How To Plan: Helpful Planning Tips

I thought I'd take the time to share with you today on the topic of planning.  How to develop a detailed plan, how to research the plan  how to plan your steps and how to execute the plan   Yes, today, you will be the great beneficiaries of a lifetime collection of tips and tricks to successful planning  

I shall call this "How to Plan instead of WINGING it, by Carly"

Ready ?  Here are my proven nuggets of planning wisdom, as lived by Carly, in no particular order:


















Any questions?

:-)

~Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

Adore The Core

Okay, so the title today is hokey.  That's how I roll.

Everyone hears the buzz about "core training" and "core strength" and "you gotta work your core." Back in 6th grade during the early years of the President's fitness challenges, we called that "doing sit ups." I was the female sit-up champion for our elementary school in 1976 for what that's worth.

Anyway, when I used to think of "core training" I would automatically visualize "flat abs that I will never have." I would think of "bikinis that I will never wear" and didn't really see the point in worrying about my "core." And then I got schooled.

Core strength includes the abs, but not just the abs. Building up the core includes strengthening the glutes, the abs, the obliques (side muscles) and, even deeper, the muscles that support the spine. A strong core helps you sit, stand, walk, lift, move.....in fact, it helps all your motion every day. Furthermore, it creates a solid foundation for other forms of exercise to use your muscles more efficiently and in better form.

Further-furthermore, as we age a strong core can help with mobility and independence. I like the idea of being mobile and healthy when I am a Golden Girl. (Blanche or Dorothy, I haven't decided.) The time for me to strengthen my core is not when I am 70 years old. It is much more realistic and favorable to strengthen my core now, and work to maintain that into my golden years (you know, many decades from now.)

I have slacked off on doing any core exercises because of a torn rotator cuff (more specifically a torn supra-spinatus) which means I can't put weight on that shoulder. This makes doing core work difficult. But today I am going to research ways around that.

In the meantime, here are just a few good core exercises I was doing regularly (most taught to me by my personal trainer two years ago). We even did these at my last job as part of our hourly exercise break. They don't take long, but they do make a difference in agility, mobility, overall strength and ability to perform many other exercises and activities  I highly recommend you spend a little time every day or every other day working your core. You'll be happy you did.


Plank Exercise

V-Sit Ups

Back Bridge

~Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

By George, I'm In Love!

I am in love....with.....

....my George Foreman Jumbo Size Grill!

I used to own the old-school grill but it was a pain.  The grill plates didn't detach so you had to clean them while attached to the machine.  It was awkward, cumbersome, and depending on how bad your grilling technique, next to impossible to get clean.

Not long ago I saw this model on sale for $29.99.  It doesn't have the bells and whistles of adjustable temperature control and it is small (fits two large chicken breasts at one time, or 4 kebabs) but it's just the right size for me.

I went from being a grilling nightmare, to being a grilling dream overnight!  My new favorite is to buy flash frozen chicken breasts, take two out in the morning, throw them into a ziplog baggie with a marinade (Lighthouse Orange Citrus is my current addiction) and let them marinade and unthaw in the refrigerator during the day.

At night, I just plug in the machine for 8 minutes (they recommend this warm up time), toss the chicken on, close the lid, and a few minutes later (7-8) ... voila! Perfect chicken.  There is no turning them over because both sides cook simultaneously.

Clean up is a breeze, too.  The plates detach and can be washed. Yay!

A few of tips I have discovered:

• If you spray a touch of Pam spray, clean up is easier.
• If you get off the excess marinade, less stuff will stick to the cooking plates.
• If you do have baked on crud, wet some paper towels, put them on the plates, close the lid and let the water steam off the set-in mess.
• Dawn Power Dissolver  is a dream.  Spray a little on, wait a few minutes, wipe off anything burned or baked on. 
• There is no timer, so set one yourself.  Overcooking happens quickly when the food is cooking on both sides at once.
• Don't try to cook from frozen.  The outside overcooks while the inside undercooks.  Always unthaw your meat first.
• If you try cooking meat and grilling veggies at the same time, you may need to remove the meat first while the veggies finish.
• This works GREAT for panini.  Of course, I'm not eating the bread/carbs right now, but my son is and it's perfect for that.
• Most of the fat drips out and down the slope.  Much better than grilling in a pan where the food hangs out in its own fat. :-)

This has been the best investment for my healthy eating plan.  It makes home cooking easy, fun, hassle-free, easy clean up, and FAST cooking.  I use it several times per week.  I use it for turkey burgers, veggie burgers, pork chops, steaks, chicken, salmon....anything you want to grill that is fairly flat (so all of it can be evenly touching the cooking plate.)

I don't get any kind of endorsement (I wish I did!)  I just really think this is a worthy investment in your healthy eating regime.  I may come back on another day and add some interesting recipes and marinade ideas.

Bon Appetit!

Carly

"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

The Beautiful Ones

How many times have I looked at people from a distance and thought (and judged) them to be one of the "pretty ones," the "lucky ones," the "beautiful people."

I have sometimes been a little angry or even jealous.  Why were these people just given the keys to the kingdom since birth?  You know...the "beautiful" people - they get doors opened for them (literally and figuratively.)  They are given more opportunities.  They are more easily believed and people are more likely to strike up conversations with a pleasant face and confident demeanor.

In fact, I spent a good bit of my life, since high school, thinking that there was a kind of "chosen" group of the beautiful people who had it all (the money, the good marriage, the great jobs and opportunities, the good house, everything coming pretty easily to them) while the rest of us struggle and fight for everything we have.

My outlook has matured (or is maturing) and I am gaining a deeper, more balanced world view these days.

In the most recent years, in part because I have worked to lose weight and become more fit, and in part because I have embraced who I am and am a lot less apologetic for being me, I have had a few people refer to me as "beautiful."  Some referred to the insides, some referred to the outsides, and in any case, my first instinct was to reject the notion.  I am not one of the "chosen" ones, right?

It got me wondering about what they see. It got me wondering about how someone who is struggling right now with weight, who didn't know my story, would perceive me the first time they met me.  Would they think I had an easy (or easier) life than they did? That I wouldn't get it? That I had a great job, great home, great family, because I looked "put together" and confident?

We see things on the surface and make a whole lot of assumptions.  Or at least I do.

No one who meets me when I go out my door today will see the issues I had with my teeth, the way I didn't bother with makeup for years (and didn't really know how to apply it very well.)  They won't see the 320 pound girl with no self esteem who wore sweat pants every day because nothing else fit right and anyway, why bother?  I didn't do my nails, I didn't care about my appearance, I didn't know what foods were healthy (I really didn't); I didn't know about baby steps.  I had two wretched marriages which ended very dramatically and badly, and I suffered major clinical depression. I didn't leave my house unless I absolutely had to for months at a time. My teeth were a wreck and I chain smoked while eating to numb myself from the pain of living.

But if we meet today, I will smile brightly through the lip gloss, and radiate my new-found happiness despite all that has happened.  I will toss my hair (that is neatly combed and styled) and flash my whitened teeth. I will be carrying my Coach bag and have an energetic zip in my step.

And I will blog to tell people they can be anything they decide to be in this life....their choice....one next right choice at a time they can turn it all around. And not knowing anything about me, but stumbling onto the site, they may think, yeah, easy for you to say....you're one of the "chosen" or the "beautiful" people.

They may not want to know all the steps it took to get to this place, how much hard work, self examination, shedding of beliefs, and false starts.  Instead they may want to think success is easy for a chosen few, while they sit on the butts and do nothing to improve their situation.

I think it will be part of my mission to explain...we are ALL the beautiful people and the chosen ones.  We just need to get up and walk into it.

:-)

Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

Walking The Talk

This morning I got up at the crack of dawn with one mission in mind - WALK THE TALK.

Since I started this journey, I have written a lot about fitness, exercise, getting moving, hopping on the treadmill...and I know I have motivated some of you because you have written me (thank you!) and told me. That is awesome! Meanwhile, despite my very diligent "clean" eating and my 100% commitment, I have been a slacker about getting off my butt the past couple of weeks and exercising. Twice a week for a half an hour isn't going to get me where I want to be. I don't even reap the cardiovascular benefits if I don't do it at least 3 times per week, according to every official medical recommendation I have ever seen.

Besides, I am a much happier, much more capable person when I am working out. There is something powerful that is triggered when I work out (particularly, for me, in the morning) that creates a sense of wellness, competency, calmness and pure joy in me. Medical researchers know all about the endorphins that are released - but for today, I just want to identify that working out FEELS good. It makes me FEEL capable of handling what comes at me during the day. It makes me FEEL more balanced and less out of control.

This morning I did a Kenpo workout (modified because of a torn supraspinatus muscle in my shoulder.) It is a lot of kicking and moving and it's one of my favorite workouts of all time. AND IT FEELS GOOD!

I can tell myself to work out because it is healthy.

I can tell myself to work out because it will get my heart working better.

I can tell myself to work out because I will lose more weight, faster.

I can tell myself to work out because it sets a good example for my son.

I can tell myself to work out because ...... whatever.

"Telling" myself to exercise means that the only exercise I am actually doing are my "diddly squats."

 I need to remember how good it feels, regardless of any of the things above, and do it because I like to do it. And I really, truly do! The afterglow lasts all day and it does something to my innards that only exercising can do.

Thinking about, analyzing, preparing for, talking about and blogging about exercise is all well and good, but has absolutely no effect. Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. Why? Because it feels good. Pep talk to self over....now to hit the shower and glow all day! Yay!

Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

Got Calcium?

Many people do not get enough calcium each day.  

Are you one of them? 

And why does it matter?

Who Is Not Getting Enough Calcium?

The following groups are not getting enough calcium, according to the National Institutes of Health:

• Boys aged 9 to 13 years
• Girls aged 9 to 18 years
• Women older than 50 years
• Men older than 70 years

Two categories of women face particular challenges:

• Post-menopausal women suffer rapid bone loss and do not absorb calcium as well as younger women
• Women who eat too little or exercise too much do not absorb calcium as well and to make matters worse, lose much of the calcium they do get in their urine.   

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

NIH CALCIUM RECOMMENDATIONS

Children 1 to 3 years	Children 4 to 8 years	Youth 9 to 18 years	Adult 19 to 50 years	Adult 51+ years
500 mg	800 mg	1300 mg	1000 mg	1200 mg

Why Is Calcium Important?

Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth, for cardiovascular health, to help our muscles move, and for our nerves to carry messages from our brains to every single body part. Insufficient calcium does not produce obvious symptoms right away because the body will take the calcium it needs from the bone to maintain proper levels.

Over time, intakes of calcium below recommended levels do have health consequences, such as increasing the risks of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Symptoms of serious calcium deficiency can include numbness and tingling in the fingers, convulsions, and abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to death if not corrected.

How Do I Get More Calcium?

There are many food sources with high calcium content, but they are not all diet-friendly. Quiche, eggnog and ice cream are loaded with calcium, but they are also high in fat and calories and won't help with weight loss.  Fortunately, there are many lower calorie alternatives.

Low fat or nonfat dairy such as milk or yogurt are good sources. Salmon and almonds are also calcium rich and have many other health benefits.

Additional sources include:

Spinach
Kale
Okra
Collards
Soy beans
White beans
Some fish, like sardines, salmon, perch, and rainbow trout
Foods that are calcium fortified, such as some orange juice, oatmeal, and breakfast cereal

I just found a kale smoothie recipe that looks very good. If I try it an like it I'll let you know. I have a real hard time choking down kale, regardless of its amazing health benefits.

There are also calcium supplements in most health food stores, pharmacies and grocery stores and antacids such as Tums are calcium-rich.

Where Can I Get More Information?

Click Here:  Google Is Our Friend. :-)


Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."


Serrano, E. (May 1, 2009). Calcium: Build Strong Bones. In 348-019. Retrieved February 3, 2013, from http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-019/348-019.html.

Author Unknown. (August 1, 2012). Calcium Quick Facts. In Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet:Calcium. Retrieved February 3, 2013, from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-QuickFacts/.

The Whack-A-Mole Game

Finding balance for healthy eating is a constant whack-a-mole game.

• We need to eat carbs, but not too much, and not the wrong kind. 
• We need to have the right amount of protein.
• We need to drink water every day.  Not too much, not too little.
• Fiber.  Oh, how we need fiber. Soluble, insoluble.  Which is which? Which did I just eat?
• Fat fat fat.  Good fat.  Not trans fat.  Not saturated fat.  Not hydrogenated stuff.  Olive oil, coconut oil, flax - we need those omegas and essential oils.  But just a dab'll do ya. Polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated. Plain ole unsaturated. But fat is a lot of calories, so to make a daily calorie limit, something else is going to have to go.  We can't skip those essential oils.
• We need to have our "percent daily values" of calcium every day.
• It's all a juggling act getting enough of what we need without going over.

Tracking on My Fitness Pal has been so helpful in this regard.  For starters, I added calcium to the list of nutrients that it tracks, because it really is so critical for me. I had the baby factory removed in 2001, so I'm technically post-menopausal and in dire need of calcium.

As you can see below, this week I had some days that fell pretty short in the calcium department:

Add in calcium on some of those days and I might go even further over in protein.  It's a juggling act, for sure.

I have done some research on ways to increase my calcium and will share that in another blog post.  There are many other options besides milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products.  Of course they are loaded with calcium and I do like them.  But sometimes they don't fit my plan.

The more practice we get with planning variety, and the more educated we become about what ingredients and nutrients are in our food, the better control we have over the balance.  And once we get the food running on auto pilot, have no fear, something else, like exercise, will pop up in need of our attention in this great whack-a-mole game of life.

:-)

Carly
"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

Keep Moving

“Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” ~Will Rogers

So you've researched all the best exercises to work those thighs, tighten those abs, get rid of the flabby batwings under your arms and get those buns of steel. You either bought a treadmill, or joined a gym, or printed out copies of exercises to do at home, or maybe you bought P90X or Turbo Fire or some other DVD program. Awesome.

You've gotten rid of all the junk food in the house - it's now a candy-donut-Twinkie-ice cream-free zone. And you've added in tons of new healthier choices like whole grains, fresh fruits, veggies-a-plenty and lean meats and dairy. Way cool.

You've created an account on My Fitness Pal or Weight Watchers online or got yourself a fancy new journal and are tracking every single bite of food that goes into your mouth. Every bite accounted for and logged. You, my friend, rock.

You bought workout clothes and a shiny new water bottle - prepared to sweat and re-hydrate as needed. All is well in your healthy, new world. You start the process, and you start seeing results. Before you know it, you are feeling so good, you are victorious!

If you are like me, you may have played out this drama a time or three in your life and had success. Maybe you reached your weight loss goals or lost significant weight and were feeling so much better. And then, without realizing it, worked your way back up the scale to where you were before, or higher. That has been the story of my teens, the story of my twenties, the story of my thirties and hopefully it won't be the story of my forties.

To me, you have to keep moving. You can't rest on your prior knowledge, on your past accomplishments, heck, you just can't REST period. This is a lifelong process where in order to win the war you need to win the daily battles of motivation, focus and discipline.

You can be on the right track, get just so far in the process, and then get completely derailed or run over by the old patterns, habits and lifestyle.

My pep talk today is for me and it is twofold. I think, for me, it will be the key to staying on track and moving forward, and hopefully the key to my success:

1. Write down my health goal every day in the form of an affirmation "I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life." (I may sign off every blog post with this, come to think of it!)
2. Keep moving. Every day. Find a way to incorporate physical activity every day. Tennis, biking, swimming, walking, jogging, treadmill, hiking, caving, obstacle courses, in-home DVD, yoga, spin class, Zumba, heck, if all else fails...jumping jacks, crunches, pushups, planking, lunges and squats in the house while watching Big Bang Theory....get my drift?

Stay on track, my friends. Your life is like a Choo Choo Train, and you get to determine the size of your caboose.

Carly

"I am fit, active, healthy, and enjoying life."

Tried And True (Doing What Works)

In January of 2011, when I started on this journey, I wrote a blog post called "Fail Proof Your Goals."  I identified at that time things that could keep me from reaching my fitness goals and tried to address them in advance.

I have learned over the course of the past two years (the first year being highly successful and the second not so much) some "tried and true" things that work for me.

• Eating simple, natural and whole foods. Processed foods and breads make me crave more of the same but if I avoid them, I don't miss them. It's a no brainer - I feel better when I avoid them.
• Eating lots of veggies. No matter what the day looks like, I need to remember to add more veggies. If I eat more veggies (and a little more protein, but less carbs) I lose weight more consistently. Period.
• Eating less per meal, but more frequent meals. I stay satisfied, never hungry, and it cranks up the metabolism.
• Not eating after 8:00 p.m. Ever.
• Drinking water. Why can't I remember to do this? What is my resistance? Ugh...I feel better and look better when I get enough water. Duh.
• Working out in the mornings. If I get up, work out, then blog - I start my day energized, happy, feeling amazing, and very mindful of every bite that goes in my mouth (who wants to work that hard and then blow it on a handful of chips?)
• WORKING OUT WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER. 

That last one is a biggie. The first six months of my journey in 2011 was, by far, the most measurable success I had. My personal trainer came to my house 3 mornings a week before work. It was effective, I worked for a solid hour, I couldn't back out because she came to me, and it took all the decision making out of my hands. I just had to wake up, get dressed, and do as I was told. Perfect for me because my brain needs to be in a million other places rather than worrying about how many reps of blah blah I should do or how many I did last time. 

I need a personal trainer. Koko Fit Club looks interesting to me because they have built-in training. Each day you are told what to do based on your goals. I may look into that, but I don't want to join a fitness center when I have one right here in my community. I would love it if I could find a personal trainer to meet me here early in the morning. I have gotten some referrals but no one has called back.

Why does a grown adult need someone beside her in order to get off her butt? I have no idea, but if that's what it takes, and I know it works (it is most assuredly tried and true for me) then I'd be a fool to not pursue it. 

Carly's Tip Of The Day:

Create a plan that works, and then work the plan!

Carly

The Uncluttered Mind

Some people's brains work in an organized fashion. They see a goal and deconstruct it into the correct steps that should be followed to reach it.. And they do it quickly and without a lot of stress.

Yeah, that's not me.



I have so much going on in my mind all the time that I get bogged down in the quagmire pretty easily. This is true of my thoughts and true of my physical surroundings. If you think my blog posts are all over the map, you should see my house. Ugh.

In order to keep moving forward, I need help. I need an uncluttered space in order to maintain a relatively uncluttered mind. If my space gets messy, I get overwhelmed and demoralized. I truly can't decide where to get started, so I'll spend 4 hours Googling about nothing (or Facebooking) rather than get up and get started. Which of course makes it all worse as another weekend drifts on by without getting the important things done and myself organized and ready to tackle a new week.

This affects working out. It affects planning meals. It affects planning for a cruise in less than two months (and I don't have the passports done because I can't find a birth certificate!) It affects living life to the fullest while I beat myself up for not doing what I am supposed to be doing and punish myself by not going out and having fun all weekend. I'll sit in a panic all weekend thinking about what I SHOULD do, and not do it, and not have fun either. Why? I truly don't know (Hey, I'm not the psychologist, I'm the patient!)

Regardless, what I have figured out in my life is that it's okay to get help when help is needed. There is no shame in gathering resources today to help me be more productive and happier tomorrow.

To wit, (yes, I said "to wit") I have hired a housekeeper to come once per week starting next Saturday. She will come for two hours every Friday which should help motivate me to maximize my weekends rather than waste them. It should help my mental state - walking in the door at the end of the workweek and NOT have to face the weekend with ALL the chores looming overhead. I'm pretty excited.

Of course, being the perfectionist I am, I am going to have to clean my butt off before she gets here. Well, I don't want her to see how bad it can get...she may never want to come back! :-)

My plan is to keep the environment uncluttered and get that support so I can spend the weekends having fun, getting groceries for the week and actually planning meals ahead, and living a more purposeful life. (Crossing off those items on the to-do list).

The results are going to show up in my workout routines, my eating plans, my overall ability to deal with the hectic crazy schedule I have and help my son stay focused and organized also. I think it is going to be money VERY well spent.

For me, an uncluttered space = an uncluttered mind = a much calmer, more balanced Carly.

p.s. I found this out on the Web and thought it very helpful and truly describes one aspect of my personality. You might like the link:

"Another reason clutter collects is indecisiveness or deferred decision making. This is especially true of perfectionists. Think about it: If you’re a perfectionist, you want to do everything just right–or not at all. So if you haven’t got the time to organize your filing cabinet, you put it off and keep putting it off. Judith Kolberg, Director of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, says, “Often, our best intentions are left in stacks.”
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/why-clutter-happens.html#ixzz2JSHUEVAp

This Is Life

Try to be happy in this moment, 

because this moment IS your life.  ~Carly

Not long ago I was sharing with a friend about my troubles and woes.  Raising a young adolescent alone in a new state with no local support and navigating new dynamics as he tries to yank his independence rather than gently walk into it....can be frustrating.  There have been epic arguments as he jockeys for position, and defiance as he seeks to make his own decisions. I wondered if we were a train wreck and I was botching this whole process - and said I couldn't wait for things to get normal again.

The response hit me profoundly.

"The issues with [your son] are just that...issues. You have a teen boy...welcome to real parenthood. Over time it will pass as it does for everyone. It is not a hiccup in your life...it is life, and you are doing just fine."

I keep coming back to that pithy statement and can apply it in so many ways. Where are you right now? Are you morbidly obese and staying home because you don't want to go out, be seen, interact, and expose your vulnerabilities to the world?

Are you in a bad marriage and not talking with family or friends while you sort things out by yourself and try to get "back to normal"?

Are you putting off that vacation this year because you have gained so much weight you don't think you deserve it, so you will do it next year after you lose weight?

Are you avoiding the class reunion because you don't like where you are right now?

Stop beating yourself up and stop letting life pass by.  There is no do-over button.  There is no revisiting time.  Once it's gone, it's gone, and you don't get one minute back to enjoy.

What if right now, where you are - is as good as it gets?  THIS IS YOUR LIFE.  You are doing the best you can right now, today, this minute, this second.  In another moment, you get to choose to do something differently, if that is what you want to do.  You can choose a healthier lunch.  You can choose to walk 5 minutes.  You can choose to daydream and think about where you'd like to be next year and how you might get there.

What you really shouldn't do is berate yourself in this moment because you are waiting to "be better" or to "do better."  This is your life.  If you don't like it, make one small change, but my goodness, LIVE IT.  Hug people.  Call people.  Get in the game.  Work on those goals.  BE PRESENT.

As my friend said, your issues are just that....issues.  This is not a hiccup in your life -It is life, and you are doing just fine.  Let that be your starting point today - as you launch into some little "next right choice" that gets you one step closer to shaping the life you want...while you enjoy the life you have.

Carly

A Family Affair

My son turned 13 last month and is already over  five feet eleven inches tall.  He has worn size 34 mens pants for the past 3 years and at one point wore my dad's size 36 and they didn't fall off of him. Over the course of the past year I have watched his kind of loose "baby fat" really morph into the makings of a tall, lean, adolescent machine.  He's thinning out and getting so much stronger.

He loves the thought of becoming more athletic. (For years he couldn't run due to exercise-induced asthma) and he also lacked the motivation to really stay active.  The past couple of years, as I have become so much more active I have also watched him really step up and become much more physically active.

He'd much rather be outside BMXing, skateboarding, running, doing Parkour (he is good at it), or having airsoft battles with the neighborhood kids than anything he could do inside.  He also has decided he likes the way his muscles are starting to take shape and he wants to actively participate in his fitness goals.  KEWL!

I took him to the fitness center yesterday where we both did treadmill time for 30 minutes, then I showed him the art of crunches including reverse crunch, bicycle crunch, circle obliques and regular 'ole crunches. At his age and while he is still cranking out surges of hormones, I don't think it's a great idea to do much in the way of weight training.  But using his own body as the resistance, there's a ton he can do, and that we can do together.

I am going to work out a schedule and include:

• push ups (3 different positions - hands in front of the face, hands on the outside of the body, and close to the chest to build muscles safely and work out different parts of the arms and chest)

• planking (to strengthen the core)

• pull ups (I can't try these yet due to a torn supraspinatus and tendonitis in the shoulder)

• squats

• lunges

• burpees

• calf lifts

• leg lifts

• treadmill

• elliptical

• recumbent bike

• stretching

• mountain biking (there are many greenways in Knoxville, fortunately)

(If you know of other good exercises or activities suitable for a 13 year old warrior, please feel free to put them in the comments below.)

I think doing this together with him is going to do so many good things. It will help motivate and push both of us, build in some good quality talk time, and build a strong common foundation which can be hard to establish between a mom and son during this really challenging stage of life. It can only be good for his self-esteem, too, to make a plan and work towards it and then feel and see the results of his own efforts.

And of course, this could get me a nomination into the mother of the year 2013 race. hahahah I kid. But speaking of races, he told me last night he wants to register for both the Warrior Dash and the Susan B. Komen 5K race with me this year. AWESOME! Looks like we have some goals and path to get there.

This whole fitness/health/wellness/diet/exercise thing is becoming a family affair. And I like it!

Carly

(Here is a link to some crazy parkour if you are curious. He can do a few of these moves but I sure don't want him doing them all! Yikes!)  Parkour sampling on YouTube

How To Stay In The Game

Unless you are Forrest Gump, you are not likely going to get up one day, start running, and keep running, and running, and running --- alone and without any support to keep you motivated --- for weeks, months or years at a time.

No, most of us need some sort of support system to help keep us in the game.Sports teams have their coaches, boxers have their trainers in their corner, and some of us are building a system of friends who want us to reach our goals and are willing to gently nudge us in the right direction when they see us veering off course.

My life is like a pinball machine. I am that steel ball up on the table and I bounce all around from one goal to another, from one life activity or crisis to another, collecting points every time I make it through another one, and trying, of course, to avoid falling down the drain. Overall I do a pretty good job, but now and then I forget where I am on the table and I am headed right for a ramp that could lead down the hole.

That's where my flipper friends come in. They smack me back up onto the table and keep me in the game. They may gently tap me up there, or when I'm really headed for disaster they might throw their whole body into the table and tilt it to keep me up there. And I'm generally pretty grateful for it, too! Trusted friends can sometimes see what I cannot and their support can make all the difference.

I highly encourage you to build a team of friends who either share your same fitness goals and you can keep each other motivated and "in the game", or confide in a few close friends who can keep tabs and know you well enough to help you avoid going into the gutter by flipping you back up on the table.

Stay in the game.It's a lot more fun racking up those life points (even when you're hitting all the bumpers!) than it is down that dark lonely hole!

Carly

Vegilicious: 10 Ways To Veg Out

Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.  ~Jim Davis

I believe vegetables are the cornerstone of my healthful lifestyle.

I know there are countless doctors who emphasize the importance of eating your veggies.  Moms throughout history have known, and stressed, the importance of eating your veggies.  Diet books, magazines, blogs, and fitness sites all stress the importance of eating your vegetables. It's all so clinical and proven.

My take, however, is strictly from personal experience.

If I eat healthy foods (fruits, meats, complex carbs) but I omit my veggies for a couple of days, my body does not feel like it should.  My energy is lower, my mental sharpness decreases, the speed at which my body processes it's output (yeah, I went there) slows way down and gets all sludgy, and I get physically and emotionally fatigued much easier.

I NEED MY VEGGIES - the dark leafies like spinach - or other greens like broccoli, brussells sprouts, or green beans. (We should also have a variety of colors and textures to balance the nutrients.) This is especially true when I have big tasks to undertake like business trips, courses I am taking, or when I anticipate an overloaded or hectic schedule.  The vegetables help keep me moving, focused and energized. Omit them, and I am less able to tackle the challenges at hand.  I don't need a doctor to tell me that.  I just need to listen to my body and watch the results.

There are so many ways to get the vegetables in, even if you are not particularly fond of them.  I wasn't a couple of years ago ("my goodness, who wants to do all that prepping and chewing," I used to think.)  Here are some ways I used to, or continue to, get those vegetables in every day:

1. Many pumpkin recipes don't overload the calories but still offer the benefits. Pumpkin Fluff  is one example that tastes like pumpkin pie without the guilt.
2. Shred carrots or zucchini and add them to your beef or turkey meatloaf.  Kids don't even know they are in there and you won't really notice, either.



Hide spinach in a smoothie

3. Toss a cup of spinach into your fruit smoothie.  If you have a magic bullet or oster or other good blender, it will liquify and you'll never even taste it.
4. Buy pre-cut carrot sticks and celery and put them in  baggies to take to work.  Yeah, they cost more, but if I don't get them pre-cut they will probably sit in my fridge until it's time to toss them out, so pre-cut is economical for me, and I will actually eat them.
5. Speaking of celery, try PB2.  Instead of regular peanut butter to dip them into, It is only 45 calories for 2 tablespoons and it can be used in smoothies, with protein shakes, in recipes, etc. and a little peanut butter flavor sure makes the celery go down easier! (It's also great with apples.)



 PB2 on celery

6. Zucchini Boats or Stuffed Peppers.  I hollow them out and fill them with a mixture of sauteed onions, mushrooms, zucchini, shredded carrots, veggie crumbles (or ground turkey or beef, but this post is about the veggies) and a tomato base - diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.  Sprinkle them with a little parmesan and bake until the boat or pepper is soft.  Super tasty!
7. Instead of pasta, use Spaghetti SQUASH as the bottom base.  You can just cut the squash in half the short way (not lengthwise) and pop them in the microwave or stand them side by side in a pot of  boiling water for 15 minutes. You can also bake them for extra nuttyish flavor. Once cooked, scrape the insides of the squash out with a fork and it fluffs up like spaghetti.  My son loves this!  And of course, veggie-up the sauce!



Replace pasta w/squash

8. Roast your Roots!  Root veggies like carrots, parsnips, squash or potatoes are extra tasty when tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a 375 degree oven for about a half an hour.  Experiment with spices, too, like garlic, parsley, rosemary etc. to boost the antioxidant levels in your meal.
9. Stir Fry.  Most grocery stores have a pre-cut section with stir fry vegetables.  You can cheat and do it that way (I often do), or just chop up yellow squash, peppers of any color, asparagus or broccoli or cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, grape tomatoes...really anything you have on hand!  Put it in a container with a lid and add a jar of stir-fry sauce.  I prefer Kikomen LITE terriyaki sauce as it's less sodium and less calories.  Throw the veggies and stir-fry meat in one tub in the morning.  That night, dump it all in a wok or big pan and cook it over medium heat until the meat is totally cooked through.  So easy and so tasty!
10. Substitute mashed potatoes with Mashed Cauliflower.  Cook the cauliflower then mash with any combination of milk, half and half, butter, cream cheese, sour cream - plus salt and pepper and a little garlic.  I use the handheld Braun blender for the creamiest texture.  They are so good and no one misses the starch in the meal.  I didn't even tell my son it was cauliflower until after his second helping!

Bon Appetit!

Carly

Eating To Your Max

I had an epiphany last night.  I am currently back in "diet" mode as opposed to "lifestyle change" mentality.

I know this because last night at 8:45 p.m. I entered my dinner calories into My Fitness Pal and the tracker showed I had 298 calories remaining for the day.  I instantly went on a quest to figure out what I could consume for those calories. This was like a late night Christmas present!  Leftover Calories!  WOOHOO!

A 4 oz. glass of Bailey's Irish Creme on ice is 388 calories, which would put me over by 90 calories. BOO!

But wait!!!!  Even though I didn't officially "exercise", I did walk briskly to and from the parking lot at work accounting for at least 10 minutes. That calculated out to 102 calories. Once I entered that in the tracker I was back under by 12 calories.  WOOHOO!

Then a friend pointed out it was well past the 8:00 p.m. cutoff I normally adhere to and that maybe it's not cool "needing to fill your calorie count" for the day.  Point well taken.  BOO!

I didn't drink the Baileys, had a glass of water instead, left the 298 calories on the table (so to speak) and woke up this morning incredibly happy with the scale.  WOOHOO!

This "WOOHOO" and "BOO" roller coaster isn't really the nice, slow and steady lifestyle I am seeking.  I don't want to be woohoo'ing and boo'ing my way around the calorie tracker for the rest of my life.  I want to make sensible choices based on the day and not try to cram in every possible "allowable" calorie every day just because they are there.

In a true healthy lifestyle, I think some days you are over a smidgen, many days you are under a bit, and always mindful of maintaining balance without being a freak about it.  I mean, that's what I "think" normal is like anyway.  Anyone "normal" want to chime in here?  ;-)

Carly

I Need A Push!

The first month I began this blogging journey I wrote about how important it was to close loopholes and escape clauses in my fitness plan and create an environment for success:  Fail Proof Your Goals Jan 2011.  Part of that was knowing that if all the exercise was left up to me and me alone, I wouldn't do it.  Plain and simple.

Back then I found a personal trainer who was able to come into my home a couple of days per week at 6:00 a.m. which forced me to get up and get moving.  It was tremendously helpful and it kick-started this journey in a big way.

After 6 months of in-home training I switched to in-gym training at Gold's Gym.  I went through several personal trainers there (they had a high turnover rate) and the girl I ended up with before moving to Tennessee was really good.  She did a lot of plyometrics and P90X type work and even though the scale wasn't moving too much, I was absolutely getting stronger, fitter, and metabolizing much better.

Since then I have struggled to do anything exercise related. I bought Yoga DVD's, Walk Away the Pounds DVD's, and purchased the P90X program (which is fantastic.)  The problem isn't the quality of the workouts.  The problem is that I am not doing them.

I had to sell my treadmill, exercise bike and elliptical machine when I moved.  Getting rid of my in-home gym with all the space I had to work out doing floor work, mat work, and the cardio stuff.....was a big hit to my working out efforts.  There is a fitness center in this development where I live...but I am not getting out there and using it regularly.  I am not in any kind of routine.

I know "just do it."  I know "no excuses."  I know "just push play."  I know all that.  Knowing, however, is not enough to get the motivation I need to get off my butt and do what I know I need to do.

I need to buddy up.  I need to find either another lady in this apartment complex who wants to meet at 5:00 a.m. to work out together, or I need to find a personal trainer who can come here. You can't fix what you don't acknowledge and I am acknowledging that I am the reason personal trainers exist.  Some people just do not find the internal motivation alone enough to keep them up and moving forward.

My food is clean and healthy. I am losing weight at a really good pace right now. But this fitness trek is going to stall again soon if I don't get moving, plain and simple. I have a few calls in to some local trainers and I am searching for Zumba classes (thanks to the reader who recommended them).

I can't keep talking the talk and not walking the walk. I just want a little push.  Is that so wrong?

Here's a little video "Sh*t Women Say to Personal Trainers."  So funny!  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aosMsYWzKzs)

The Discombobulation Factor

Some people are natural organizers - natural planners. They step back often and assess the bigger picture of their goals then fairly quickly create a road map in their minds of how to get there. Then they follow the logical steps on the path and one-by-one, matter-of-factly, and without working themselves into a tizzy, work it into their existing routines and lives without disruption until they arrive at their goals.

And then, there are some of us at the other extreme end of the planning and organizing spectrum. When we set even the simplest of goals it might look like this:

I want to exercise today.

I can't exercise until I find that pink workout outfit. Where the heck is it? I need to get my workout clothes organized.

I can't organize my workout clothes until I sort through that huge pile of clothes to figure out what to keep and what to give away and where to put everything.

I can't put everything away until I clean out the drawers of the dresser because there's no room and there's no sense stuffing stuff I don't even want in there.

I'll also need my water bottle. Where is that cool BPA free bottle I bought? Ugh. I better do the dishes and get them put away. Maybe it's in the dishwasher? Maybe I stuffed it in a bag last time I went to work out? I need to find it. This kitchen's a mess.  

Where's the iPod? I need good workout music.  ::::dig dig shuffle shuffle:::: Here it is!  Ugh.  It's not charged!  :::::charges it:::::::  :::::::looks at the playlist::::::: Ohhhhhh that's not good workout music.  ::::::sits at computer and starts Googling for workout playlists that others listen to::::::::::  Buys and downloads music....

Crap.  Where's the headset?   :::::shuffles through stuff in and on the desk:::::::  ::::::picks up letter from the electric company::::::: Egads! Right! I was supposed to pay this.  I have to pay some of these bills before they go past 30 days or things start getting cut off!  :::::::sits at desk and starts looking through two stacks of mail for bills that need attention:::::::

Ugh...hungry. I need a to eat, but you shouldn't eat before working out  But I'm super hungry so I'll eat now and workout in a while. Ughhhhh....nothing really healthy in the fridge. I need apples and spinach. I'll run to the store, grab some veggies, come back, eat while paying some bills, then go up and look for that workout outfit.....

“There is a huge stress with disorganization and there is also a cost to being disorganized.”
Carolee Cannata

This makes me seem like a wreck, but really, I'm not. And this pattern doesn't follow me at work. It's just that when my mind gets disorganized, the environment gets disorganized which complicates even the smallest of tasks. It's just not as simple as some might think. And I'm not sure of the chicken/egg factor, either. Does my mind get disorganized because the environment starts to get disorganized or vice versa?  

I'm not going to solve this one today. But I am going to go look for my iPod, which I think I left in a locker at my work's gym months ago and I don't even remember that combination. Ugh. I need a personal assistant.  Anyone want to volunteer for that job?

Carly

The Next Right Cup Of Coffee

Coffee causes cancer! Coffee causes heart disease! Coffee will stunt your growth! Coffee will bring you seven years of bad luck! Coffee will make you gain weight!

Wait...no, no it's the DECAF that is the evil one!

Oops...no, no...got that wrong. Sorry. Coffee can PREVENT liver damage! Coffee has great antioxidants! Coffee has been proven to reduce likelihood for Parkinson's Disease. People who drink moderate amounts of coffee have significantly less colon cancer! Coffee is good!

No, crud. Wait......

Coffee is one of those things that researchers can't just leave the heck alone. Over the span of my lifetime I have seen the good versus evil coffee pendulum swing a couple of times in both directions.

I could quote Mayo Clinic or WebMD but the bottom line is that coffee in moderation seems to offer many more health benefits than liabilities. From increased concentration to the antioxidants which help the immune system fight off bad stuff, coffee is now generally accepted as a positive addition to the daily intake. Like red wine, though, it's only good in moderation. Drinking four pots can have it's negative effects like restlessness, anxiety, irritability and sleeplessness, particularly in susceptible individuals.

Mind you, my irritability increases tenfold when I can't get my coffee. It's epic, but I don't recommended testing it out.  :-)

Some purists believe you should never have caffeine because it is somehow harming your workout, artificially giving you energy. I say, if you are getting off your butt and working out at 6:00 a.m. and a cup of coffee helps you get there...go for it!

My only really big caution is on what you put IN the coffee. I am working on eliminating half and half, cream, and anything high calorie from my coffee experience. I love the half and half, but I recently started actually counting the calories of my 50 cups a day (okay I exaggerate). It's ridiculous how many calories I am wasting in my beverage. I recently switched to trying to live with one teaspoon of an organic non-dairy creamer. It's okay I guess. It's not the same, but maybe I'll get used to it. I have committed to myself to try it for 3 weeks before going back to my evil ways.

The last word of advice is on k-cups  I am a huge fan and own probably every k-cup flavor ever invented.  But read the labels. Chai Latte and Cafe Vanilla Cafe Escapes are 60 calories each  My Sleepytime tea is 0 calories, but I put honey in it. You have to watch all the ways calories can sneak in and account for every last one or you'll be sabotaging your efforts.

I have a nice cup of Green Mountain Dark Magic sitting right here and, as my son will most assuredly attest, for my mornings, it's definitely the Next Right Choice.  Mmmmmmmm.

Carly

The Mystery of Motivation

I am perfectly fine with eating cleanly right now. It's on automatic pilot. It feels good, natural. I don't feel deprived. All is well in Food Land.

I cannot find a lick of motivation to work out, however. None. Life is not easy right now on a personal level.  I am facing some challenges that are bringing me down and rather than rise above them and kick butt, I am letting them overwhelm my day (day after day). This is not good.

How do you get motivated to get up and get going and work out when you feel so blah?

I think the answer is, who cares?  You don't need MOTIVATION. You don't need to WANT to do it.  You don't need to FEEL happy about doing it. You don't need INSPIRATION. You don't need EXCITEMENT.

I think you need to just get up  out of your chair and do it anyway, despite a lack of enthusiasm or energy.

I think once you do it, you feel good about it.  

I think once you do it and feel good about it, you get a little less reluctant to do it the next time.

I think once you do it a few times, you start to reap the benefits which then MOTIVATES you to keep going.

So the answer to "How do you get motivated to work out?" may be "WORK OUT." Motivation comes from the RESULTS of the doing.  It doesn't precede the doing!

So what I may need is discipline and commitment to my goals.  Discipline to get up and do it anyway, whether I feel like it or not.  Like most things in my world, the answer always comes down to TAKE ACTION. 

Stop thinking, analyzing, and dare I say it....blogging.  Get off my derierre and just do it. And I'll jot down "discipline" as a future blog topic.  Ugh. I think the time has come to tackle that monster, too.

What's In It For Me?

I used to think it was selfish to ask "what's in it for me?" Well, I'm the only one tasked with caring for myself and leaving my well-being up to others or to fate surely hasn't served me well over the past few decades. This shift in thinking has led me to a new level of self care I needed and I am not ashamed to consider "what's in it for me?" before making choices.

This is true before volunteering my time, my resources, my money, my talents.It's not selfish to consider my own needs before helping others. Like the flight attendants on the airplanes always say, put on your own oxygen mask before helping the person sitting next to you. Makes sense to me because I can't be much help to you if I die by ignoring my own need for oxygen.

I also ask myself "What's in it for me?" before eating. Does this bacon REALLY offer anything nutritional?  Does this processed frozen dinner give me the protein, fiber, calcium, vitamins, etc. that I need? How much of the food is actual food versus filler or chemicals?  These are questions I ask all the time.

I also try to find a balance between calories and nutrition. Sometimes I eat a higher calorie food in a trade-off for excellent nutrients or healthy fats.  Avocados and almonds are a good example of high calorie foods that offer some excellent health benefits.  Sometimes I choose lower calorie foods so that I can get more of it (going for a critical mass of quantity over quality).  Sometimes I find a nice balance of calories and nutrition.  I will use the label from a Tomato Basil Organic Pasta Sauce fromThe Fresh Market (love this store!) as an example of what I look for in the example below.

Okay. What's in it for me?

Let's start with ingredients. Tomatoes  basil, soybean oil, salt, onions, garlic powder, oregano and garlic.

What's not in it? No preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors.  No sugar (I prefer to buy food without sugar whenever possible.)

Just whole, wholesome, natural (and in this case organic) food, the way Mother Nature intended. (Is that a commercial? But I really mean it!)

Now let's look at the Nutritional Facts side of the label. A half cup is only 60 calories. I seldom eat just a 1/2 cup, so I will automatically double that to 120 calories for one cup. The amounts and percentages below will be doubled also.

Fat is 6 grams or 10% for the whole day.  Not too shabby.  There is no saturated fat and no reportable trans fat. (This doesn't mean there isn't trans fat in there, I might blog about that another day - the deceptive way the FDA lets manufacturers hide the trans fat in there.)

There is no cholesterol, but the sodium (salt) is a bit high (nearly 40%).  I would make sure I don't salt anything else in that meal and as a rule, I try to avoid sodium.

Carbs aren't too bad - 16 grams or 6%. I will be eating this, most likely, atop spaghetti squash instead of real pasta, so I won't be adding a lot of carbs to the meal.

There is fiber - 4 grams is good and the sugar is low (6 grams.)  There is no protein worth mentioning, but there is good bit of Vitamin C (50% for my double serving) and 30% for Vitamin A.

All in all, this is a great food to throw into the mix. I can use it in a sauce for pasta or spaghetti squash, or as a nice base for stuffed peppers, zucchini boats, galumpkis or any number of recipes

Once I find something like this, I incorporate it as a staple that I use frequently.  Because what else is in it for me is the ability to run on auto pilot and not have to give shopping too much thought.  It becomes less laborious and a whole lot quicker.

What's in it for me is a great question to ask before making ANY choice, if the goal is taking care of one's self.  And eating worthy foods helps put us on that track.