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

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

Relieving The Stress of Weight Loss

Weight loss has been a part of my life for the last 25 years. I have to say that I have tried almost every diet plan there is (I know I missed a few, but who is counting?).  Although the plans changed the one thing that remained the same was the level of stress attached to each one. First there's the husband or boyfriend who only remembers what you looked like when you met  in high school or college.  Then there are family and friends who only remember what you looked like prior to having children.  Then there is society who states that everyone should be a size 0 in order to have a fulfilling life. And last but not least, is your doctor who at the end of every appointment states: your numbers are good but you need to lose weight.

When you let people know that you are losing weight, then everything you eat  becomes suspect. If you are eating anything other than salad you are questioned: why are you having that cake or candy or ice cream ?  So you stay stressed out all the time.  Trying to get back to the high school or college size (for the husband or boyfriend); trying to get rid of the baby fat (for family and friends) and lastly trying to keep your doctor happy at your yearly appointment. So the end result is that you are so stressed and worried about the expectations of others that you don’t lose weight, but in fact gain more.

What I finally realized was that: my loss weight is all about me. No one else has a say  in when or how I go about it.  Once I cut out everyone's opinion and thoughts on what I should be doing or eating my stress level dropped to zero. I figured out why I wanted to lose weight, how I wanted to do it and found a plan that worked for me.   Now since I only have me to answer to, I am confident that I will continue to meet my weight loss goals and be happy achieving them.

Shirley