A Taste of Summer

The gym my friend works at is having an open house this Sat, June 4th and she will be making nutritious meals for people to try [As she is a registered Dietitian].  The meals will be balanced and great ideas for summer!!  If your interested in better nutrition then you should check out this event and my friend, Christines website = http://www.foodworks4u.com

BYHO 2011 [Blog Your Heart Out]

Today launches the second year for BLOG YOUR HEART OUT. It’s blogging for a cause for the American Heart Association and there are five stellar bloggers on board this year who will carry out the theme of 5 bloggers, 5 weeks: tell 5. save lives. The mission will be to tell 5 women to go red.

The bloggers for this year [5 of them of course] are:

Angela Manzanares (creator of fitbook)

Joanna Sutter (Fitness and Spice)

Shay Sorrells (from NBC’s Biggest Loser & www.shaysorrells.com)

Ana Cabán (creator of La Buena Life)

Sahar Akar (FatfighterTV)

Check out these ladies blogs for info, advice, recipes, fun and be a part of spreading heart health. Tell 5 women you know to go red!

ACTIONS SPEAK * support breast cancer research

I love the fall and even living in Southern California we get a few fall colors. In my world the fall color palette includes pink. You may think this is odd unless you’ve experienced someone close to you battling breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer awareness month, thus when I think October – I think pink. I’m very excited to announce that fitlosophy has created a fitbook PINK version and part of the proceeds are being donated in memory of my mother, Donna Zuidervaart, who passed away on November 29, 2008 of breast cancer. I am very happy to introduce fitbook pink and honored that everyone at fitlosophy put in 110% to make it happen. I hope you get one as its a little nod to my mom. It’s also a great tool to support daily healthy living.

More info on these two blogs [two of my favorites for health and fitness].

blogging my fitlosophy

Fitness & Spice

As I look up into the sky through my office window I see some great clouds that I must join my boys outside to gaze up. As a child I used to get lost in finding shapes in the clouds like animals, dragons and all kinds of things my imagination would help me see. I remember my mom joining in on some things she saw in the clouds too. Today seems like a good day to do that with my boys and say a hello to Grandma.

ACTIONS SPEAK * six things in 12 weeks

When I started this blog I set a theme for 2010 of “actions speak louder than words” and I wanted to use blogging to help me accomplish some of my goals and “to do’s”. I’m a list maker but yet getting things accomplished and off my list is a challenge. I’m gonna try blogging about a few and see if it helps with progress. I recently started a new nutrition and fitness journal, fitbook, which I love and I am the creative director for. The journal has a 12 week time period and this seemed like a good time frame to get six things off my to do list. I’m giving myself two weeks for each to do/goal. The theory and research behind writing things down is that your 75% more likely to achieve your goals so I’m banking on that this will work for blogging too. I plan to include some before and after shots and maybe even a vlog here and there to show insight on the challenges and show progress. 78 days to get it done.

start date =  08.16.10
end date =  11.01.10

Here is the list

1. fitbook & fitbook junior [health]
2. refresh Merlina Design logo [business]
3. clear clutter from office [business]
4. read book [personal improvement]
5. side yard clean up [home]
6. screen door. fix or get it fixed [home]

I picked a variety of categories. Some that are at the top of my list and some not so serious.

I’m excited and a little nervous as I’m putting myself out there. I’m thinking feedback and possible criticism [hopefully constructive] will be a motivating factor for the process. My hope is that I make progress, provide some insight and basically show some fun before and after shots that might inspire.

BYHO – Wrap Up

Over the past 12 weeks I was part of the Blog Your Heart Out program [BYHO] through a joint venture of fitlosophy and the go red for women Better U program. Throughout the 12 weeks I learned valuable information and the steps to makeover my heart health. When I started the program I was motivated by family history and my mother-in-laws personal experiences with heart disease, which stemmed from fear. Now after finishing the program, I have a new outlook that encompasses more than doing something out of fear – but rather be pro-active, be an example and an advocate for my family’s health. My goal is to use my new heart healthy skills for my lifetime. I truely enjoyed the BetterU program and I will not forget the heart attack I witnessed first hand, along with a CPR revival [see Reality Check blog entry]. An ironic event to have witnessed after starting the BetterU program but I know it was for a reason or maybe two. It made me realize how vital heart health is and it added an item to my to do list – become CPR certified. I encourage you to go through the BetterU program and learn about how you can makeover your heart.

Tackle Softball = DL

I was unaware that there was such a thing as tackle softball until last weekend when I got shown first hand how its played. At a “friendly” charity softball tournament for my son’s little league, I was blindsided running to first base. An approximately 300lb man ran full force into me knocking into my knee and upper body which slammed my foot off the base and rolled my ankle. I’m so mad! This blog was suppose to be about how good I’ve been doing with P90x but now I’m on the disabled list and it has thrown a big wrench in my world. Being injured is taking its toll on me mentally and physically and I’ve been wallowing. So I need to stop blaming the dumb, out of shape guy, because although knowing he was in the wrong does make me mentally feel better – its not helping my ankle get better. So I need to move on and figure out a game plan. My game plan will include a recovery plan for my ankle, an eating clean plan to keep me moving toward my weight goal and an exercise plan that will accomidate my injury.

Here is where I am going to start:

RECOVERY: I am going to ice my ankle using ActiveWrap’s Foot & Ankle Heat Ice Wrap at least three times a day.  Also going to check out their article under injury help for care and treatment of ankle sprains.

EATING CLEAN: Watch my calorie intake and check out the P90X nutrition plan. Earlier I said I had started P90X but I wasn’t doing the nutrition portion so this is the perfect time for me to read up and try it out. I’m going to try to use the time while I’m icing and elevating my foot to read up on nutrition – I would like to create a plan that works for me and my family. I’m also going to try out using my fitbook in a different way. Usually I use my fitbook to record what I eat after I’ve eaten it, which works to detour me from excess food and I’ve been able to maintain a steady weight. This next twelve weeks I want to try planning out my meals ahead of time and seeing if it helps me stick to my target calories. Time to mix it up.

FITNESS: This one is simple – do whatever I can on one foot. So far I’m thinking abs, arms and maybe some pilates.

Guest Blog: Toni Mikrut

So one of the reasons I was interested in participating in the BLOG YOUR HEART OUT campaign was a heightened awareness of the importance of heart health due to my mother-in-law, Toni’s, experiences over the past two years. We had a few scares with Toni and experienced heart attack symptoms from a women’s perspective first hand. So to raise awareness on women’s heart attack symptoms I asked Toni to guest blog, here is Toni’s story…

Almost two years ago, I had a heart attack.  At least that’s what they told me.  I still find it hard to believe.  I did not have high cholesterol, I did not have high blood pressure, I was a healthy eater and training to walk a half marathon.  But, I was a smoker, having smoked for 10 years.  I had quit smoking in July and had my heart attack in October.  So, I blame it all on smoking and a fairly sedentary time the few years before my incident.

Here is what I want to tell all you ladies out there.  I actually had no symptoms Women should be aware of their bodies at all times.  Exercise, diet, take time for yourself.  If you feel off just a little bit, get checked.  We know our bodies.  We won’t have the massive chest pain that men do, usually.  Pay attention.

I had been doing yard work for a few days.  On Sunday, I was chasing my grandson and felt a shortness of breath and couldn’t run.  It passed.  Then, my left arm starting hurting me, like an ache.  I thought it was from using the rototiller.  I waited three nights and then it hurt all night and kept me awake.  Of course my doctor told me to go straight to emergency.  After a few tests, they told me that I was having a cardiac event (translated: heart attack) and then a stent was placed, as I had a 99% blockage in my main artery.  Then, at my 2 month checkup, I complained of heartburn and was placed back in the hospital.  Another stent was placed on another artery with an 89% blockage that had grown in two months from 30% to 89%.  I had some symptoms almost a year later, but didn’t need a stent, but was put on blood pressure medicine.

I haven’t had any symptoms since.  But, I attribute that to controlling my stress levels, diet and exercise.

I hooked up with a great walking group and I now walk 3 miles 6 days a week.
Go to www.meetup.org to find a walking group near you. It’s a great site.

Better Homes and Gardens had a great article called “Heart Attack Signs and Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore” that I recommend you read.

~ Toni

a day in the life: exercising with Carter and Tyler

My daily exercise routine is often approached as a challenge… Gathering motivation, setting aside time, adding an extra shower to my day all seem to detour me. Add to that – Carter and Tyler [my two adorable yet demanding sons] and the challenge becomes more grim. Here is how my exercise time went today.

A day in the life…

Set up the boys outside to play. We have a new puppy so they will usually spend a long time outside playing with Chewie [the puppy]. Put in the DVD and start the warm up.  5 min. into my warm up Carter wants to play with the new bubbles that he got for Easter. Hmmm. I first say no, but then re-think that it could keep them outside longer so I proceed to get the bubbles for them. BATTERIES! What bubbles need batteries – Ugh! the ones that come with fancy bubble fans. So I spend 10-15 min finding batteries, a skrew driver and assembling the bubble fans and send the boys back outside to decorate the backyard in soapy bubbles. Alright – back to my workout. I get 12 min. into my workout and Tyler walks in requesting chocolate milk. Awww shoot. I had promised the little guy chocolate milk before I started my workout. So I pause the DVD and make two chocolate milks in super fast mode [when making choc. milk - if one child would like some 99% chance the other child will want some too]. Choc. Milk check, and I’m back to exercising. At the 20 min mark Tyler walks back in and states he needs to go potty. Although fairly recently potty trained he can usually can go on his own but this was a #2 event. GREAT! So I pause the DVD a-g-a-i-n. I get Tyler taken care of and he goes to his room to play. Ten minutes go by and I actually start to work up a sweat. Then I hear the dreaded words from Carter shouting. Mom, Tyler went poop in his pants. “WHAT! I just took him!” So back to the bathroom, where I gathered my patience, say my little speal on how it being an accident and placed Tyler into the bath. Then I thought. ‘Bath’ – hmmm he’ll be in one place. The thought occurred that having Tyler in the bath and me in another room might not be a good idea so I had Carter watch him. ‘Cause dang it I wanted to finish my workout. Turn the DVD back on then… Bzzzzzz. What is that noise? Pause the DVD – go to investigate. “Ah no!” Carter had given Tyler the bubble fan [which has a battery] and Tyler was dunking the fan in the water. I grab that away and explain to Carter & Tyler that they cannot have toys that have batteries in the bath tub. Get Tyler out of the Bath. Send both boys to put on their P.J.’s and go back to my workout. FINALLY! I got a chunk of time to finish while they got dressed [and re-dressed] Tyler had his P.J.s on backwards at first.

Lesson learned = get my butt up early in the morning and workout before the two little monsters, [I mean angels] wake up!

Week 5: Awww Dang… I slacked.

Week 5: Isn’t titled Awww Dang I slacked on the GoRed Better U website. It simply reflects me getting behind. Here is the real header…

Week 5:More Isn’t Always Better.

When I read this. I thought… more “what” isn’t always better. Ah yes. Weight. The dreaded lb’s. Do you know your BMI [Body Mass Index]? It is a scale to help determine if you’re at a healthy weight for your height. So where do you want to be on the scale? Somewhere between 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy. Check your BMI here. If your not at a healthy BMI, take the steps needed to get there…

• Choose a BetterU Weight
• Get Active
• Eat Healthy

and of course write all these down and you’ll make it happen!

Week five has some good information on emotional eating and advice on how to stop. This is definitely something I do and so I am developing an action plan – ways to cope that don’t involve food. Some advice that my mom told me about food that always reminds me about keeping a proper perspective on food is that food is meant to nourish our bodies and give us energy – it is not meant for entertainment [although she wasn't against enjoying food as long as we keep in mind its main purpose.] It helps me remember the “WHY” of eating.

My goal this week = Healthy Eating Goal: By tomorrow, I will use the American Heart Association’s online calculator to find out my recommended daily calories.

Week 4 of BetterU: Strengthen your Resolve

I started off week four by not reading or doing my weekly quiz on the BetterU site and as I do the quiz at the end of the week I’ve discovered I was in sync with the program – so yay; I’m not behind. Week four is about creating a support team and this week I started a family dinner where we will meet once a month to share our fitness and nutrition tips as well as be supports for each other in reaching our goals to becoming healthier. Trying out healthy meals at the dinner is part of the plan too.

Support and accountability can help you reach goals. The BetterU program lists:

There are many types of people you can choose to recruit for your support team. Each can help you in their own unique way:

• Informational Supporters – provide helpful information/suggestions on health, nutrition and physical activity
• Emotional Supporters – provide motivation and encouragement to keep you going on your road to heart health
• Participatory Supporters – provide a partner with whom you can be active or eat healthy
• Logistical Supporters – provide practical assistance such as childcare, transportation, or help getting other tasks done so you can make time for yourself

See who you can add to your support team. Remember its better not to rely on one person since there are many ways you may need support.

Part of the reason I got behind this week is that we got a puppy. Yes a cute, furry time sucker! I knew it would be a lot of work but I wanted a dog for home security and the timing was right to raise a puppy with my boys. So then now reading the BetterU week four post week four, they listed this fact:

Did You Know?

Research shows that dog owners who walk their dogs are more active and have a lower Body Mass Index (healthy weight for height) than people who don’t own or walk their dogs. Be creative with your makeover team – choose some furry friends for support!

Sort of ironic – the week we chose to get Chubaka – aka “Chewie” or my favorite “Chew” [see photo].

If your looking for tips on motivation, fitness, nutrition or an overall healthier lifestyle – check out the BetterU program and form a support team. Then grab a fitbook and write it down to make it happen.