I thought I would check in with my readers and see how it is going with the New Year's Resolutions. I would love to hear from anyone who has some ideas on how to make their resolutions stick. I, for one have not had much luck. I resolved to do less complaining but I am beginning to wonder if to complain is just human nature. When I really look at my life I have it pretty good. I live in a lovely neighborhood, I'm healthy, and I have friends. When there is something that we complain about constantly it's either time to change it or just accept it.
Maybe the key to our resolutions is to give ourselves a break. There is no point in beating ourselves up for slipping. That never accomplished anything. If we resolved to exercise everyday but we miss a day or two, there is always tomorrow, right?
"To err is human, to forgive is divine." Why not apply that to ourselves? When we feel ourselves slipping in our resolves, we can look around and take pleasure in having friends, family, and the chance to start a new day, tomorrow!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
We have many chances to get it right!
Have you made some New Year's Resolutions and already feeling like you aren't sticking to them? Don't get discouraged, it takes time for new routines to stick. Maybe you resolved to have a better diet and eat more meals at home. If you find yourself sliding off that band wagon try this idea when you do eat out.
Have you noticed that restaurant portions are usually gargantuan? If you ask for a to go container when your server brings your food you won't be tempted to eat everything on the plate. You will have a lunch for the next day, making dining out both economical and better for the waistline.
Another way to save calories when eating out is to order a couple of selections from the appetizer menu. Often one can have a delicious soup and salad that is gratifying and healthy without breaking the budget. If the restaurant serves whole grain bread then you are getting healthy carbs as well.
Most importantly don't feel guilty about the choices you make when trying out a new diet plan. It doesn't do any good to beat yourself up. There is always tomorrow and a chance to get it
right… Happy 2014 and best of luck in your New Year's resolutions!
Have you noticed that restaurant portions are usually gargantuan? If you ask for a to go container when your server brings your food you won't be tempted to eat everything on the plate. You will have a lunch for the next day, making dining out both economical and better for the waistline.
Another way to save calories when eating out is to order a couple of selections from the appetizer menu. Often one can have a delicious soup and salad that is gratifying and healthy without breaking the budget. If the restaurant serves whole grain bread then you are getting healthy carbs as well.
Most importantly don't feel guilty about the choices you make when trying out a new diet plan. It doesn't do any good to beat yourself up. There is always tomorrow and a chance to get it
right… Happy 2014 and best of luck in your New Year's resolutions!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Want to grow some new brain cells?
Studies have show that during an aerobic workout many parts of the brain also get a workout. Exercise sparks neurogenesis, the creation of new brain cells. Research shows that the more one does exercises for the brain, including memory exercises, learning a language, etc. the risk for age related disease declines. When one engages in different types of activities different neuronal regions in the brain are used. When new synapses are created between the neurons by learning new skills, the brain cells become more resistant to disease.
With the holidays here do yourself a favor and blast out some jumping jacks, go skiing, or take a run. You might grow some new brain cells or at the least keep your waistline in check.
With the holidays here do yourself a favor and blast out some jumping jacks, go skiing, or take a run. You might grow some new brain cells or at the least keep your waistline in check.
Monday, November 25, 2013
So much to be thankful for!
Since we are coming into the holiday season and things will be crazy busy, it seems a good time to acknowledge all the natural beauty around us. The shops will be ramping up with the holiday music as well as the decorations. With errands to run and things on our list to check off we tend to forget that we live in a magnificent world that is beautiful just as it is without all the artificial tinsel and lights.
If we just stop for a few minutes in our day and gaze out the window, we can restore our equilibrium by soaking up the sights and sounds around us. It might be a patch of sunlight illuminating a single leaf or a tiny chipmunk scurrying across the road with his cheeks full of acorns, that causes us to catch our breath in wonder. When that first crystalline snowflake lands on the fir tree outside the window, stop what you are doing and admire it. The list of things to do will still be there but nature is transitory and its beauty changes every minute!
If we just stop for a few minutes in our day and gaze out the window, we can restore our equilibrium by soaking up the sights and sounds around us. It might be a patch of sunlight illuminating a single leaf or a tiny chipmunk scurrying across the road with his cheeks full of acorns, that causes us to catch our breath in wonder. When that first crystalline snowflake lands on the fir tree outside the window, stop what you are doing and admire it. The list of things to do will still be there but nature is transitory and its beauty changes every minute!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Do holidays stress you out? Read this then.
If you want to stay relaxed when the holiday craziness begins then try this breathing exercise. Find a quiet place to sit comfortably where you won't be interrupted for at least five minutes. If you want to set the mood light a candle or arrange the lighting so it is relaxing. Wear loose clothing, you are going to be breathing in and out and you don't want your diaphragm to be constricted. If it takes a few minutes to quiet your thoughts that's okay. Just take five minutes for yourself and try to block out everything else. You know it will all be waiting for you anyway. Take some deep breaths and just think about the breaths going in and out. The slower your breaths are the greater the benefits will be. Your heart beat will slow down and the stress hormone levels will drop. You might want to start out with just a minute or so of deep breathing and then increase by a few minutes each day. You might not have time to do this for twenty minutes but if you do it early morning and before bedtime you will feel more centered for your day and sleep better at night.
Deep breathing can also improve memory through increasing the capacity to focus, pay attention, and be more self aware. When all the bustle that is around us, taking care of ourselves is important. Paying attention to our breathing is such a small thing but can go a long way to helping us cope with all the stress that the holidays can bring. Be merry!
Deep breathing can also improve memory through increasing the capacity to focus, pay attention, and be more self aware. When all the bustle that is around us, taking care of ourselves is important. Paying attention to our breathing is such a small thing but can go a long way to helping us cope with all the stress that the holidays can bring. Be merry!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Get a jump start on fitness!
You might start thinking about New Year's resolutions here in a month or so, why not get a jump on it now? Don't wait till the New Year to implement those changes, do it now! If you have been thinking about joining your local gym and it's on your list of resolutions, no time like the present!
Implement your exercise plan now before the round of parties and good food and drink starts to derail your best laid plans. If you resolve to exercise everyday for 20 minutes, you will feel less guilty when you indulge in those holiday treats. Think about it, how many of us spend 20 minutes a day on Facebook, texting, or just wasting time? If you take that 20 minutes and do an aerobic activity you will be helping your heart and staving off the dark thoughts. Who doesn't need help to keep the melancholy at bay as the days begin to get shorter and the sun shines down less? Doing exercise first thing in the morning helps boost metabolism as well as set the stage for feeling good all day long.
The local gyms have all kinds of classes that make exercise seem like a breeze. If you have not visited a particular fitness center before, often they will give you a free day pass to try out their facilities. So bust out the jumprope, try a zumba or spinning class and be good to yourself today!
Implement your exercise plan now before the round of parties and good food and drink starts to derail your best laid plans. If you resolve to exercise everyday for 20 minutes, you will feel less guilty when you indulge in those holiday treats. Think about it, how many of us spend 20 minutes a day on Facebook, texting, or just wasting time? If you take that 20 minutes and do an aerobic activity you will be helping your heart and staving off the dark thoughts. Who doesn't need help to keep the melancholy at bay as the days begin to get shorter and the sun shines down less? Doing exercise first thing in the morning helps boost metabolism as well as set the stage for feeling good all day long.
The local gyms have all kinds of classes that make exercise seem like a breeze. If you have not visited a particular fitness center before, often they will give you a free day pass to try out their facilities. So bust out the jumprope, try a zumba or spinning class and be good to yourself today!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Creating empathy and the forgotten family meal...
It has been very distressing to me to hear about the instances of bullying, both in Vermont and Florida. It has gotten me thinking about the time spent in our family units. I think we are losing some aspects of our society that is very important. When I was a kid there was always a daily family meal, when we were all at the table, usually at dinner time. My mother cooked or sometimes my dad and we kids all did the dishes and cleanup. There was a lot of wrangling among us kids as to who could do the least amount of work, but it was a valuable lesson in learning that the meal didn't just magically appear and we owed something back to our parents for providing us with the nourishment.
In sitting down altogether to a family meal, it gave us a chance to share our day. If something happened at school that distressed us would could talk about it with our parents. Taking our side made us feel loved and cared for.
We all face situations everyday in which we could make a difference in someones life. We need to sit down with our children and talk about these things that are going on in the world and how we can change them. Let's share a meal where the devices are put away and we have the full attention of all the family members, whether it's a single mom or dad and their child, or a noisy table of ten. We need to listen to each other and prevent the death of even one child from behavior that we wouldn't want ourselves or our children to be the victim of.
In sitting down altogether to a family meal, it gave us a chance to share our day. If something happened at school that distressed us would could talk about it with our parents. Taking our side made us feel loved and cared for.
We all face situations everyday in which we could make a difference in someones life. We need to sit down with our children and talk about these things that are going on in the world and how we can change them. Let's share a meal where the devices are put away and we have the full attention of all the family members, whether it's a single mom or dad and their child, or a noisy table of ten. We need to listen to each other and prevent the death of even one child from behavior that we wouldn't want ourselves or our children to be the victim of.
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