We all say it: there's never enough time in the day. However, we usually find time to do the things we really want to do and to avoid what we don't want to do. How can we be sure we get in the things that serve us and let go of those things that don't?
It's a process. It's a priority list. It's a to-do list with ME TIME built into it. We can all agree that it takes time to live life. Working, traffic, chores, bill pay, shopping, preparing meal plans, prepping and cooking...the list goes on. How do we carve out precious time to do the things that make us happier--take a nap, read a book, relax in nature, go to yoga? One of the best ways is to look at the schedule and discover where we might be wasting time? Too much tv, social media, procrastination or worrying can consume the precious moments we might have spent on taking a walk, discovering a new recipe or reading.
No one gets any more than twenty-four hours in a day. Not every minute has to be productive or busy. Down time is critical to feeling in control and calm. However, we have to be sure to prioritize what has to get done: sleep, eat, go to work, manage stress, exercise, visit neighbors....and all else.
By taking a careful look at what we really want (time to work out) we can arrange our schedule around the ME TIME that restores and renews. We can feel better about the to-do list, and we can value where we spend our time far more intentionally.
All of this contributes to a healthier and happier lifestyle. When we are in charge of where we spend our precious resources (time, energy, attention), then we become more content. When we recharge our batteries, we have the energy we need to keep going. When we are operating "in the zone" we can make strides with our health and fitness goals.
We are a work in progress from now until forever. That means there is a lot of room for mistakes as well as improvement. There is no end point in living a healthy life. We will always be evolving and figuring out what works best. With that in mind, let's be sure we are harnessing our energy and power to make the most of what we value--our healthy, long lives. The time is now.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
PORTION YOUR FOOD AND YOUR LIFE
How much is enough? We will never know if we don't have a frame of reference for what is "right size" in the first place. In the land of super size, however, we are completely confused by portion distortion, and that makes us feel sad and bad when we actually see what a right size portion is. It certainly doesn't feel adequate given what our eyes and our stomachs are used to enjoying.
This is one of life's lessons that speaks to restraint, moderation and indulgence. We must admit, if we intend to lose weight, we have to be smart about appropriate servings. This starts with educating ourselves to labels and recommended serving sizes noted on boxes, purchasing food scales, measuring cups and spoons and maybe even buying smaller plates, bowls and glasses. We also have to distinguish between healthy, nutritious weight-loss friendly foods to eat often and indulgence foods to enjoy occasionally. There will be room for more salad, veggies and fruit. There will be room for limited treats like processed carbs, fats and sugars. The good news is that we can still have whatever we want, but we have to be savvy enough to know how to get satisfied with the major food groups and how to manage the extras. We do this by practicing. We train ourselves to get satisfied with less, and then over time, we do find ourselves satisfied with less.
This is not just a weight loss pursuit, this is actually a life long lesson in balancing a healthy lifestyle. We cannot work all the time and get no relaxation time. That's fattening. We cannot endure struggle after struggle without taking a break. That's defeating. We cannot spend all of our time serving others without serving our needs. That's unhealthy. We also can't expect to be perfect at moderating all of these pursuits. Life is a challenge. Regardless of the best of intentions, things happen. If we have built enough wiggle room into the schedule, though, we can hopefully recover from these minor blips and keep a sense of humor and continue.
If we thought of life like a big apple--something red and shiny and crispy and wonderful--something that we could hold in our hand--we know that we can only eat it bite by bite. If we thought of the wonderful things that might happen in our lives, every day, we know we can only experience them moment by moment. If we thought of ourselves as a work in progress, then we could accept where we are in our life's work today, at this moment and let that be enough.
You are enough. The right size portions will be enough. The life you wish to dream of and build, one day at a time, is enough.
This is one of life's lessons that speaks to restraint, moderation and indulgence. We must admit, if we intend to lose weight, we have to be smart about appropriate servings. This starts with educating ourselves to labels and recommended serving sizes noted on boxes, purchasing food scales, measuring cups and spoons and maybe even buying smaller plates, bowls and glasses. We also have to distinguish between healthy, nutritious weight-loss friendly foods to eat often and indulgence foods to enjoy occasionally. There will be room for more salad, veggies and fruit. There will be room for limited treats like processed carbs, fats and sugars. The good news is that we can still have whatever we want, but we have to be savvy enough to know how to get satisfied with the major food groups and how to manage the extras. We do this by practicing. We train ourselves to get satisfied with less, and then over time, we do find ourselves satisfied with less.
This is not just a weight loss pursuit, this is actually a life long lesson in balancing a healthy lifestyle. We cannot work all the time and get no relaxation time. That's fattening. We cannot endure struggle after struggle without taking a break. That's defeating. We cannot spend all of our time serving others without serving our needs. That's unhealthy. We also can't expect to be perfect at moderating all of these pursuits. Life is a challenge. Regardless of the best of intentions, things happen. If we have built enough wiggle room into the schedule, though, we can hopefully recover from these minor blips and keep a sense of humor and continue.
If we thought of life like a big apple--something red and shiny and crispy and wonderful--something that we could hold in our hand--we know that we can only eat it bite by bite. If we thought of the wonderful things that might happen in our lives, every day, we know we can only experience them moment by moment. If we thought of ourselves as a work in progress, then we could accept where we are in our life's work today, at this moment and let that be enough.
You are enough. The right size portions will be enough. The life you wish to dream of and build, one day at a time, is enough.
Monday, July 13, 2015
The Bliss List
What's your pleasure? It's what you like--what makes you happy--what fills that inexplicable need to just enjoy for no reason at all, other than the pursuit of enjoying for enjoyment's sake. This isn't the life I lead most of the time, but I do find ways to add some of these "bliss moments" into every day. Otherwise, the burdens of working, family responsibilities, chores, volunteer efforts, etc. will take over and make me burdened and unhappy.
Striking the right balance between obligations and pleasures is not always easy to do, but it is important not only for our happiness but for our health. People who practice self-care are the same people who make time to take good care of themselves. This means taking time to enjoy a favorite hobby, outing, nature, exercise, social occasion, massage or walk in the sunshine. These are things that we can incorporate into daily life so that no matter how things play out with the to-do list, we have the take-care list to keep us balanced, healthy and sane.
This doesn't seem like such a problem, but for many people it really is. Many people manage to get the A-1 priorities under control at the expense of sanity and well-being. This can create resentment and frustration--and lead to some very unwelcome habits like overeating, not sleeping well and not exercising.
Everyone has a responsibility to take good care of their health. We can't be perfect at this all the time. Sometimes the hectic nature of life itself gets in the way. However, most of the time, we want to be sure to make time, take time, create opportunities to do the very simple things that please us and make us feel happy, centered, energized and rejuvenated. It's a pause that refreshes. It's also counterintuitive. By taking time away from life's to-dos, we actually become more effective and present in all areas of our life.
If you aren't giving yourself permission to take a time out, just for you, on a regular if not daily basis, the time is now to start. This is a necessary act of self-care that has health and wellness benefits for you and those you encounter.
Get going! Enjoy yourself. Find your bliss. Look forward to it. Having fun looks great on you.
Striking the right balance between obligations and pleasures is not always easy to do, but it is important not only for our happiness but for our health. People who practice self-care are the same people who make time to take good care of themselves. This means taking time to enjoy a favorite hobby, outing, nature, exercise, social occasion, massage or walk in the sunshine. These are things that we can incorporate into daily life so that no matter how things play out with the to-do list, we have the take-care list to keep us balanced, healthy and sane.
This doesn't seem like such a problem, but for many people it really is. Many people manage to get the A-1 priorities under control at the expense of sanity and well-being. This can create resentment and frustration--and lead to some very unwelcome habits like overeating, not sleeping well and not exercising.
Everyone has a responsibility to take good care of their health. We can't be perfect at this all the time. Sometimes the hectic nature of life itself gets in the way. However, most of the time, we want to be sure to make time, take time, create opportunities to do the very simple things that please us and make us feel happy, centered, energized and rejuvenated. It's a pause that refreshes. It's also counterintuitive. By taking time away from life's to-dos, we actually become more effective and present in all areas of our life.
If you aren't giving yourself permission to take a time out, just for you, on a regular if not daily basis, the time is now to start. This is a necessary act of self-care that has health and wellness benefits for you and those you encounter.
Get going! Enjoy yourself. Find your bliss. Look forward to it. Having fun looks great on you.
Monday, July 6, 2015
GO AHEAD, TREAT YOURSELF...
This weekend I was at a Caribou early in the morning picking up coffee on my way out of town. I ordered my usual black as I saw my guy eyeing the pastry case. He ordered his coffee and then an almond scone. The barrista looked at me and said, "Just one"? I said, "of course just one; have you seen my butt"! She laughed and said that it would be a good idea to treat myself. Just a little something. In my world of counting points, an almond scone is not a little something. Then another guy in the coffee shop came by after overhearing this conversation and chimed in about having balance. Sometimes you treat yourself and sometimes you don't, but now seems like a good time according to him.
What is the harm in indulging? Well, the biggest problem is that it never is "just this once." "Just this once" leads to sloppy tracking, regret, unplanned high point treats and frustration later when there are no more points plus values left for things like lunch.
Driving along on this same road trip, I saw a few signs in small towns advertising weight loss businesses. My guy jokingly wondered why there are no signs advertising weight gain. In actuality, the road was littered with weight gain signs. As far as the eye could see, it was Denny's, McDonalds, Culver's, DQ....Wendy's...Chinese Buffet...Outback....sound familiar?
This reminded me of the challenges we all face on the path to weight loss, weight maintenance and good health. We do not have nearly enough support. This means we have to create the lifestyle where we want to choose healthier options more often than not, as in most of the time. We do this one day at a time, one meal at a time, one frustration at a time. Our challenges are actually great life lessons if we choose to see them that way. We won't be making that silly and oh-so predictable mistake again. We will endeavor to find ways to succeed, healthy places to eat, ways to make a road trip or any trip something we can enjoy and be proud of. If an indulgence opportunity arises, and we all know it will, we can stop and ask ourselves if this is the time for a treat, or is this the time to stand tall and firmly say no?
In the end, the Caribou people were right, and so was I. Yes, I can go ahead and treat myself, because treats are part of life. But for me, at that time, in that place, that almond croissant didn't mean anything to me. However, the drinks that came much later after a 50 mile bike ride certainly did.
What is the harm in indulging? Well, the biggest problem is that it never is "just this once." "Just this once" leads to sloppy tracking, regret, unplanned high point treats and frustration later when there are no more points plus values left for things like lunch.
Driving along on this same road trip, I saw a few signs in small towns advertising weight loss businesses. My guy jokingly wondered why there are no signs advertising weight gain. In actuality, the road was littered with weight gain signs. As far as the eye could see, it was Denny's, McDonalds, Culver's, DQ....Wendy's...Chinese Buffet...Outback....sound familiar?
This reminded me of the challenges we all face on the path to weight loss, weight maintenance and good health. We do not have nearly enough support. This means we have to create the lifestyle where we want to choose healthier options more often than not, as in most of the time. We do this one day at a time, one meal at a time, one frustration at a time. Our challenges are actually great life lessons if we choose to see them that way. We won't be making that silly and oh-so predictable mistake again. We will endeavor to find ways to succeed, healthy places to eat, ways to make a road trip or any trip something we can enjoy and be proud of. If an indulgence opportunity arises, and we all know it will, we can stop and ask ourselves if this is the time for a treat, or is this the time to stand tall and firmly say no?
In the end, the Caribou people were right, and so was I. Yes, I can go ahead and treat myself, because treats are part of life. But for me, at that time, in that place, that almond croissant didn't mean anything to me. However, the drinks that came much later after a 50 mile bike ride certainly did.
GRATITUDE IS AN ATTITUDE; GRATITUDE IS A GIFT
There are those who see the glass as half full; and there are those who see the glass as half empty. The people who see the glass as half full are the ones who find the good in situations, people and circumstances. This is a natural way for these people to be, which is actually beneficial for weight loss. Who knew that the connection between gratitude and weight loss comes through happiness. When people see the positive and are mindful enough to stop and take note, gratitude steps in and amplifies the happiness. Happy people are more successful losing weight. Weight loss itself is reason to grateful and happy.
But, what if you are not that naturally happy person. What if you see the glass as half empty? Does this mean you can't lose weight? No, of course not. However, it does mean that you need to intentionally cultivate a more positive outlook and actively seek out the good in situations, people and circumstances.
Weight loss can feel like an all-consuming process, a part-time job without pay, at the beginning. After a while, sticking to the program will enable us to create new habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Then, we see the results we were hoping for all along. There will be challenges along the way. That's normal and very predictable. How we choose to react to those difficulties will either help us keep going or not.
There is no end to the things that come along in the course of a day that can give us a lift and a smile. Slow down and notice these little things and big. It costs us nothing to be grateful for the life we are given, and that itself is a gift.
But, what if you are not that naturally happy person. What if you see the glass as half empty? Does this mean you can't lose weight? No, of course not. However, it does mean that you need to intentionally cultivate a more positive outlook and actively seek out the good in situations, people and circumstances.
Weight loss can feel like an all-consuming process, a part-time job without pay, at the beginning. After a while, sticking to the program will enable us to create new habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Then, we see the results we were hoping for all along. There will be challenges along the way. That's normal and very predictable. How we choose to react to those difficulties will either help us keep going or not.
There is no end to the things that come along in the course of a day that can give us a lift and a smile. Slow down and notice these little things and big. It costs us nothing to be grateful for the life we are given, and that itself is a gift.
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