Jesse: Sometimes you Just Need to Stop and Climb a Mountain!

Wake up, gym, study, work, sleep, wake up, gym, study, work, sleep. That was pretty much the essence of my summer. I barely got a hike in. The to-do list kept growing, work that needed to be done at home was being put aside and work that needed to be done on my car had all but been forgotten. I needed to spend time with my family, I needed to spend time with my friends, but those needs kept getting pushed back as the size of my plate and the things being put on it grew.

                  To top it off, I had gotten a reality check when I did a body composition test at UNH. I was not as far along in my quest for fat loss as I had thought. The thought of all the hard work that I had done didn’t amount to as much as I thought. Now, I’m not discounting my achievements I just didn’t come as far along as I hoped. This little fact added to the stress of all the things that were going on in my life. I needed to press a reset button.

                  So I decided to take a challenge from my fellow blogger Sandy which was to do something spontaneous. So this morning (Monday August 18^th) I did just that. Instead of waking up and doing my regular routine I decided to go hit my reset button. I did my favorite hike up Mt. Major and hung out for a little while. I forgot about the whole world for just a little while and enjoyed the views and being out in nature. It was just long enough for me to regroup my thoughts, clear my head of nonsense, and be reminded of why I am doing all this in the first place.

                  So now I can continue my journey with full steam and even step it up a couple notches. Be prepared for some videos. Why? Because I’m a nerd.

I’ll see you in the gym.

(P.S. You didn’t think I’d hike all the way up and not grab some good pictures, did you?)

Sandy: Life Goals, Success- The Elusive Element

Success – the elusive element.

I know we need to measure success in small increments, less we get frustrated by the overall picture.  However, there are times when you reflect back and realize that you really haven’t traveled that far from the starting line.

I was looking through an old journal from about 6 years ago, and much to my dismay I am still running around in circles with the same life goals AND the same issues. 

The two major issues in my life?  My weight and my career.  You see, 6-8 years ago was the dreaded time that my weight bumped up over the 200 pound marker. And it has been stuck there, fluctuating up and down between 17 pounds, and yet never back under 200 hundred pounds.  I don’t know about you, but 200 pounds seriously messes with my brain, being a woman who stands at only 5’7”.

My career issue, well, let’s just say that over the years I have begun many stories and even a series of novels all of which remain unfinished and unseen by anyone.  Ultimately I would like to publish my books and become a writer, officially.

On both aspects of my life, I realize that FEAR is what is holding me back.  The fear of change and, ridiculously, the fear of success. 

I was doing great with FitWorks, getting into the gym 3 days a week consistently and working on my diet.  It was a structured commitment, and I wasn’t doing it alone, so “success” was easier to obtain because I always had someone challenging me.  It was fun.  Then, as it always does, life has gotten in the way.  My children have dominated my schedule, I got a couple of odd jobs to juggle around, and once again there is no time for me.  No time for me to work out, and no time for me to write, so I get frustrated and angry at my life.  My world starts to lose its flow and I fall into that negative space.

So I pulled out some of my old self help books and decided to start working on the exercises available to me.  I’ve started with figuring out my Life Plan.  The purpose of a life plan is to figure out your ultimate, long term, reaching for the stars goals. I first began with writing my long term goals, and for me, I have a lot of very large, yet in my mind, very doable long term goals.  Then I proceeded to break down my list.  What can I do within the next year to work toward my ultimate goals? Then I broke it down further to see what I can accomplish over the next month, the next week, and finally, what can I do today to take me one step further toward accomplishment.  Sounds simple, right? 

Well, I find it rather interesting that I could break it all the way down to what I can do over the next month, but when it came to breaking it down further to a week and then to a day I hit a road block.  

There was that fear again, rearing its ugly head.  You see the issue is, when you break it down that far, you reveal the real meat of the issue, and you can see the changes that need to be made. All of a sudden, I have to commit to change. I have to actually do it! 

What does that mean?  I have to make myself the priority and to get MY things done first before I cater to anyone else.  Herein lies the problem.  I’m a mom, a giver, and a healer.  It’s so much easier to solve everyone else’s problems and to put mine aside. 

I’ve been doing this for years and because of it, I never make that ultimate commitment to change or to take that pertinent step forward.  I hide behind my excuses allowing myself to never have to go through the pain and challenges of creating new lasting habits, breaking old deep set ones that have become such a normal part of my life. It is easy and predictable to stay in my comfort zone (although, how comfortable am I really when I am embarrassed to be seen in public?) because I know what to expect.  I know that outcome of my actions of over eating, and not working out.

I am sharing this, because I know that I am not alone.  Also, it makes me realize just how much I NEED accountability in my life, so I can’t wait for the next FitWorks trial to begin.  I feel very lucky and privileged to have so many trainers and programs here at the Works, just waiting for me to take advantage of them (I just need to take that step to schedule the time in).

I am also very lucky to have such a following of readers. People have approached me to thank me for “putting it out there” and sharing my real life experiences. I feel like a celebrity now when people ask me if I am “The Blogger.” It’s so good to know that I’m reaching some of you who may be suffering from the same issues, or perhaps who may need a little insight as to what your loved ones might be going through.   

I’d like to suggest that you also write up a life plan, then, more importantly, schedule in your time to make those important changes in your life.  Don’t let fear trap you, and if you need accountability to reach your goals, find a mentor.  Be it a success coach, a trainer at the gym, or a friend who has already succeeded in what you wish to accomplish. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, because fear will only leave you trapped, and there are so many super friendly people out there just waiting to help.   

Who knows, perhaps creating a life plan will get you excited about pursuing something amazing that you never thought you could accomplish before.  Dream big my friends, and as always, thank you for reading.  Wishing you all the best!

Nutrition Corner: August is "Kids Eat Right" Month!

Everyone has a role to play in ensuring a healthy future for our children. Kids eat right month focuses on the importance of healthy nutrition and active lifestyles for children and families.

Shop Smart: To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selected in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table. 

Cook Healthy: involve a  child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of all meals. Even a snack can be healthy. They will learn about food and may be even enticed to try new foods.

Eat Right: sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day’s experience with one another. Research shows families that eat together have a stronger bond and kids do better in school and have more self-confidence.

Healthy Habits: Set a good example to help kids have great and healthy habits. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choose lower sodium options, and make at least half the grains your family eats whole grains. For beverages, choose water over sugary drinks, and opt for fat-free and low fat milk.

Get Moving: regular physical activity is vital for strengthening muscle and bones, promote a healthy body weight, support learning, develop social skills, and build self-esteem. Kids are encouraged to be active 60 minutes a day.  Physical activity is also a great way to spend time together.

For more healthful tips, recipes, ideas, or tips on how to reevaluate your family's eating and exercise habits, visit your Registered Dietitians at The Works Health and Family Fitness Center, or log on to www.kidseatright.org.

Penny Glanville Matel, RDN, LDN, ACSM-CPT, ACE- AHFS, ACE-CPT

Member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

A Word from Cathy, PT at WDH: Plantar Fasciitis

Blogger Sandy has been troubled with Plantar Faciitis recently and thought a word from Physical Therapist, Cathy from Wentworth Douglass Hospital on the topic would be beneficial!  Always consult your physician if you have concerns.  

Plantar Fasciitis is a common foot problem most people encounter especially when they have increased their activity recently or have changed shoes,bought new sneakers/shoes that are different from their normal. The earlier you notice the heel/arch pain the better chance you have of getting rid of it. 

Here are some Do's and Don't's:

 1) Don't go barefoot, usually the pain is worse when you do this. Keep supportive shoes on.

 2) Do calf or /runners stretch. Ask a trainer on proper form.

 3) Ice the heel often 2-3 times per day. Use a waterbottle place it in the freezer;then place under your foot and roll it under your arch /heel for 2-3 minutes.

 4) Try to wear supportive shoes the support the heel and arch at all times.

If the pain doesn't subside in 1-2 weeks you should see your doctor and be sure to follow up w/a physical therapist.

Jesse: Love Hate Relationships

Leg day, it’s a love/hate relationship. 

I love the working out part but I hate the going down stairs part after. As a matter of fact I hate the trying to walk normal after and the pretty much moving part after. But it’s all worth it when I say I lifted a certain amount and that amount gets higher and higher.

The little video below is a small sample of what I do on legs day. There is a lot of squats on a typical leg day but there is so much more involved like extensions, curls, abductions and adductions, and my worst enemy walking lunges. They burn sooooooo much. That is the only reason why I keep doing them because I know they are working.

Enjoy this video it’s the last one of this nature.

Stay tuned for some great posts and future videos (I love the video part, I am such a nerd).

See you at the gym!!