was sore from my workout with him from the day before. Her response was: Are you still going to him?  How long has it been now, two years?  She seem surprised and perplexed that I was still seeing him.  It seems that when you start a journey to change your life, for some reason people expect you to make the changes for a little  while  and then go back to doing what you were doing before.  Doesn't that defeat the purpose of making changes in the first place. Due to my weight loss, I am often asked what diet I am on.  My response is always, I am not on a diet, but I have made  changes to how I live my life.  This seems to perplex some people.

Let me explain, a diet implies doing something for a special purpose.  For example, getting into the bathing suit for summer, going to your high school reunion, fitting into the dress for the wedding,  looking good for that cruise, etc.  So once the goal is met, what then?  I suggest that whatever journey you are on that calls for changes to your lifestyle, pick a plan that works for you and one that you plan to maintain. Look at where you want to be, not just three or six months from now, but for the rest of your life.  Yes, I still see my trainer after starting with him years ago.  I like the one on one attention and  the benefits to my health.  I like looking at the long term picture instead of  living in the now. Are you sticking to your plan?

Shirley

Let's Kick It Up a Notch!

There’s a part in almost every workout when the music gets a little faster, a little more intense.  This means you’re moving a little faster, with a little more effort.  You’ve just gone from low intensity to mid- intensity (this happens at the club but you’re probably having too much fun to notice J).  At Hustle Fit, we categorize mid-intensity dances as, “Kick It Up a Notch”.  It just means that you’re warmed up and you’re ready to do more.  We recently conducted a survey and 93.75% of the people who participated said they prefer mid-intensity workouts.  That’s great news because the bulk of our workouts fall into the “Kick it Up a Notch” category.  Here is an example of a mid-intensity dance—we’ll be using this in our upcoming live class.

 

As with any workout, if you’re trying it for the first time or if you don’t exercise regularly, do not overdo it.  Keep it low intensity (take out jumps, keep movements small, drop the arms, etc.) and as your endurance improves, you’ll be able to bring those elements back in.  Or in another words, “Kick It Up a Notch!”

 

Antoinette

What have you done for yourself lately?

As women we take on many roles: daughter, sister, wife, mom, aunt, grandmother and friend to many. We continue to put others first as we nurture them and watch them grow.  

I, like so many others embraced my role as a single mom raising two daughters. I enjoyed watching them become beautiful and proud young women. I tried to be there for them, my siblings and friends when they needed me, lots of times putting my wants and needs on the back burner.

We  make time for everyone but ourselves. There is always an activity, function, or person who needs us and we tend to forget the most important person of all “YOU”. What have you done for yourself lately?  Isn't it funny how we can find the time or money for all of the extra things our children, grandchildren, spouses, siblings or friends need, but nothing for ourselves? Several years ago my daughters gave me a gift certificate to a spa. I have to say it was a wonderful experience.  But, when I realized that it was something I could do for myself on a regular basis it went from a wonderful experience to a great one.  I could plan it out. One thing a week covering several treatments and then start all over again.  As caregivers, we need to learn to take some time  for ourselves in order to maintain a healthy and stress free life.   Start  by blocking out some time every week just for you.  Read a book, see a movie, or just sit quietly sipping your favorite coffee, tea or hot chocolate. The possibilities are endless.  What have you done for yourself lately?

Shirley

Let's Get This Party Started!

I'm going to change gears this week and talk a little about exercise (and anyone who knows me knows that I can't talk about exercise without talking about line dancing, lol).  

Remember your clubbing days?  You didn't jump right in and go all out on the dance floor the minute you got the club, right?  You put a lot of time into getting dressed--picking the right outfit, putting on your makeup, picking the right shoes.  Putting on your favorite body lotions, creams, and perfumes and getting your hair just right.  You didn't want to ruin all that work that by sweating it all out on the dance floor within the first 15 minutes of your arrival.  So you took it easy and you warmed up with a two-step, a turn every now and then, a little booty shake.  If you did anything more complicated than that, you took your time with it.  I would call this part of the night low intensity-you're working but it's manageable and you can probably talk with being too out of breath.  In an exercise class, this would be the warm-up.  At Hustle Fit we call it, "Let's Get This Party Started". 

 

Every workout begins with a Let's Get This Party Started dance however, we also have entire workouts created with just Let's Get This Party Started dances. Let's Get This Party Workouts are a great way to learn basic steps at a good tempo.  I use the above dance, "As Good As I Am" as way to help people learn the "kick and cross".   That's a tricky move for some and learning it slow for the
first time is definitely better than learning it fast and while traveling...
 

I hope this gives you a little insight into Hustle Fit.  I can't wait to see you in class or online (we'll be launching soon!).


Antoinette

Movie Moments That Inpire Me

Inspiration can come from anywhere.  Over the years, there have been a few movie moments that inspired me to start or keep working out. 

Se7en

When the victim who represented gluttony was being autopsied, it occurred to me that one day I’m going to end up naked on someone’s autopsy and/or embalming table.  It seemed right that I should look my best.  I found a picture of that scene, it’s too graphic to include here but do a google image search for “se7en movie gluttony” and you’ll find it. 

Disclosure

Demi Moore looked amazing in this movie.  Her character was sexy and powerful—I was a plump 180lbs.  I thought to myself, “I can do better”. 

G. I. Jane

Demi Moore again!   I was over 200lbs when this movie was released.  She was so physically fit; I didn’t want her body, but I did want MY best body. 

Let me just say, I don’t aspire to have anyone else’s body, just my own but at its best.  I’m not there yet but I’m on my way.  Shirt size XXL in 2010, XL in 2011, L in 2013. 

What movie moments have inspired you to fitness?