Do you wish you had more time?

My husband is an avid golfer and on the weekends, spends much of his time on the golf course.  Well, when you live in New York City, you can’t just step outside and go down the street to play 18 holes.  It’s quite a commitment if you want to play golf when you live in a big city.  My husband drives 45 minutes to and from the course, not including traffic (and if you live in or anywhere near the city, you know there is always traffic).  Secretly I think golf is his sole reason for wanting to move out of the city (and what I consider the most perfect neighborhood in all of New York) and into the suburbs. 

I’ve always thought it would be fun to play golf but never really pursued it because, to be honest, I didn’t think I had the patience or the time.  I’m one of those people that always needs to be busy.  If I don’t have a long To Do list to guide me through the day, I’m lost.  It’s very hard for me to sit down on the couch and just watch TV or just read a magazine... I also have to be writing a blog post, packing my lunch, doing the laundry and checking my email at the same time.  There is always more that needs to be done than there are hours in the day.  If I spend 4 hours out on the golf course, how will I get everything else done?  I know myself, I would spend the whole time thinking about all of the other things that I could or should be doing instead or will have to do as soon as we get home.  However, since I'm not ready to move to the burbs just yet but I do want to spend more time with my husband on the weekends, I said “yes” when he offered to sign me up for a golf lesson.

On Sunday morning, I bought some shorts, a collared shirt and a pair of golf shoes.  This alone took more time than I thought (if you've ever shopped for women's golf apparel, you know it can be quite challenging if you aren’t into knee length plaid shorts and a shirt with a matching plaid collar) but after I was finally outfitted properly, off we went to the course. 

I learned quickly that golf is a very humbling and selfish sport.  It wants all of your attention.  You can’t think about anything else when you’re golfing.  You can’t think too far ahead and you certainly can’t multi-task… at least not successfully.  Golf forces you to live in the moment, to think only of the ball in front of you.  Sure, you have to take a look at what’s in front of you, locate the hole and pick a target but then you have to turn your attention first, to your stance, then to your grip, then to your backswing and then to your follow through.  If you lose sight of the task directly in front of you, if you’re thinking about the next hole or just your next shot, you will miss the ball completely.  You will be right back where you started and you will have to go through the motions all over again until your focus is just right, until you make contact and swing through the ball and then, and only then, do you dare pick up your head to see where it might land.   

Ask for what you want and the universe will give you what you need.  Basically, that’s what happened with me and golf.  We all have the same number of hours in the day, but if you’re anything like me, if you were given 24 more, you could easily fill those up too.  So, I'm constantly asking the universe for more time to get everything done and what I got was an introduction to a sport that takes 4 hours to play and demands singular focus and all of my attention. 

Golf made me realize that what I need isn’t MORE time, what I need is to slow down to enjoy the time I have, to live in the present moment without worrying about what comes next and to appreciate the time I can now spend with my husband on the weekends.   I think this is the first of many golf lessons to come.

Have a happy + healthy day!

 

Getting Back to the Basics.

Last month. my Dad celebrated his 74^th birthday!  When I called to wish him a Happy Birthday, he asked about my Health Coaching business which led him to tell me a story about some changes that he made when he was younger and wanted to lose weight. I asked him if he would share his story with my readers and he agreed.  Here is my Dad's story...

It was 1960 and my friend and I decided to weigh ourselves on the scale in the bathroom at work.  My friend, 2 inches taller with wider shoulders, was 'overweight' in my mind and weighed in at 219 lbs.  Then I stepped on the scale and I weighed in at 214 lbs!  That's when I realized I was the overweight one. 

From then on, I reduced my food intake by quite a bit, not drastically but still a lot.  Instead of 2 sandwiches, soup, a piece of cake and 2 small whole milks, I had 1 sandwich, soup and 1 milk with occasional dessert.  After a night out, I would go to the diner with my friends and I would drink coffee instead of having the meal I would have normally consumed (2 eggs, ham or bacon, home fries, toast, coffee and a glass of whole milk).  

I started losing weight slowly, more so at first.  I also started playing more handball, basketball, softball, etc...  My habits regarding eating changed markedly, especially as to volume, but I knew I still had too much fat, sugar and salt in my diet. Gradually, from then on, I reduced my consumption of these items as well. 

I am not a health "nut" but I am still careful as to what I eat.  For ex. I would be happy (if only temporarily) eating Hagen Dazs ice cream every day but I know this isn't healthy for me so I have it every week or so and then only a small portion.  I have kept the weight off for all of these years and I am certain my overall health is surely better at age 74 than if I had not made some changes all those years ago.

After a year of reading lots of books, weekly classes, tests, and trainings + certifications to become a Health Coach, I learned that my Dad had already figured out the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle... getting back to the basics:  motivation, moderation, smart choices and reason. I am sure my Dad has told this story before but I didn’t really hear it until now… when health + nutrition is always top of mind.

When I think about it, my Dad and Mom always knew that going back to the basics was the answer. Growing up, I remember my Dad working in the garden in our backyard where we grew corn and tomatoes and where my sister and I ate fresh peas on summer mornings.  We picked apples from the tree on the hill and also had fresh eggs from the chickens we kept in the coop by the garden.  My parents have recycled for as long as I can remember and have composted for even longer.  My Mom always packed our school lunches and they were gauranteed to include carrot sticks and a handwritten note wishing us a good day.   I literally grew up surrounded by these healthy habits.  I realize how lucky I am and I want to thank my parents for being such wonderful and healthy role models for me and for my sisters.

Happy Birthday, Dad!  Here's to many more healthy and happy years.  Cheers!

Have a healthy day!

 

Family Photo from my Dad's 70th Birthday Party

 

 

Clutter Bugs... Worse than Bed Bugs.

Yesterday, I gave a corporate workshop on how to De-Clutter your Space, Mind + Body. It's one of my favorite topics to speak about because making positive changes in any of these areas can have a profound effect on all areas of our well-being.

Most people think about physical objects when they hear the word clutter but unwanted habits, emotions and thoughts can also be clutter. People (negative relationships), food and even body fat can be clutter.

I know you have all heard the saying “We are what we eat.”  Although what we eat has a huge bearing on our health, it’s not the only factor.  As Dr. Isaac Eliaz said in an article for the Hufffington Post earlier this year:

We are all products of our environments, and vice versa, since the environments we create reflect and affect our physical, mental and emotional health.  When life becomes messy or disorderly, our physical as well as mental/emotional health can also get muddled and we become less energetic and less efficient.

Accumulating and living with clutter can actually affect your mental and physical health.  Yikes!  So how do we get rid of the clutter bugs???

Below are some of my favorite tips for De-Cluttering/Detoxing your space, mind + body:

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR SPACE:

Create 4 piles:

1.   Keep things you love and get enjoyment from, things you use and/or need. Set a time frame for things in this category that need repair, mending, dry cleaning, etc… If it doesn’t get done in that time frame, these items should get moved to one of the other 3 piles!

2.   Toss anything that is broken and can’t be repaired, anything you were saving in case you “needed” it or anything you discovered that you didn’t even know you had

3.   Donate things in good condition but that are no longer in use or that you no longer LOVE or need

4.   Give Away things that you know someone else in your life will get enjoyment from. Make sure it’s really something they will Love or something they need or will use. Don’t just pass clutter around!

Some things to consider when making your decision about an item…

• If you saw it in a store today, would you invest in it?
• Does it bring you joy?
• Do you still use it… often?
• Exceptions: Off-season clothing or shoes and items with sentimental value: ex. Your winter coat, wedding dress.

Tips:

• Don’t handle things more than once. Every time you touch something it should go to its proper home. This goes for when you are clearing the clutter for the first time and for everyday maintenance
• Re-evaluate often. Our feelings about objects evolves
• When making purchases, invest only in things that you LOVE and can’t live without
• Tidy 10: Take 10 minutes each morning to clean the surfaces in at least the bathroom and kitchen. Take 10 minutes to put things back where they belong at the end of the day.
• Resist the urge to fill up the open space you create.
• Go paperless. Sign up for electronic billing. Use the paperkarma app to reduce junk mail.
• Cyber Clutter- Open and read emails or social media messages ONLY if you have time to respond to them at that moment. Otherwise, the action steps that need to be taken as a result of that email message, or even just the mere fact that you just have to reply at a later time, become mental clutter.  *This is my favorite tip.  It was truly life-changing for me!

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR MIND:

1.  Invest in experiences and not material items.

2. When considering whether to keep an object or not, consider the energy you are exhausting by holding on to it and then consider what you could do with the energy if you had it back.

3. Breathing is a simple form of meditation. Try any of these simple breathing exercises.

4. Journaling- Before bed, write down all of your thoughts in a journal or notebook. They don’t have to make sense, just write whatever comes to mind until you can’t think of anything else to write. Putting your thoughts on paper helps to signal to your brain that it’s OK to let go of them. This will silence your mind in preparation for a sound night of sleep.

DE-CLUTTERING YOUR BODY:

1. De-clutter your diet. Instead of focusing on the foods you should NOT be eating (sugar laden foods, processed foods, candy, soda, etc…) concentrate on introducing IN high quality, nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, greens and whole grains

2. Introduce at least 20-30 minutes of physical activity as many days as possible. Start with a 20 minute walk 3 times a week if that’s all you can manage and then work your way up.

3. Make sure you are getting enough sleep.  Click here for some tips for better sleep. 

Clearing the clutter bugs can be overwhelming so start small... pick 1 room, 1 closet or even 1 shelf and then put one (some or all) of these tips into action and notice how you feel.   But be careful... when you have de-cluttered a space, what do you think your natural instinct is? You want to fill that space right up again! Resist the urge.  Once you have taken the positive step of de-cluttering, live with the open space. Try it on for size, enjoy it, appreciate it. See what changes in your mind and body as a result. 

Have a Happy + Health Day!

*Photo Credits: Google Images + Pinterest

30 Day Shred: Before & After

Here we are at the end of my 30 day Shred Challenge.  Finally!  

30 days (and what feels like an eternity) ago I committed to doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD after being inspired by my sister, Meg, who had just completed a 30 day Bikram Yoga challenge.  The DVD promised the potential to lose up to 20lbs and that I would be "shredded" at the end of the 30 days.  With my towel, 5lb weights and $10.99 DVD in hand, I gave it a shot. 

While I can't say I lost 20lbs or that I now rock six pack abs, I am 3.5 lbs lighter and I'm beginning to see signs of ab muscles that I haven't seen in a while.  My "love handles" are smaller and I'm seeing some definition in my shoulders and arms that definitely wasn't there on Day 1.  (See my Before + After pictures below.  Eek... it's a little scary to put these pictures out there for everyone to see... my friends, family, co-workers, clients, blog/facebook followers, newsletter subscribers and fellow health gurus.  It's not like selecting and cropping your favorite, most flattering picture for your facebook profile.  These pictures are what they are... the good parts, the bad parts, the improved parts and the still to be improved parts.  But, I promised to show them to you so here they are. I hope you find inspiration and motivation in them.

During the past 30 days:

I worked out in my living room. 

I worked out on the terrace. 

I worked out before work.

I worked out in my hotel room at 10pm after a 16 hour flight to Hong Kong...

...and again the next morning at 6am.

 I worked out on vacation (where my amazing Mom joined me for 3 workouts). 

I worked out on the balcony at the beach. 

I worked out in a hotel gym in China where, clearly, no one else was doing a 30 Day Challenge as the gym was empty.

 I even did the video and then ran 3 miles on some days.  

At first I really had to plan to make sure that I made time for my workouts each day.  But, it actually became easier as the days progressed and started to become a habit and, dare I say, almost addicting!?! 

I hope you know that I am in no way telling you this to brag or to be self promoting!  I am sharing this with you in hopes of inspiring and motivating you.  We are all capable of achieving whatever we desire as long as we believe it is possible and we make the decision to re-commit ourselves to our goal every day. Even though I'm a Health Coach, it's no easier for me to make this commitment.  I still suffer through every push-up and jump squat just like everyone else.  I still have to wake up each morning and make the decision to eat well and to make time to work out.  Then I have to wake up and make the same decision again the next day.   

Although I worked out regularly prior to my 30 Day Challenge, I certainly never worked out for 30 days in a row and was lenient with myself when conditions for working out weren't perfect.  Publicly making the commitment to this challenge, made me realize that not working out because I was tired, had too much to do or was simply not in mood was just a lame excuse to be lazy. We all have the same amount of time, the same 24 hours in a day, and there is no one I know that can't find 30 minutes each day to work out and who won't benefit from doing so... including you and me!

Bottom Line:  After 30 days and 900 minutes of working out, I didn't see the results the DVD promised, but it was still a ridiculously hard workout and I do feel like I am tighter, firmer, stronger and have better posture.  I also feel more confident and am really proud of myself for my achievement. 

I hope this inspires you to try something new, to challenge yourself and to push yourself above and beyond your comfort zone.  Anything is possible for you... I just know it!   

Have a Great Day!

           before                +                after             

Tips for Smart Shopping + Healthy Eating.

These are some of my favorite tips + tools to help you shop wisely and eat healthy!  

1. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released their 2012 list of the 12 most and 15 least pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables on the market (http://current.com/13da6kc). Print and bring the EWG's 2012 Shopper's Guide with you to help you make smart decisions when shopping for produce. You can also download the free app (Dirty Dozen) to your phone. Whenever possible, try to buy organic when purchasing the 'Dirty Dozen'. It's OK to choose conventional when buying the 'Clean 15'. Either way, make sure to thoroughly wash your produce before eating.

2. Now that you know when you should buy organic and when it's OK to buy conventional, here's a handy shopping tip to help you identify organic, conventional or genetically modified produce:

• Conventional produce uses a 4 digit PLU code (produce look up code). Ex. 4128
• The PLU code for organic produce always starts with a 9 followed by a 4 digit code. Ex. 94128
• The PLU code for genetically modified produce (avoid these!) always starts with an 8 followed by a 4 digit code. Ex. 84128

3. All of the information, marketing, ads and studies out there about food + nutrition can be confusing. Fooducate is the perfect solution to help you make smarter choices at the grocery store. All you have to do is scan or type in the UPC code of any product and Fooducate will give the product a grade and will also offer you healthier alternatives. You can download Fooducate to your iPhone or Android or you can check out their website for the same great resources.
FREE iPhone app http://bit.ly/fdctapp
FREE Android app http://bit.ly/fdctap2

Share YOUR favorite healthy eating tips in the comments section below!

Have a Healthy Day,