She writes, “Legs Up the Wall works wonders for tired, achey legs and feet. Great for reversing the blood flow and bringing a fresh supply of blood and oxygen to the brain. It works better than a nap as you will feel more energize and restored.”

Sounds good to me. I spent a few minutes last night with Legs Up the Wall.  I quickly winded down and slept I like a baby. You may recall this pose from my previous post during the 30 Day Fitness Challenge. That was a while ago, 18 months to be exact. Wow, how time flies. Interestingly enough, I am wearing the same pants.

They’re Notre Dame pants by the way. The All-Star hates them. Go Irish!

I’m ashamed to admit that my lack of motivation is partly why I haven’t written much lately. It’s difficult to lead by example when you’re dragging yourself along the trail. But I think I’m out of my rut and using the first day of summer as a landmark to get back into my old healthy habits and keep a more steady pace on my path of wellness.

I’m really digging our new apartment. There are no windows facing ours so I am able to keep the blinds open at night and when the sun rises it shines right on my face. It’s a great alarm clock if you ask me. So today, 7am, rise and shine, followed by a bit of morning texting to my sister (the only thing I like about the 3 hour time different) and off on a 3 mile jog. It felt good. As I’ve said before the first day out is a bit of a struggle. I was a little out of breath and there’s a hill at the end of my run that is mine to conquer. Hopefully I’ll be sprinting up it by summer’s end. (But let’s not go wishing anything away to quickly).

I found a 6-month wedding fitness plan on The Knot which I’m using as a guide for my workouts. It’s a little basic for me  (20 minutes cardio three times a week to start, then up it to 30 minutes, then add toning like push-ups and crunches, etc, etc.)  I went ahead a did 45 minutes this morning, followed by crunches and sit-ups. I’m also taking the The Knot’s advice to  journal my progress and take my measurements (eek!). They say to also weigh yourself but I don’t have a scale and I don’t much care about what it would say anyway. Keeping track of my measurements will do just fine. I’m looking forward to being toned once again!

Here’s the workout for anyone is interested in getting back on track. I think it’s a good one. I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Oh yeah. I never updated you about my cleaning plan. It didn’t go so well. The methods are a success but there is no way I can clean everyday. Friday’s have become my cleaning day. Oh well.

Happy Summer Everyone!

Fennel Slaw

• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots

Mix first 6 ingredients. Toss with sliced fennel and shredded carrots and ENJOY!
More information about the benefits of fennel and my experience with qigong.

When days like this pop up, it can take a bit more than a few deep breaths to pull you back to calm. The important thing to remember that you’ve got all the tools you need to turn a tough moment into a forgotten memory. Even if there is still a task at hand, the unnecessary worry it brings can be a thing of the past.

Next time you’re feeling the crunch, try out some of these stress management tools…

• Eat something healthy! I know it seems simple but how many times have you reached for something unhealthy to deal with your stress?  Many people are “emotional eaters” and grabbing a clementine instead of a doughnut when emotions run high will not only “feed the feelings” but will give you important phytonutrients to help fight the diseases often caused by stress. Crappy carbs also mess with our cortisol levels which can make you feel even worse. Remember this line when you’re looking for something to munch…Crappy leads to crabby.

• Stretch out your stress or walk out your worries! Twenty minutes of yoga or a quick walk around the block can really make a difference when the weight of the world is weighing you down. It doesn’t need to be a heavy workout session, just a little bit of movement and a whole lot of deep breathing can bring you back to a place of calm. If you’re at work, get up from your desk and get a few minutes of fresh air. “Go make a copy” or take a water break. When you return to your desk, you’ll feel lighter and refocused.

• Talk it out! What is it about stress that makes us want to be not so nice bitchy to the ones we love. Remember that friends and family want you to be happy and often are happy to help you through your tough time. So, be nice to your loved ones. A warm embrace is more comforting than a cold shoulder! Regardless of whether or not they give advice, talking about your problems can make them seem a whole lot more manageable. If you don’t feel like talking, just hang with someone. You’ll remember that you’re not in this alone!

• Take a break! There’s nothing wrong with leaving your troubles for another day. And if a problem needs immediate attention, letting go of the woes will give you the strength you need to get through it.  Stop, take a minute, and remember that everything is going to be okay. For real!

My biggest challenge with incorporating a healthy exercise regime into my schedule is time. Of course!  I’m sure many of you can relate to that.  With my commute and work and shopping and cooking, then digesting and reading and spending time with my significant other, where can I fit in fitness?  I’ll tell you where…in the morning, before I do anything.  That’s how it works for me. And if I’m diligent and committed, I’m okay. If I give myself even a little bit of slack, I’m bound for laziness.

Waking up earlier than I have to is the key to my success, and the hardest part. I really have to drag myself out of bed in the morning. Not because I can’t do it, just because I don’t want to. My covers are warm and my pillow is soft, much more forgiving than the cold, cruel world. But alas, I am an adult, and my days of sleeping in need to come to an end.  There’s just way too much a.m. daylight that I’m missing.

I made a commitment to myself this week that I would start waking up earlier than absolutely necessary and that today I would re-visit my yoga practice. So, bright and early, 7am, I was up and ready to stretch!

I found a free demo video from Myyogaonline.com. I’m seriously considering buying a year membership to this website. It’s only $9.95 a month. That’s cheaper than a yoga class. This 12 minute video was just what I needed to get started. I continued with another 1/2 hour or so of my own routine and I feel great.

Here are just a few of the benefits I experienced from yoga in the morning:

• reduced muscle stiffness and joint compression that occurred during sleep
• an awakening of the senses and the ability get my mind going without caffeine
• a feeling of calm and rejuvenation.

Take some time to examine the challenges you’re facing in regards to fitness. Are you busy like me? Is it a financial reason? Are you injured? Are you just not sure where to start? I hear a hundred excuses everyday from patients who want to be well but can’t seem to overcome one major obstacle, themselves. You are the only real thing standing in your way. Of course time and money and injury are factors, but those can easily be overcome with a little initiative and creativity.  If you want to grow, you can and you will.  Sure you may need to modify, but you are always capable of trying and with a little effort you can be even more than able. You just have to start with the basics.

For me, it’s yoga, then I’ll advance to running. I may even buy some roller-blades. For you it could start with a walk around the block and some light-weight bicep curls. Before you know it, your new routine will be set and you’ll be cruising along on your own path to wellness.

Namaste

I’m sorry little muscles.  I forgot to stay in charge.

Do you remember Herman’s Head?  It was that Fox network sitcom from the early 90’s.  Funny but crude. The main character lived his regular boring life while the rest of us got to enjoy the menagerie of colorful characters residing in his head. Well, I feel like Herman a lot of the time. Just the simple puppet along for the ride.

And…well…let’s just say that for the past five weeks someone other than the boot camp instructor has been running the show up there. Not quite Pizza the Hut, but someone only slightly less greasy.

Today I let that dude’s cheese burn and hit the pavement for a “back to basics” two mile run.

It wasn’t that easy. Not that I anticipated the first day back after a month off to feel good, but maybe I was hoping that it wouldn’t feel quite as bad.  I’m exaggerating as I always do, however I wasn’t exactly jumping at the option of an extra mile, or doing multiple reps of caft lifts on my way up the stairs. But I did stick it out even though my breathing was off and my legs were tired. Good news is that the toe didn’t hurt one bit so it looks like I’m back in business.  Woohoo.  Thanks body, you came through for me again.

So tonight, I’m resting my achy bones. Tomorrow I’d like to try a yoga DVD my good friend Heather sent me.  Thanks gal!  She’s getting married in two months. I’m in her wedding party. Another bites the dust!

I jest. She’s probably doing better with her bride-to-be-workouts than I am with my crazy-California-wanderer ones, so I may soon be eating that dust. See you soon guys!

The toe injury really set me back. It certainly put an end to my 30 day challenge and it set the tone for a lazy February. But yesterday I played a double-header of softball and it was all a-ok. Today I feel ready to get back on the jogging trail.

I can now see how easy it is to get trapped in an every day lounging around lifestyle. And I’m really feeling the effects of my inertia. It’s becoming even more difficult to wake up in the morning, I have less energy during the day, I lack motivation. At first I thought it was because I was healing, then I thought it was because I was helping someone else heal. I now realize that it’s not over-work, but the “under-worked” that’s got me feeling so low. It would appear that my body needs exercise to keep itself at optimal capacity. Imagine that! I could give you a lecture on circulation and metabolism, brain waves and kidney function. But that would be boring, and I’m sure you get the idea. Bottom line is, at least for me, I gotta keep on movin’ in order for this body to wanna keep on movin’.

The beauty of the path to wellness is that there are no dead-ends.  Each of our paths have many cross-roads and each day we’re given the right to choose our direction. Today I realized how much sluggishness depresses me, and how easily melancholy makes me apathetic. It’s a spiral I can’t let myself get caught up in. I know, I know, simple to say but harder to do. So tomorrow it’s two miles or bust! No more excuses. I’m ready to get that blood pumping again! Wish me luck!

What do you do to stay motivated??

Now that I’ve admitted my humbling failure, time to look at the positives and move forward, right?  So, what were my successes in the first month of 2010.  First of all, I took the initiative to embark on a challenge.  I didn’t know if I would be able to physically manage a jogging regime, which I am happy to report I was doing well with.  I paid attention to my dietary needs, which is an important life-long habit to which I’m addicted.  I also took the opportunity to examine myself both mentally and emotionally and have continued to grow as a woman and a health care professional.

That being said, it would seem that my challenge wasn’t a failure after all.  Sure I didn’t exercise for 16 out of the 30 days.  But I continued to challenge myself to be a happy, healthier, well-rounded individual, one who learns from her experiences and uses them to strive forward. And really that was the true point.  And maybe I wanted to prove, a little, to myself that I could be some work-out wonder whose physical abilities were only surpassed by her charm and beauty. I’m kidding.  But truthfully, I was using it to feel good about myself.  Having just turned 30 and feeling the need to experience the saga of aging with a spectacular achievement that would validate my youth, I decided to run.  Was I running away?  Hardly, I like to look at it as running forward.  So in truth, I feel good about what I accomplished. I hope you find the same satisfaction from all of your challenges. We prosper from that which makes us stronger.

The true goal is always growth!