Fit In Real Life

My Kids Don't Want To Be Seen With Me Because...

I got a new pedometer for Christmas and I'm now addicted to wearing it everywhere. Really.

 

"Mom, you're not wearing that thing out, are you?" my daughter asked as we headed out for a day of post-Christmas shopping. It does look a little dorky, I'll admit, so I compromised by pulling my sweater down over it.

 

Dorky or not, I'm having lots of fun with the thing -- and annoying everybody by asking them, "What's my step count up to?" as I lift up the hem of my shirt. The good news is that it's pretty easy to reach my goal of 10,000 daily steps on the days I walk or work out. But I took a day off from working out yesterday and saw that my daily count plummeted to a mere 4,900 (in my defense, I worked at my computer most of the day, so not a lot of stepping there).

 

I'm sure I'll get tired of monitoring my steps eventually, but for now, it's a great visual reminder that little changes add up. The first day I wore it, I was about 200 steps from my goal and my son said, "You're not going to make it."

 

"Oh yeah?" I countered. "Watch this."

 

A mere 10 laps or so around the kitchen island later and I was easily over goal. He laughed at my antics, but my heart was pounding from that little burst of intensity.

 

It's all about the little changes.

 

Best wishes to all for a healthy, happy 2009!

 

 

Ask the Dietitian: Little Moves, Big Results

Melissa Kirdzik, the dietitian who helped me shed 26 pounds during my year as Shape magazine's Weight-Loss Diary columnist, returns today to talk about the importance of small steps. Take it away, Melissa:

 

 MK: I read a very interesting article in the Feb. 2008 issue of Better Nutrition. It talked about a Journal of the American Medical Association review of 26 studies focusing on the benefits of using pedometers. According to the article, "Study subjects who used pedometers increased their activity level by almost 30 percent, had a significant drop in body mass index, and lowered their systolic blood pressure by almost four points [a two-point drop in systolic blood pressure is associated with a 10 percent reduction in risk of death from stroke]. Most adults take between 4,500 and 6,500 steps per day, and adults who take fewer than 5,000 steps per day are considered sedentary."

 

Very interesting, don't you think? It's commonly recommended that adults aim for 10,000 steps per day for a healthy activity level.

 

If you find yourself overwhelmed during the holiday season -- or any other -- and just can't seem to find an hour block to get to the gym, it's OK. Invest in a $5 pedometer and see just how many steps you can really fit in during your day. You'll be amazed at all the opportunities to sneak them in. If 10,000 steps seems unreasonable, then start off by trying to double your normal distance and work up from there.

 

How many miles will you be walking? Steps per mile will vary depending on stride length, but typically, it's about 2,000 to 2,500 steps per mile. Next time you're on the treadmill, count your steps for one-tenth of a mile and multiply by 10 to get your specific number.

 

Thanks, Melissa, for stopping by with this great reminder that little moves add up!

My Holiday Wish List

Ever feel that nagging sense of fear and foreboding that something mysterious is lurking nearby, waiting to jump out and get you when you least expect it? I've been been trying to shake off that feeling for the last few days, but I've finally figured out what it is.

 

It's my to-do list.

 

I don't know if it was the shorter holiday prep time that results from a late Thanksgiving or just my own general lack of enthusiasm this year, but I haven't been as well organized as I normally am for the holidays. This year, I have cards that haven't been sent (if you're wondering where yours is, it's coming), presents that haven't been bought and I'm not even ready to think about wrapping. But as my daughter reminded me yesterday, "Just 10 days until Christmas, Mom."

 

I think that's when I really felt the stress starting to build. But what pushed me over the edge was when she said, "What do you want for Christmas this year, Mom?"

 

I sang my standard, "My two front teeth" answer, which always infuriates her. But then I stopped to really think about it. What do I want for Christmas? Let's dream a moment, shall we?

 

• I'd love a personal chef who'd prepare healthy meals and snacks that everyone will eat (including lunches for the kids!), so that I never have to think about cooking again. Or grocery shopping.
• I'd love a personal trainer who would come to me whenever I'm ready. Someone I could call after looking over my schedule in the morning and say, "I've got an opening at 11:45. Be here then."
• I'd love a personal stylist who would shop for affordable clothes that look great on MY body and put together outfits I could wear for various occasions. No more closet conundrums!
• I'd love a hair and make-up artist who'd stop by every morning and make me look my best while I listen to my iPod and contemplate the meaning of everything.
• I'd love a party planner who could put together a nice evening for family and friends, during which I can just sit back and enjoy the company of those I love.

Sigh...what a nice dream list! But alas, a dream.

 

Still, I can use my dream list to figure out what it is I really want: Good health. To take good care of myself and my family. Time to spend with family and friends. To feel good and look good every day. And in the end, those are gifts I can give to myself through the decisions I make each day and the priorities I set. 

 

What's on your list this year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

License to Chill

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the connection between my mind and my body. I've thought about it in terms of body image -- how the way I think about my body affects the way I feel as I move through my day -- while researching and writing my book (on sale April 13th, people!). But I've also been thinking about stress and how stress feels in my body. It's got me contemplating something that I've often considered, but usually quickly dismiss: Yoga.

 

I think you all know me well enough by now to know that I tend to dismiss the "woo woo" in life. The thought of sitting in a room chanting makes me want to run for the hills. My inability to sit still is legendary. But I'm starting to notice some ill effects of stress in my body: A nightly headache. Tight shoulders. Lower back pain. Insomnia. Clearly, I need to address this.

 

I've had a lively discussion with a few writer friends recently, all of whom are regular yoga practitioners. They claim that not only do their bodies feel better, but they've strengthened the connection between their minds and their bodies. Some have learned to use yoga breathing techniques to help them relax when they're stressed at their desks. Others have said that the heightened awareness that yoga brings has them brimming with ideas (lack of ideas can be a real problem for writers). I have to admit I'm intrigued.

 

Another experience that's got me thinking about all this is a fitness class I took a few weeks ago. It combined cardio and core training, but at the end of class, the instructor did what I can only call a guided imagery kind of thing -- we all laid down on the floor, she dimmed the lights and took us through a breathing exercise while she talked. Maybe it was because I had somebody telling me what to imagine, but I found it fairly easy to play along and I sure did feel relaxed for the rest of the day. My point, and I do have one, is that maybe I do have the ability to connect my mind and body, if I just focus.

 

So yesterday, I did it -- I researched yoga studios and found one that's close enough to get to, but far enough away where I won't run into anyone I know (no public shaming!). They offer an introductory package of three classes (no long-term commitment!) and a class that's designed for absolute beginners (no looking like a dork among experts!). Though I find the thought really uncomfortable, I'm going to give it a try and, if all goes according to plan, I'll take my first class next week.

 

Tune in for that report!

 

On Tuesday, Melissa will be here to tell us how to get through Thanksgiving without having to break out the elastic-waist pants.

Do Couple Workouts Work?

My husband and I walk together a couple of times a week. Normally, I've already worked out during the day so my walk with him is more about reconnecting and keeping him company on his walk....a bonus workout, so to speak. But on those days when I haven't gotten in a workout -- and I know this will be it for the day -- I sometimes have to fight the urge to yell, "Pick up your pace."

 

That would be wrong, right?

 

Since I know that any exercise is better than nothing, I usually bite my tongue and adjust my pace. But I have to admit that this article really made me laugh -- especially the part about the woman who makes her boyfriend run a quarter-mile behind her. It's nice to know that other couples have exercise differences, too.

 

Of course, walking is my thing. My husband's a mean tennis player and I'm sure if we were to get out on the court together, he'd be complaining, rolling his eyes or, worse, correcting my technique.

 

In the end, I don't worry so much about the differences in our exercise habits -- I'm happy that we're both healthy enough to get out there and that we like each other enough to want to go together. 

 

How about you? Do you work out with your significant other or with a friend? I'd love to hear how you handle it when your partner wants to go at a slower pace or doesn't want to push as hard as you do.

The Core of Confidence

Long-time readers of this blog may remember that of all the muscle groups one can work, the one I most despise working is my core. It's nothing personal -- I just find working my abs to be painful and tiring in its own unique, hellish way. So I was very proud of myself last week when I took a new workout class and managed to power through a difficult core set that included a stability ball, a medicine ball and a wheeled cart. My muscles felt slightly tight at the end of the class, but by the next day?

 

Ouch.

 

It's been a long time since my muscles have hurt that much. We're talking walk-around-with-one-hand-on-your-stomach-warning-people-not-to-make-you-laugh kind of sore. But I found myself oddly proud of the pain -- a symbolic reminder of the hard work I'd done. The core is really the physical center of body image, isn't it? A strong core affects how you hold yourself, how you walk and how you move through the world. Keeping my core fit really should be at the top of my agenda.

 

And yet...there's that whole pain thing.

 

I'm heading back to that class this morning, where I'm sure I'll face another tough core challenge. And should I get too proud of myself or need inspiration, I'll have to remember these ladies.

 

Show-offs.

 

 

Functional Fitness (Or, Why My Shoulders Are Sore Today)

Like many married couples, my husband and I have an agreed-upon division of labor. He (usually) takes out the trash and I (usually) do the grocery shopping. We mix and match tasks now and then, but for the most part, he's happy to do his thing and I'm happy to do mine.

 

He's been working really hard lately to finish our under-construction kitchen, so I decided to help him out yesterday by mowing the lawn. I haven't mowed the lawn in years. Seriously. Let's just say that by the time I finished, I was soaked with sweat and covered in grass clippings. Pushing that mower (even though it's gas powered) is hard work. I'm feeling it in my back and shoulders today.

 

It occurs to me that taking on a physical chore that you normally don't is a great way to spot gaps in your strength and places where you might want to strengthen (pun intended!) your fitness routine. Though I have really strong legs, my upper-body strength has always been somewhat lacking and my lawn-mowing experience really spotlighted that fact. I tend to go easier on my upper-body workouts simply because they're so hard for me, but I think I'm doing myself a disservice. I suspect that a good set of push-ups every day will go a long way toward improving my strength -- even though I hate doing them.

 

I'd love to hear what all of you do to build upper-body strength.

The Great Weight Debate

I happened to turn on the TV yesterday afternoon while I was prepping chicken for dinner and I caught Gwyneth Paltrow on the Oprah Show, talking about how hard she worked -- and still does work -- to get herself back in shape after giving birth. I had to put down the knife and watch as footage rolled of Gwyneth's workout; she was sweating hard as her trainer, Tracy Anderson, put her through a workout that looked deceptively easy.

 

But my ears really perked up when I heard Tracy say this: No woman should ever lift more than three pounds.

 

Umm, MizFit ...where are you?

 

I haven't used three-pound weights since, I don't know, 1987. Seriously, if I told my trainer that I wasn't going to lift more than three pounds, she'd have laughed me right out of that gym. But I admit I'm intrigued by Tracy's approach. I researched her DVDs and I'm thinking about ordering some, just to give her method a try. After all, it works for Gwyneth and Madonna, right?

 

As with many things, there's more than one way to get results, for sure. And in the interest of changing up my workout, I'm willing to give Tracy's method a try. Besides, three pounds will be a nice break from those 15's I've been using.

 

 

Have You Gotten Sweaty Lately?

I'm always looking for ways to boost my workout and this morning, while reading my newspaper, I came across this great observation from local columnist Mark Patinkin. He wrote, "If I've learned anything about sports, it's that there's a direct relationship between how much you sweat and how much you win."

 

I love that.

 

It's really easy sometimes to just sort of coast through my workout -- until it dawns on me that I'm not really making any progress: My stamina's not improving, my muscles aren't more defined, etc. Bottom line? If you want to see steady, consistent improvement, you've got to put forth steady, consistent effort.

 

It's a principle I can apply to many areas of my life beyond the gym. Whether it's being more organized, keeping my house tolerably clean, seeking new work or making time for friends, it all takes effort. And, as with most things, the results you get are a direct reflection of the effort you give.

 

Not exactly an earth-shattering new observation, but one that I know I need to be reminded of often.

 

So thanks, Mark, for the reminder.

Appreciating Good Health...and Friendship

During this morning's walk, as I pushed my body hard up a good-sized hill, my mind didn't run its usual litany of complaints about pain or feeling tired or even "Why am I doing this to myself?" thoughts. All I could think about was Lori.

 

I'm talking about a writing colleague named Lori Hall Steele. We're about the same age, both moms and both freelance writers accustomed to forging our own paths. But in September, 2007, Lori lost the ability to move her feet. Soon, she couldn't move her arms. Not long after that, she was confined to a wheelchair, still somewhat able to use her hands to type. Now, that ability is gone and Lori is no longer able to work -- her sole means of support for her and her seven-year-old son, Jackson.

 

At first, doctors thought Lori simply had Lyme Disease, a sometimes debilitating tick-borne illness. Now, however, they've made a diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and Lori -- confined to a hospital bed -- is dependent upon a Bi-Pap breathing machine. Today, with mounting medical bills, Lori is just days away from losing her home to foreclosure.

 

I can't imagine what Lori is going through, but I can close my eyes and imagine what it might feel like to feel my health slipping away as my child watched. The very thought takes my breath away.

 

In situations like this, most of us wish we could do something, but it's hard to know what to do. A group of Lori's kind-hearted writing colleagues have gathered forces to try to help. Here are a few links to their efforts:

 

www.savelorishouse.com/

 

www.hallsteele.blogspot.com

 

If you're able to do so, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help Lori. If it's not something you can do right now, I hope you'll take a moment today to appreciate your body and its good health. At the end of the day, there's nothing more important than health, family and friendship.

 

I'm thinking of you, Lori.