lifestyle change victories

Getting Active

Getting Active

For those who aren’t following me on Facebook, I’ve taken on the challenge of participating in the Pole, Pedal, Paddle next April. It’s a six part event. My part of the event is the five mile run and the half mile sprint.

I have NEVER been a runner. I plod along at a pace that’s hard to distinguish between walking and running, but I decided I could do this. Since I started running in May, I have gone from a 15

exercise Walking the dogs at sunset

minute mile to last week a 9:35 mile.

Some of you might think I’ve always been committed to exercise, but that’s not true. It’s really only been in the last 10… Read More

Exercise Through Injury

IMG_1214 One of several bruises from fall Exercise, exercise, exercise. I know I sound like a broken record, but in the last 10 days I’ve come to realize just how critical exercise is, especially after an injury. Ten days ago, I took a tumble off my bike that resulted in several bruises plus some bruised ribs. The first three days I did almost no movement. By the fourth day, I knew I needed to do something, but movement caused pain, and I resisted. The reality was, even though there are definite limitations with bruised ribs, there are forms of movement that can be done. And once I started moving, I felt better and started to heal faster.

Exercise While… Read More

Finding Your Grit

Finding Grit

Grit is the drive that makes us continue on with something over and over again until we succeed. That could be an athletic skill, or writing, or weight management. As I’ve been reading about grit, I realized a lifestyle change takes a lot of grit. To make a permanent change, it must be practiced over, and over, and over again. It’s a skill that won’t come easily, but definitely worth all the hard work.grit

Developing Grit

I believe we all have grit, we just have to learn how to develop it, but I’m learning that where I thought I had grit wasn’t necessarily correct. For instance, I thought I had grit when it came to writing, and I do, but… Read More

Grit—What is it and do I have it?

Definition of Grit

Grit, according to Merriam-Webster means firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger. So, you’re probably wondering why I’m giving you the definition of grit. There is a method to my madness. I just got tuned into Freakonomics Radio, a podcast that I highly recommend. The first show I listened to talked about grit and how gritty people become great in anything from spelling bees to athletics or (my addition here) weight loss. What they’ve discovered is years of hard work and practice are more of a factor than natural talent. grit 5K PPP Race

Exercise and Grit

The subject fascinated me especially since I am undertaking a huge challenge, a five… Read More

Pole, Pedal, Paddle

  This past weekend the 40th annual Pole, Pedal, Paddle (PPP) event was held in Bend, Oregon. This was the first time I had attended. PPP 5K PPP Race

The PPP

The PPP is a race that can be done individually, with teams or pairs. It starts at Mt. Bachelor where you either downhill or snowboard to the Nordic skiing site. At the end of the downhill, you either handoff to a team mate or do an 8K cross country ski, then handoff or bike 22 miles down Mt. Bachelor where you handoff or run 5 miles to the kayak, canoe or paddle board site. You PPP Kayak… Read More

Sedentary—Exercise

Last week I blogged about my job and my concerns about how sedentary it is. I’ve worked to change my work habits, and I have been successful.exercise

Start Exercising

First, I reduced the amount of time I sit. If I’m on the telephone, I stand up and move around so far as the phone cord allows. Second, instead of sitting and editing, I print the edits and ride the exercise bike or stand at the kitchen counter and do leg raises. An added benefit is, I’m getting more fiction writing done. Third, I’m investing in a standing desk, but that is still a few weeks out. While I’m pleased with the changes, I still have to remind myself to get up and move.

Exercise… Read More

Get Up and Move

Sedentary Equals Health Risk

Even though I’m a fairly active person, my job puts me at risk because it’s sedentary. And if I’m under deadline, I can sit for long, long periods of time, which is part and parcel with being a writer, but these facts are making me rethink those habits.sedentary

Research

The Mayo Clinic reports research has linked long periods of sitting to increased problems with:
  • Blood pressure
  • High blood sugar
  • Excess body fat around the waist
  • Abnormal cholesterol level
  • Obesity and metabolic syndrome
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer
Adults spending less than two hours a day in front of the TV or other screen-based entertainment compared to those who spent more than four hours a day had nearly a 50 percent increased risk of death from any… Read More

Emotional Eating

emotionalLast week I talked about my issues with stress or emotional eating. Usually blogging about something helps me get back on track, but not this time. All week long I found myself eating when I wasn’t hungry and unable to stop. With everything going on, I’m eating for reasons other than hunger. Because I had several other readers comment that emotional eating is an issue for them as well, I went online and found a site that helped me, How to Recognize and Stop Emotional Eating. The opening paragraph resonated with me. “We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. We also turn to food for comfort, stress relief, or as a reward. Unfortunately, emotional eating doesn’t fix emotional… Read More

Eating Challenges

Eating Challenges

I wish I knew why some eating challenges were harder for me than others. I’m still struggling with eat when I’m hungry and savor my food. I have a feeling these will be a life long issues for me. Currently, I have to make a conscious effort to think before I eat and take the time to enjoy each bite.eating Before we moved everything was clicking away and flowing smoothly, but the move and still being in temporary housing has disrupted my eating habits. And getting them back in place is taking longer than I anticipated. I have made progress since I blogged last week. More often I am eating when I’m hungry. I do well until late afternoon and… Read More

Starting Again

startingWeight loss seems to be one of those things I was always starting again until I wasn’t. For most of my adult life I was always on a diet, just finished a diet or starting again.

Losing Stubborn Pounds

startingThis all changed when I read The Checklist Diet by Rebecca Clark two years ago. Suddenly I was dropping off pounds I hadn’t been able to budge for several years. I was afraid I’d hit that over 40 group who just couldn’t lose weight, but when I followed two simple, yet incredibly hard steps the weight fell off—eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. Read More