End in sight….

by Ted Sedgwick on November 26, 2009

 

That time so soon?The Box

 

Yes Pierre, it is crunch time. Too late to cram for the ‘test’.  I’m not sure that I’ve made great strides in physical fitness, and probably not in the flexibility department but  we’ll  do the post mortems after our assessments.  I’ll look forward to the closing commentaries!

Today’s will be a brief blog (probably the best kind?) .  I would like to recommend some topical reading material:  “DREAD: How Fear and Fantasy have Fueled Epidemics from the Black Plague to Asian Flu”,   by Philip Alcabes.   This is very interesting material and does help to keep things in perspective with regard to the current H1N1 event.

 
 I’m sure all of us have been feeling the effects of this endless rain and darkness but I predict it will cease ..sometime!  The sky was a lighter shade of grey this morning , and in just  under 4 weeks the days will start getting longer!  Now all we’ll have to work on is getting through the flu season, the holiday season …..then the Olympics…then……well whatever comes along…relatively stress free.

Enjoy the ride!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

by Jolene Cooper on November 24, 2009

OK, I’ve got good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?

Too bad, you’re getting the bad news first.

We’ve just received word that our 6 month fitness assessment follow up will be held this week. I think I speak for everyone when I say, I’d like a little extra time.  Maybe it’s because I’m still getting over a cold, or maybe it’s because it’s cold and dreary outside, but I don’t feel any fitter. (It’s a word. it’s not my fault if your dictionary isn’t up to date) Maybe if we started this challenge in the winter and finished in the summer, I’d be expecting better results.  As our department is gearing up for the follow-up assessments, I thought I would highlight some of the good and bad and ups and downs of the last 6 months.

The Bad:
• I’ve been sick for the better part of November, and a large chunk of October as well.
• It’s been 15 days since my last run.
• With the cold, rainy weather, I’m finding it really hard to eat enough fruits and vegetables. 
• I haven’t done yoga since beach yoga ended in August

pic (26)

Unlimited water and orange juice at my desk

 
The Good:
• I’m eating breakfast regularly now
• I went to a FREE yoga class last night
• Our dodgeball team ALMOST won our game last night. This would’ve been an amazing feat, as we haven’t won a game all season.
• I haven’t been to the chiropractor in 10 weeks, and haven’t really felt the need to. Sure there have been days where my shoulder and neck muscles are tight but I’ve been able to manage it through heat and manual therapy.
• Lunch crunch Bootcamp hasn’t killed me yet.

I’ll keep you in the loop next week after my follow-up fitness assessment has been done.

Cross your fingers for progress!

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Journey to Good Health

by Rick Byers on November 23, 2009

 

Greetings fellow bloggers and readers. I am grateful and happy to be finally communicating with you again. From my previous blog of several weeks ago, I noted that I would be writing my next piece on Disproportionate Portions.

But first, a little history.

Some years ago, a popular manufacturer of antacid tablets came up with a brilliant commercial which was a true reflection of a life moment then as it is now. The sixty second spot depicted a middle-aged man just having finished his dinner, holding his tummy with an alarmed look in his eyes as he stares into the camera. His only words, spoken as if he was on his last breath, were “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.”  He then takes a few tablets and, within 1o seconds, is smiling and happy again.

Now I humbly admit that I know I have thought or felt this same way myself. And respectfully, I suspect that I may have a few supporters out there.  As per other occasions in life, having a bit too much is often times purely unintentional, like your first (and perhaps last) visit to a buffet with so many delectable goodies too numerous to mention….or turn down.

For me, overeating was not something that I intentially set out to do. It is one of those  subtle  life practices that began with having a bit more than I was used to and before I knew it, I found myself being overweight and behind the proverbial lemon meringue pie behind the proverbial eight ball.

Now if I was training to become a professional competitive eater, such as the world record holder of eating hot dogs, then you can appreciate how I would need to live a weenie-oriented life style, move to New York  (Hot Dog Capital of the World ) and not make any long term retirement plans.

But I am not. Compared to the time when our middle-aged man from above almost  accidently blew  himself up, there has been a lot of supportive information that has come out on what foods are good for our health and that proportion size plays an equal role in the process. And we don’t have to starve ourselves.

For me, speaking to a dietician was a good start. As well, I have learned that some physicians have studied dietary and proper eating measures and, through their medical practice, can educate us about our cholesterol and other levels and advise us on how we can address these through improved eating habits.

It all boils down to making smart choices

Then we can return to the buffet if we want.

Next week: The Festive or Feastive Season Approaches.

Have a week of good health.

Rick

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Say yes to the Dress Size

by Juliana on November 20, 2009

450px-Fatty_watching_himself_on_TV

So I didn’t get any of the presents I had listed on my blog last week.  Oh well, may be some day.

I can’t say that I did a lot of exercise this week.  It was cold and wet, so walking just did not look too appealing this week.  I may need to renew my gym membership.  Especially since I am still refusing to give up my chocolate, steak, chicken and coconut cream pie addictions and I am refusing to change my dress sizes.

When I do go to the gym, the one activity that I enjoy doing is the elliptical.  The elliptical is low impact enough and manageable enough for me to want to do it without too much complaining.  The other good thing is that my gym does have a TV and as long as someone else isn’t watching anything, I can watch whatever I want.  Having a TV at the gym is key as it does help to pass the time.

I usually time my workouts around shows like “The Simpsons” or  “Friends”.  One time on the weekend there was the “Revenge of the Sith” on the TV, so I ended up working out an hour.  It’s amazing how much more inclined I can be to stay in the gym if there is something good on TV.

So let’s hope for more good shows on TV.  Because without those, there is no way I’m going to stay the same dress size.

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