Wellness Challenge: work it out!

A few weeks ago, I began a series called the Wellness Challenge. This series is all about an issue that I am passionate about and something that is so important for all of us, basically- caring for ourselves. [If you noticed I took a few Thursdays off from posting on this series, it's because I was actually nursing sick kids or myself back to health. Oddly enough, those days seemed to fall on Thursday].

Because I am also passionate about being frugal, I wanted to offer some ideas about how to get in shape without breaking the bank or without even joining a gym.

Thankfully, because I am a certified fitness instructor and have taught at gyms for several years, we've never had to pay a gym membership in the past. Now, our budget is a bit tighter because we are living on one income and quite honestly, the time budget has gotten tighter, too. Driving time to go to a gym, etc. all adds up. In addition, I, personally don't like putting my infants in a gym childcare.

My point is, we do not currently belong to a gym, but my husband and I are both trying to get back into the pre-children habits we had of consistent exercise and fitness.

There are three important components to fitness, when it comes to exercise, that are so important to overall change and results. These include: cardio, strength, and flexibility.

Below is a list of ideas (including the three components of fitness) that are free or inexpensive that you can do without even going to a gym:

CARDIO

*take a long brisk walk {one of my favorites!}

*jogging

*aerobics

-rent DVD's from your local library

-Netflix and/or ROKU offer streaming fitness "classes"

-buy an inexpensive video that you will consistently use

-get a group of friends together and Zumba or just dance at home

*rollerblading

*biking

*hiking

*mini trampoline at home (often called rebounding)

*jump rope

*stair climbing at home or outdoors

*take a class with your spouse or friend (i.e. dance or swimming)

STRENGTH [my favorite way to get fit- I literally feel stronger just doing it]

*buy (from a garage sale or discount store) some 5lb or 8lb hand weights

*plyometrics - push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups [while you are at the park with the kids] : )

*flex bands

*pilates

-rent videos from your library

-Netflix and/or ROKU offer streaming fitness "classes"

-check online for ideas or printouts/tutorials

*walking lunges and squats at home

FLEXIBILITY/STRETCHING

*yoga

*basic stretching when you get up in the morning

*stretching before and after exercising

Have fun and enjoy these amazing benefits of exercise:

*increased fat burning

*increased energy

*increased muscle strength

*increased mental stimulation

*flexibility

*muscle tone and fat loss

*increased blood flow/circulation

*strengthen heart and lungs

*increased confidence

*stress releif (yay!)

Wellness Challenge: get moving!

This is week four in the Wellness Challenge. The other posts for this series, were about developing a healthy mindset, the H2O Factor, and Feeding the Machine.

This week, I would like to focus on exercise and getting moving.

As I mentioned before, during my B.C. (before children) days, I was always an active person, whether it be organized sports like gymnastics or track [and yes, cheerleading is a sport ; ) ] or just working out. Now it is chasing children around the house and stores [insert laugh].

One day, several years ago, I had an epiphany. I was thinking, "I work out all of the time and I love it". I even thought, "I could take this a step further and get paid for it if I wanted to". So, I set out to get a certification in group fitness. It was such a good decision. I had a lot of fun and I learned so much about fitness! It's also a great motivator when you are the instructor. You kind of HAVE to show up for class [wink]. For several years, I was able to teach various types of fitness classes at some amazing gyms and even at my alma mater for a semester.

I remember one of the other instructors at a well known gym I was teaching at who had five children. She would teach literally up until the day before she gave birth. I was amazed. I remember thinking, "wow, I'm so going to be like that when I have children. A fit pregnant lady who works out like crazy and just pops that baby out".

Well, I was wrong. Unfortunately, almost right away with each of my pregnancies, the nausea set in. I'm talking extreme....where practically walking across the room would cause motion sickness and up came my lunch [gross, I know]. In normal cases, expectant moms have morning sickness and it usually tapers off about the third month. Oh no, not me. Mine was morning, afternoon and night sickness and went for the majority of my pregnancy....four times.

Ok, now that I'm done whining [ha ha], I'll get to the point. What I am getting at is that my days of teaching extreme fitness classes several times a day came to fitting in exercise when and where my tired nauseous body and new busy mommy schedule would allow. Healthy eating habits became eating whatever I could keep down during my pregnancies...which usually meant anything sweet.

After recently having our fourth child, I'm again ready to get on the bandwagon and get back into the groove of a healthy lifestyle. I'm so passionate about working out and feeding this machine, called the body the way it should be fed. Therefore, I decided to do this Wellness Challenge as a means to also motivate myself along with others.

In future posts, I will give some specific tips on workouts you can do at home. Today, however, I just want to encourage you to get moving and motivate you to incorporate easy ways to get into the habit of daily exercise.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to simply GET MOVING:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Take a lap outside during work lunch break or a nature walk with the kids at home.
• Don't "fight" for the closest parking space at the store... choose to walk a little.
• Say "yes" daily to the activities that your children want to do with you that burn energy - play ball, go for a bike ride, play tag, dance, take a walk, play red light green light, etc.
• Take the long way to the mailbox.
• Go old school! Leave behind the leaf blower and snow blower and get out the rake and shovel.
• Do lunges through the house instead of walking.

Have fun with this and I hope that this week, you'll get moving! Next week, I will discuss the benefits of physical exercise.

Wellness Challenge: feeding the machine

Today is week three in the Wellness Challenge. Last week, I talked about the H2O factor and the importance of water in our daily lives.

I labeled today's post "feeding the machine" because of something I once heard that totally changed my perspective on food. A few years ago, I heard someone say that the body is like a furnace that needs fuel to function properly. When I heard that, I got a very vivid mental picture of shoveling coal into a furnace.

Our bodies are such an intricate design that needs a variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to function. Imagine throwing a bunch of garbage in a coal furnace or pouring just any kind of liquid into your car gas tank. The results would definitely not be the same as putting in the proper materials. The same goes with our bodies. They respond to what they have/have not been fueled with. Moreover, our bodies NEED fuel to function. In the same way that a car will stall when out of gas, our bodies will not run when not properly fueled or deprived of what it needs to run. We cannot deprive our bodies of essential nutrients. Starvation and extreme dieting can be detrimental to our health.

Naturally, as human beings, our tendency is to very much dislike any restrictions put on us. Therefore, when it comes to eating, I like to think of adding to rather than taking away.

When we fuel our bodies with real and whole foods that are full of vitamins and minerals, we feel energetic vibrant and alive. When we shovel in large amounts of sugar, caffeine, fat and processed foods, we feel lethargic and bloated. I don't know about you, but as a mother of four children under the age of five, I need some serious energy! They keep me hopping day and night. : )

If a healthy eating lifestyle is a new concept or endeavor for you, here are some tips to take baby steps in properly fueling your "furnace" and adding good things to your body. Remember, small changes can make big differences.

• Think colors! Add a variety of colorful fruits and veggies daily.
• Eat lean proteins like chicken breast and tuna instead of red meat.
• Be creative. There are so many healthy and real foods out there. Try new things like different nuts and beans, new fruits or veggies, fish, etc. Ever tried hummus? Greek yogart? Tofu?
• Don't forget about the H2O factor!

I hope this perspective helps you as much as it has helped me to develop a long-term healthy eating lifestyle, rather than a short-term diet.

What are some ways you fuel your "furnace"? We would love to hear some tips on healthy eating.

Wellness Challenge: the H20 factor

Last week, I started a series about a topic that I'm passionate about and that is so important to all of us...wellness. Last week's focus was our motives behind it.

This week, is about the H20 factor: the importance of water. We all know that water is the source of life. People, plants and animals cannot survive without it. In fact, it's a luxury in some parts of the world and the lack of it is detrimental to many communities.

Water is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle and bodily function. It helps eliminate toxins from the body. It aids in preventing dehydration, which can become serious in many cases. It adds life to the skin. Water replenishes the water that is lost through sweating and it is obviously the best thirst quencher. Water is especially necessary if you drink significant amounts of caffiene as caffeine depletes water from the body.

If there is any place to start in this Wellness Challenge, it is making drinking water a priority in your day. For some people, it may be a matter of making it a habit. Some tips for getting your eight or so glasses in are:

Make a chart or a log where you check off the amount of water you drink each day. For the techno "geeks", I'm assuming there might even be an app for that. : )

Fill two quart containers in the morning and drink from them throughout the day until they are empty (or pour them into glasses/bottles to take with you).

Set aside several bottles of water to take with you throughout the day. (I know this is not the most "green" way to do this.)

Set certain times throughout the day at which you will stop and drink a glass of water.

If this is an area in which you need to/want to improve, start today. Baby steps are valuable. Try to get in your eight glasses everyday this week. Happy drinking!

Next week, I will be discussing "feeding the machine": healthy eating habits.

If you already have this water thing down pat, how do you make it a point get your daily water quota?

(Note: The content of this series is intended for informational use only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Everyone is different in their level of health and fitness. It is advised to consult a physician before beginning a fitness or nutritional plan.)

Wellness Challenge

For the next several {this and that} Thursdays, I want to do a series of posts on another area of life that I am extremey passionate about. There are several ways to label it or describe it: health, fitness, wellness, etc. Whatever you may call it, it's about caring for your physical and mental well-being.

There are so many programs and fitness plans out there, but with any pursuit of well-being, it first begins in the mind. This week in the Wellness Challenge we will focus on getting into the right mindset.

1. Developing a healthy mindset: what's your motive?

Getting healthy or pursuing wellness is not about numbers on or off of a scale. Getting healthy actually first starts with your mind, not with your body. It's about your purpose and your motive.

I've always been an active person, involved in sports and activities as a child and as a teenager. During high school, in an attempt to get into better shape, I began "dieting" and working out excessively. As it happens so often in young girls, it spiraled out of control and became an unhealthy obsession. Contrary to what I set out to do, I was actually destroying my body rather than making it "better".

Thankfully, I had a major change of perspective and was physically and mentally restored from my bad choices. A few years later, I became certified in group fitness and have since set out to help others and myself pursue a healthy and whole lifestyle, rather than a fad dieting binge.

In order to avoid similar disasters, we have to evaluate our motive for wanting to get in shape/get healthy, as with any other endeavor in life. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• As followers of Christ, in everything we do, it should be to glorify our Heavenly Father, not for selfish gain. Yes, it's nice to look good in that swimsuit or new dress and that is an awesome by-product of our hard work, but there is a deeper issue.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31.

• Also, we are admonished in scripture to care for this "temple" that we have been given. We only have one and it's quite delicate. It very much responds to how we treat it and what we do with it.

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself. 1 Cor. 6:19

• Finally, as mommies of busy little ones, hard working women inside or outside of the home or a retired empty nester exploring new adventures, we all need the strength and energy to do it well. To do well the thing that has been set before us and to take care of those we have been entrusted with - whether spouses, parents, children, or people in our community.

...don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from your heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind that the ultimate Master that you're serving is Christ. (Col. 3:23-25 Message)

Physical and mental wellness is a lifelong journey. When it has the right motive and purpose behind it we benefit from it as well as those around us. The physical and mental benefits of a healthy lifestyle can be immeasurable.

Next Thursday, I hope you will join me as I begin to discuss other practical ways to in the journey of wellness. I will talk about the "H2O factor".

How do you pursue wellness? What are some ways you care for your physical self?

(Note: The content of this series is intended for informational use only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Everyone is different in their level of health and fitness. It is advised to consult a physician before beginning a fitness or nutritional plan.)