Make it Fun!

Last night during spin class, I played some funny songs that people sang along with or laughed at. Our hour together went fast. We still worked out hard, but by having a little fun, it made the time go by quickly.

I believe this is a key to a successful fitness program. If you don't like what you are doing, you aren't going to do it consistently. And we need to be consistent if we want to see results.

What do you love to do? Whatever it is, make it fun and you'll stick with it longer. Being healthy isn't an event but a life-long process.

Make the Most of Every Day

Wow. What a great movie: We saw The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. The acting is superb, and the message will certainly make you think; I know I did.

Without ruining the movie for you, let me ask you this: if you learned that you had only months to live, what would you want to do with your time? Makes you pause, doesn't it? For me, the movie reminded me that we should live today as it is our last but plan on living forever, as a friend told me recently. None of us gets out of here alive, and we aren't guaranteed tomorrow.

Our life is a gift from God; what we do with that life is our gift back to Him. Make the most of today and leave a legacy of love behind. That is truly the greatest adventure of all!

Life Has Resistence

Todays run was a struggle. Not because I necessarily felt bad, although my left knee was giving me some trouble, but because the winds were intense. I squeezed my run in between rain storms, so it was blowing hard. My normal pace (not that it is record-breaking fast) was slowed down, and the run harder.

This got me thinking, once again, about life. No matter how good your life, you will encounter resistance along the way. Personally, I think it is a good thing. Oh, it doesn't always feel that way in the midst of it, but resistance makes us stronger...better. Without some, we may coast through and not fully developed into our potential. I don't know about you, but I want to be my best. So when life hits you with some resistance, do what I did on my run: put your head down, buckled down and press on!

Keep climbing

Maybe it is because I am a hiker and love the mountains that I have associated my battle with Lyme Disease as a difficult hike up a very steep mountain. The challenge for me has been that I have no clue where the top of the mountain is and how long it will take me to get there. I've had to learn to enjoy the journey and not worry about summiting.

As I was driving over the hill from our house to the Palm Desert area for a book signing yesterday, I noticed how low the snow came down. It was a beautiful reminder to me of this very point...that amazing scenery is all around, not just at the top. I like conquering things, but I'm learning to enjoy the journey and what God has for me along the way. I think if we focus too much on the top, we might just be missing something. So, let's keep climbing, but let's also pause along the way to take it in all in.

PS I'm including some photos from our recent climb up Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the Continental US. This was a feat for me since I was still struggling with Lymes. Enjoy the show!

We all Need a Day of Rest

Ah the highs and lows of life. I woke up completely swollen and unable to move this morning. I couldn't hold a glass of water to take Aleve. Today was my day to run, but I had to cancel. There was no pushing past the pain today.

Over the past several years during my treatment of Lymes, I learned a valuable lesson: rest. For someone who is goal oriented and high energy, this has not been an easy lesson. The only way to improve is to face these kinds of situations, unfortunately, and make the right decisions. So, I listened to my body today and opted for rest.

I get five to six days of exercise in a week, equally at least 7 to 8 hours. A rest day is a good thing. The body has a chance to recover and rebuild. Rest is part of the equation and provides us with balance.

Now the next step for me is to rest without guilt. I still feel bad and unproductive when I rest, but I am getting better. Like I've told my friends, they don't have 12-Step Programs for Type A personalities because we'd come in and want to accomplish all 12 steps the first night!

So with that, I accept today and pray that tomorrow is a stronger day. Isn't that all we can do?

Enjoy God's Gifts

What fun! We went skiing up at Snow Summit (Big Bear area) in California.

I have to admit that I was timid at first. I didn't want to fall and hurt my hands, which don't need any more damage. But on the second run, I decided to pray my way down. I commented on how gorgeous the lake looked beyond the snowy mountain. I thanked God for the ability/strength to ski and asked to enjoy the process and not conquer it. The amazing thing as that as I prayed my way down each and every run, I got more aggressive and skied harder/better. Before you know it, I was tearing up the slope. God gave me a gift of the moment, and I accepted it.

How many times do we miss the gifts? Keep your eyes open wide and your spirit willing.

PS All the exercise (five days a week) and weight training that I do equipped me to have a fabulous time without getting tired or being sore. Being fit isn't for the sake of being fit...it is to make the most of this life we have been given!

Ground Hog Day

Okay, I feel as if I am living in the movie Ground Hog Day with Bill Murphy. I keep waking up, and it is Friday! The problem is that I’m not getting the benefit of learning a new language or playing the piano. I just get to food shop and do laundry…again!

Serious, the weeks seem to go faster and faster the older I get. My mother was right. I remember complaining as a kid that time was going WAY too slow. She said, “You just wait missy. Time will go by so fast when you are older that your head will spin.” And so it is. Two songs are blurring together in my head…a cross between “You spin me round, round” and “The Twilight Zone!”

I guess when we are younger we measure things by the big events. We hold our breath just waiting for them—Easter, summer vacation, Christmas, etc. As adults, life is made up of the every-day moments more than anything. Some may say that is boring, but to me it is just what it is…life. I don’t really enjoy food shopping, but I’m certainly glad I am able to buy food to eat. Some can’t. I hate doing the laundry, but am grateful for the clothes to wear as I know others may not be so fortunate. So as another Friday springs up on me “I will rejoice and be glad in it for this is the day that the Lord hath made.”

Eat Right and Exercise

Okay, I can't stay quiet any longer. I saw another ad for Alli, which, by the way, is followed by two pages of super-fine print of all the side effects and cautions. Have you ever read it? Yikes!! All Alli does is give you cramps and diarrhea that leads to eliminating waste...yes, #2. With the average person containing roughly 9 pounds of toxic waste in his/her intestines, if you remove that, you will lose weight. DUH! And guess what? The ad claims you will lose 5 pounds more than regular exercise and diet. What's the big deal?

Five pounds?? Cleaning your system out like this is dehydrating, which will also help you lose weight...temporarily. This is NOT a lifestyle program. This is a product that, in my opinion, has more negatives than positives. Again, make your own call, but someone is making a boat-load of money off of this one. Don't be one of them! Eat right and exercise. It's the only way to real, long-term health.

Face the Day

I woke up with a stuffy nose and swollen hands. After three years of treatment and finally being cured, I am still dealing with residual pain from my Lyme Disease. The discouragement is like a big heavy Mac truck on my body as I lie in bed. The conversation with myself begins:

“I don’t want to get up. I just want to go back to sleep. I hurt.”

“You’ll feel better once you get up.”

“I’m tired of pushing past pain. Forget it. I’m staying in bed.”

“Come on; get up. Take it slow, and you’ll feel better. I promise.”

“Fine.”

With that, I get up against my own will (well part of myself anyway) and start the process of trying to make the bed and getting dressed, both of which hurt today. I didn’t sleep great--in fact, I haven’t slept great in a week--because of the pain. Sigh.

I’m meeting my friend for run. That’s my only saving grace. I so look forward to our times together. And, I will feel better after my run. I can’t count how many people I have shared that with, but it is always true. We may not feel like exercising at the moment, and it may even be tiring during, but afterwards…ah afterwards…we will feel great! We will have a victory over whatever obstacles, challenges and even excuses we can create. We will have done our body good; and for that, we will never regret it.

Today is no exception. Although I struggled on some hills and had to walk, I finished and was glad I went for our run. The blue sky was a little bluer when I was done, the snow-capped mountains breath-taking and the sounds of nature soothing. Yes, I’m glad I got out of bed and faced the day!

Be in the Moment

What a great run! My friend and I actually went longer than we anticipated because we got in a groove. Running with someone has forced me to be in the moment more. I’ve noticed that I’m so goal oriented that I conquer a task but don’t always feel like I was there. Ever get that sensation…like you are on the outside looking in…on yourself?

Anyway, when I play music, I get so focused on “doing” that I am not “being.” When I run with my friend, however, I hear things (like my breathing), feel things (like the cool, crisp air on my skin) and see things (like the incredible pink evening sky as the sun was setting). It’s a new experience. It was an awesome run!

Eat to Live, Don't Live to Eat

I am so sick of the NutriSystem commercials. Ugh. The one for men isn’t as obnoxious, but the one for women makes my toe nails curl…and I keep them very short!!

Have you ever read the fine print? Try it some time. Focus only on the itty-bitty words that flash for a second in the lower left-hand corner. One statement is “Results not typical and achieve prior to being on NutriSystem.” So then what DOES their product do?

I can’t personally attest to what they taste like, but did you know that you never EVER have to refrigerate them? EVER?? That means chemicals, folks. Yuck. With their product, you are trading healthy, wholesome foods for packaged, toxic-filled plastic boxes.

I appreciate the concept of food coming straight to your door, but try one of those places where you cook up healthy meals that last a month or purchase the book Once a Month Cooking by Lagerborg and Wilson. I also have a cookbook based upon your personality type that makes it FAST, FUN, FRIENDLY or FACTUAL, depending upon your bent. In either case, you are in control of the ingredients. Just remember, eat to live don’t live to eat!

Hello World!

Greetings and Happy New Year from The Total You! I have been encouraged to start a Blog, and thanks to my husband, I now have one.

What can you expect? The Total You is about your entire life…balancing work and home, staying healthy, using your talents and keeping your sanity through it all. My Blog will be no different.

As a Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor, people can sometimes believe that staying fit comes easy to me. Yes and No. I am human like everyone else, so I face my own obstacles, challenges and can create plenty of excuses. I, however, chose on a regular basis to make my health a priority. Because my family history is plagued with cancer, it is an easy choice for me to make in theory. Living it out does takes effort, each and every day.

I hope to share my stories that will encourage you and let you know that you aren’t alone with how you feel. I believe together we can push through our hurdles and stay on track.

I’m also the author of seven books, speak across the country, consult and train in corporate America and coach, so I plan to share my opinions on a variety of subjects in an attempt to broaden your perspective and make you think. Please do your own research and come to your own intelligent decision that best suits you. I will simply be a portal of information, knowledge and ideas.

No matter what I do, please know that my mission is to improve the quality of your life. May this Blog be another venue towards a healthier and happier you!