I heard the pipes burst outside my apartment last night. At first, I thought it was just a quick rain shower, it had been cloudy all day. My movie ended about ten minutes later and I got up to get ready for bed. I turned on the sink to brush my teeth, and nothing came out. It wasn't a rain shower I heard. I made my way to the window and watched as water ran down my street surrounding the hole I had heard it shooting from before.
This is the third time a water main has broken since I have lived in my new place. I thought, by the morning, it would be fixed and water would be back on. But at 8 am, there was no water. I looked outside and there was no one working to fix the break. It is now four pm and the water won't be back until sometime tomorrow.
Why am I telling you this story? To talk a little about excuses, those reasons that keep us from reaching our goals.
I wanted to go for a long run today but I wouldn't be able to shower at my house when I was done. It would have been easy to say forget it, and do nothing today. Instead, I found options. I could drive to the office and shower, shower at the gym (which wasn't open until football was already on) or I could call a friend nearby. This was an easy fix.
How was I going to get my 64 oz of water in? It would have been easy to let the lack of water in the apartment keep me from reaching this goal. But it was also an easy fix. I took water bottles with when I went to shower and filled a few up at the work fridge.
My point is this: Life happens. There is always a reason, always an excuse to not do something. They are everywhere, they are easy to find, and they happen to everyone. You are too busy, you work too much, the kids have too much going on, you are tired, you don't feel good, there is no time, it is too much work, and on. But very rarely are excuses and reasons impossible to circumvent. The choice, however, is yours. You have to make a commitment to your health and to your goals. You have to be willing to work for it, make concessions and sacrifices, and be creative. There is always a way, if you have the desire to find it.
I'm not saying there is never a good reason to skip a workout or make a less than healthy decision. What I am saying is, every time you start to make an excuse or find a reason, ask yourself, could the opposite be true? Make it a habit to work around challenges instead of giving into them. Soon, many of the reasons and excuses you used to have will cease to exist as new habits and priorities take hold.
As always, I am here to help you. If there is a challenge you are seeing often or an excuse you just can't seem to get around, tell me about it. I'll ask questions and offer suggestions to help you. Those of you who have asked before know that I won't discount your reasons or your challenges, I will only help you to see them differently. If you don't reach out to me, reach out to a friend or family member. We can help each other find ways to overcome our challenges.
"Success is a tale of obstacles overcome, and for every obstacle overcome, an excuse not used. ~Robert Brault"
Becky
Side note:
Tuesday, I will be putting up standings from what I have right now. I am missing a lot of points so keep that in mind. I will also let you know who won the first Holiday week challenge!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Thanksgiving Pickles
Pickles. In my family, they will definitely be found on Thanksgiving day, in the relish tray. More than likely, they will be homemade, pickled by my Grandma with cucumbers from a family member's garden. These are the best pickles I have ever had. And the best part? They count as a vegetable! (Nutritionally, pickles (cucumbers) aren't the best veggie choice, but they are still good for those who struggle with getting veggies in. Keep in mind they typically have a high sodium content.)
For many of you, this may be great news as you struggle to get in your veggies on Thanksgiving day. With tons of turkey, potatoes and stuffing to choose from, often people forget about vegetables entirely.
Here are some tips to get your three cups of vegetables in on Thursday:
1. When snacking before the big meal (while cooking or waiting for the food), focus on the veggie tray. Eat two or three pieces of each veggie offered and you will have one cup down!
2. Sweet potatoes count as a vegetable! Choose them instead of regular potatoes, but be sure you watch the amount of brown sugar or marshmallows you add to the already delicious sweetness.
3. Corn and green beans are an easy addition to any Thanksgiving meal. Volunteer to bring the vegetable so that you know your family will include one.
4. Need a light dinner after the huge Thanksgiving meal? Eat leftovers from the veggie tray or eat a small salad. Leave the stuffing, turkey, and potato leftovers for the weekend.
Thanksgiving week can be challenging when it comes to drinking your water, exercising, and getting your fruits and veggies in. A little bit of planning will help you be successful during the challenge this week.
That being said, give yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods. A piece of pie, the cheeseball, or the sour cream filled mashed potatoes, will not derail your healthy lifestyle or goals. Eat smaller portions and take the time to enjoy your food. Burn off some calories after lunch. Start a new tradition by taking the family outside for a touch football game, tag, basketball, or hide and seek with nieces and nephews. Or volunteer to help with kitchen clean-up.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Safe Travels!!
Becky
"Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right."
For many of you, this may be great news as you struggle to get in your veggies on Thanksgiving day. With tons of turkey, potatoes and stuffing to choose from, often people forget about vegetables entirely.
Here are some tips to get your three cups of vegetables in on Thursday:
1. When snacking before the big meal (while cooking or waiting for the food), focus on the veggie tray. Eat two or three pieces of each veggie offered and you will have one cup down!
2. Sweet potatoes count as a vegetable! Choose them instead of regular potatoes, but be sure you watch the amount of brown sugar or marshmallows you add to the already delicious sweetness.
3. Corn and green beans are an easy addition to any Thanksgiving meal. Volunteer to bring the vegetable so that you know your family will include one.
4. Need a light dinner after the huge Thanksgiving meal? Eat leftovers from the veggie tray or eat a small salad. Leave the stuffing, turkey, and potato leftovers for the weekend.
Thanksgiving week can be challenging when it comes to drinking your water, exercising, and getting your fruits and veggies in. A little bit of planning will help you be successful during the challenge this week.
That being said, give yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods. A piece of pie, the cheeseball, or the sour cream filled mashed potatoes, will not derail your healthy lifestyle or goals. Eat smaller portions and take the time to enjoy your food. Burn off some calories after lunch. Start a new tradition by taking the family outside for a touch football game, tag, basketball, or hide and seek with nieces and nephews. Or volunteer to help with kitchen clean-up.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Safe Travels!!
Becky
"Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right."
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Tips for Fruit Consumption in the "Off-Season"
One week down!
So far, the reports I have received from everyone have been great! While everyone is expressing some challenges, the commitment level of everyone is fantastic. This is one of the most determined and dedicated groups I have had in a challenge so far. I am really looking forward to the next 11 weeks!
I have already had a topic request, so this week I will touch on tips for getting your fruits in, especially when things are going out of season and good fruit can be hard to find.
This morning, I went to the farmer's market to find some fruits and vegetables for the week. To my disappointment, there was NO home grown fruit, ANYWHERE. Not even apples! The only choice was to head to the store.
The grocery store proved to be just as challenging. Much of the fruit wasn't ripe, didn't look good, and worst of all was expensive. I am sure many of you are meeting the same challenges. While not ideal (and not nearly as good as fresh fruit), there are some options to avoid the high prices and poor product this time of year.
1. Buy frozen fruit. If you go to stores like Costco and Sam's Club, buy in bulk. Frozen fruit is great in smoothies!
2. Check for canned fruit sales. If you watch, you can get canned peaches and pears (NOT in the heavy syrup) for under $1 a can. Most times you can get two servings out of a can. Pineapple and mandarin oranges are other good choices.
3. Reach for raisins, which tend to have less additives than other dried fruits. Banana chips are another good option.
4. Check out which fruits are in season here.
Also, you can count one serving of fruit juice a day, but it must be 100% juice.
Fruit is an important source of many vitamins, especially vitamin C. Most fruits, like apples, bananas, and oranges, are easy to grab and take with you anywhere. Dried fruit can be kept at the office, in your car, or in your bag for a quick snack. For those of you who gave up desserts, use fruit as your post-meal or afternoon treat. The natural sugars can curb that sweet tooth!
Again, as a reminder, send me your money (or email me to make arrangements to get it to me) so that I can post standing soon! If you haven't told me your "extra" behavior yet please email me ASAP. To submit your points, you can email, Facebook, text, or call. Also, please let me know how many $$ you owe to the pot for those extra behaviors. I look forward to seeing how everyone did this week!
Becky
"What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." - Peter Drucker
So far, the reports I have received from everyone have been great! While everyone is expressing some challenges, the commitment level of everyone is fantastic. This is one of the most determined and dedicated groups I have had in a challenge so far. I am really looking forward to the next 11 weeks!
I have already had a topic request, so this week I will touch on tips for getting your fruits in, especially when things are going out of season and good fruit can be hard to find.
This morning, I went to the farmer's market to find some fruits and vegetables for the week. To my disappointment, there was NO home grown fruit, ANYWHERE. Not even apples! The only choice was to head to the store.
The grocery store proved to be just as challenging. Much of the fruit wasn't ripe, didn't look good, and worst of all was expensive. I am sure many of you are meeting the same challenges. While not ideal (and not nearly as good as fresh fruit), there are some options to avoid the high prices and poor product this time of year.
1. Buy frozen fruit. If you go to stores like Costco and Sam's Club, buy in bulk. Frozen fruit is great in smoothies!
2. Check for canned fruit sales. If you watch, you can get canned peaches and pears (NOT in the heavy syrup) for under $1 a can. Most times you can get two servings out of a can. Pineapple and mandarin oranges are other good choices.
3. Reach for raisins, which tend to have less additives than other dried fruits. Banana chips are another good option.
4. Check out which fruits are in season here.
Also, you can count one serving of fruit juice a day, but it must be 100% juice.
Fruit is an important source of many vitamins, especially vitamin C. Most fruits, like apples, bananas, and oranges, are easy to grab and take with you anywhere. Dried fruit can be kept at the office, in your car, or in your bag for a quick snack. For those of you who gave up desserts, use fruit as your post-meal or afternoon treat. The natural sugars can curb that sweet tooth!
Again, as a reminder, send me your money (or email me to make arrangements to get it to me) so that I can post standing soon! If you haven't told me your "extra" behavior yet please email me ASAP. To submit your points, you can email, Facebook, text, or call. Also, please let me know how many $$ you owe to the pot for those extra behaviors. I look forward to seeing how everyone did this week!
Becky
"What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." - Peter Drucker
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Fall 2011 Health Challenge
Welcome to the Fall 2011 Health Challenge! I am so excited that you decided to take steps to lead a healthier life. The goal - at the end of 12 weeks you have adopted a few healthy behaviors that will become a permanent part of your every day life. Hopefully, you will learn a little bit about yourself and feel better and make steps towards your health goals.
Here is a recap of the challenge guidelines:
Basics
Start Date: Monday, November 7
End Date: Sunday, January 30
12 week challenge
Behaviors are self monitored and self reported on the Monday of each week. You can send me an email, Facebook message, or text.
Buy-in is $5 and is due within the first two weeks of the challenge. Standings will not be released until all buy-in monies have been collected.
The Challenge
Core Behaviors (You will get a point for completing each of these, everyone does these 5 behaviors):
Each day you eat 2 cups of fruit (or one average size piece of fruit, 1/3c of dried fruit)
Each day you eat 3 cups of veggies (1/2 cup of cooked cruciferous vegetables, 2 cups of leafy vegetables, you can count beans as well, but not potatoes)
Each day you drink 64oz. of water
Each day you do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (these can be done 30 consecutive minutes, or broken up in to 10 or 15 minute segments)
Each day you do at least 20 minutes of strength training (only 3 points possible a week)
If you have a "perfect" week, you can get 31 points each week.
Everyone will pick at least ONE additional behavior (you can have as many as you want), that they want to work on. This additional behavior is a personal goal of something you want to do or something you want to give up, in addition to the core behaviors. For example, my extra behavior goals are; doing yoga once a week, eating 2 or less desserts a week, not drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks in a sitting. Each time you break this behavior you owe $1 to the pot that will be split by the winners.
Winning and Prizes Awarded
The winner will be determined only by total points from core behaviors at the end of the challenge. The top three people with the most points will split the money at the end.
Whoever owes the least amount to the pot in the end will be a prize (whoever breaks their "extra" behavior the least amount of times).
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas week, the person with the most points in that individual week, will win a prize.
(For all prizes, I don't count. While I will participate and share my scores, I can't win :)).
Weekly Blogs
Weekly blogs will include standings along with the total in the pot. Each week a health-related topic will be covered. I will not be sending out weekly emails, so please follow the blog or bookmark it. Also, if you use Facebook, as me as a friend and I will add you to the Health Challenge Group. I will post standings here as well as links to articles, tips, etc.
As always, please feel free to ask me any questions, suggest topics, or talk with me about challenges you are having. Use the group as a source of motivation, competition, challenge, and support. I'm looking forward to the fall challenge with all of you! Good Luck!!
Becky
Here is a recap of the challenge guidelines:
Basics
Start Date: Monday, November 7
End Date: Sunday, January 30
12 week challenge
Behaviors are self monitored and self reported on the Monday of each week. You can send me an email, Facebook message, or text.
Buy-in is $5 and is due within the first two weeks of the challenge. Standings will not be released until all buy-in monies have been collected.
The Challenge
Core Behaviors (You will get a point for completing each of these, everyone does these 5 behaviors):
Each day you eat 2 cups of fruit (or one average size piece of fruit, 1/3c of dried fruit)
Each day you eat 3 cups of veggies (1/2 cup of cooked cruciferous vegetables, 2 cups of leafy vegetables, you can count beans as well, but not potatoes)
Each day you drink 64oz. of water
Each day you do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (these can be done 30 consecutive minutes, or broken up in to 10 or 15 minute segments)
Each day you do at least 20 minutes of strength training (only 3 points possible a week)
If you have a "perfect" week, you can get 31 points each week.
Everyone will pick at least ONE additional behavior (you can have as many as you want), that they want to work on. This additional behavior is a personal goal of something you want to do or something you want to give up, in addition to the core behaviors. For example, my extra behavior goals are; doing yoga once a week, eating 2 or less desserts a week, not drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks in a sitting. Each time you break this behavior you owe $1 to the pot that will be split by the winners.
Winning and Prizes Awarded
The winner will be determined only by total points from core behaviors at the end of the challenge. The top three people with the most points will split the money at the end.
Whoever owes the least amount to the pot in the end will be a prize (whoever breaks their "extra" behavior the least amount of times).
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas week, the person with the most points in that individual week, will win a prize.
(For all prizes, I don't count. While I will participate and share my scores, I can't win :)).
Weekly Blogs
Weekly blogs will include standings along with the total in the pot. Each week a health-related topic will be covered. I will not be sending out weekly emails, so please follow the blog or bookmark it. Also, if you use Facebook, as me as a friend and I will add you to the Health Challenge Group. I will post standings here as well as links to articles, tips, etc.
As always, please feel free to ask me any questions, suggest topics, or talk with me about challenges you are having. Use the group as a source of motivation, competition, challenge, and support. I'm looking forward to the fall challenge with all of you! Good Luck!!
Becky
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