Healthy Habits

LiTaWaMo – Kickoff time!

November 1, 2007 by Naturally Lisa 2 Comments

Ok, folks – it’s time to get serious. Or, at least, a little bit serious. As I’m doing NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) over on LisaMarieMary.com, I thought I would borrow from that and do a ‘walking one’ for myself! I started out with ‘National’, but, soon realized I’d need to change it to ‘Lisa’s’ ….as, it’s just me. And the only thing ‘National’ about me is the spread of my….

Yeah, well, you get the point. I’m going to make every effort possible to walk every single day this month. Even if it is just a little, short walk (because I’m busy, tired, sick…) I would like to walk every day.

And should I succeed (I will succeed, I will succeed) – by the end of the month, I should have a nice habit established, as it only takes twenty-one times of doing something to make it a habit. Sounds like a plan, eh? Yep, I thought so, too.

And, I’ll get back on track with my Healthy Habits while I’m at it, too. I’m gonna need a couple of days to get going on that list, though.

And we’re pretty low on water bottles right now – eeks! I’m gonna have to make sure the old man gets us some more this weekend, as there is no way I am drinking this tap water out here. Yuck! When we lived in Texas, and we ran out of water bottles before grocery day, I could put tap water in the bottles, refrigerate them, and when they were nice and cold, they were totally drink-able. This water out here is seriously yuck-o, though! So that’s kind of a bummer, because, I feel trapped, or stuck to …well, you know – dependent, on those damn bottles. And that just sucks.

That’s okay, though – it’ll work out. And today – I actually took TWO walks! (No, I won’t cheat and count that for two days!) My silly Puppy decided to poop in a neighbor’s yard, and as he never used to do that – I didn’t have a bag with me! So I took Puppy home, and went back to retrieve his fecal matter. Ewww! For five whole years, Puppy spoiled me by only pooping at home! And now, the last two walks, he has pooped out and about! Gah! It’s back to carrying bags for me, just like I did when he was a puppy and I didn’t know of his ‘only poop at home’ rule – the one that is no more….

Wow – I ended the last two paragraphs on a sour note. That last one – literally and figuratively! I’ll have to remedy that. Here’s some happiness and sunshine:

Thirty days of walking is going to be so good for me! I’m going to feel so good and it’s going to become a habit! I’ll be able to keep up better with the kids and zip my pants up easier. Life will be absolutely, terrifically perfect.

Was that better?

Filed Under: exercise, Healthy Habits, LiTaWaMo, Physical

Healthy habits list and stretching

August 10, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

Guess what I did? Finally! I earned this:

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And – I earned it fair and square! I completed the whole list! I did it on Tuesday, Aug. 7th. I almost did it again on Wednesday, but, I was missing one bottle of water. Total bummer to miss it for a stupid bottle of water! Ah well, I am getting better about getting back in the swing of things. The swing of healthy things.

You know one thing that really helps me? Stretching. Yep, stretching. It’s really that simple. It is one form of exercise that I really like and I am really good at it – I am super limber. And when I am staying stretched out, I feel good and well, sort of ….athletic. It’s kind of embarassing to say, but, it’s true. It makes me feel athletic. And that, in and of itself, is inspiring. It encourages me to embrace a healthy attitude – in all things, you know? Stretching can be beneficial in a number of ways:

1. Increased Range of Movement
As one constantly stretches, the length of the muscles and the tendons are also increased. This will help in increasing the range of your movement. Thus, the limbs and joints will be able to move, way before an injury can take place.

2. Increased Ability to Perform Skills
When you have a wide range of movement, you will be able to do more things. Stretching helps you to have a more active lifestyle.

3. Injury Prevention
One can prevent injury to joints, tendons and muscles with stretching. When the muscles and tendons are well-flexed, they are considered in good working order. This will help in a faster recovery and decreased soreness. The muscles of the body will be able to take more exhausting and rigorous movements with less probability of being injured.

4. Reduce Muscle Tension
If the muscles are given their regular exercises and stretching, it is less likely that they will contract. This will definitely relieve you of any muscle pain or problems.

5. Enhance Energy
Being able to move more will also give you more energy. Stretching will also help enhance your awareness of your own body. As such, you are going to be more driven to move rather than sit at your desk all day. (Of which I’m often guilty. Eeks!)

6. Reduces Cholesterol
Research also shows that doing prolonged stretching exercises, like yoga, will help reduce the cholesterol in the body. This of course must be accompanied by a healthy diet. This could prevent and even reverse the hardening of the arteries, allowing you to avoid coronary diseases.

Yep, stretching is definitely cool. Hey, if it’s something physical that I’m good at – I should just go for it, right? I think so!

Filed Under: Healthy Habits, Physical

List complete and Google Pedometer

August 7, 2007 by Naturally Lisa 2 Comments

Boy, oh boy, do I ever deserve this, yet again:

Yesterday the kids and I walked to McDonald’s to eat lunch and then we went to the yogurt place for dessert. That sure doesn’t make it sound like I completed my Healthy Habits list, now, does it? Hahaha! And I actually didn’t complete the list, but, I had such a workout, that I am giving it to myself honorarily again!

I am so sore today! I heard on the radio that the heat index was 110 degrees! And that time of day, the hottest, is when I chose to take my kids on a 2+ mile walk! I never said I was the prettiest crayon in the box! And we do live on a hill, so coming home almost killed me. I wound up with a migraine, and went to bed at 6pm. But you know what – I had a workout – and that rocks! I’m so excited about that.

I found out how far we went on this great new Google tool my friend, Amy, just told me about recently. It is so awesome – it’s the Google pedometer and you can measure the distance of where you walked/ran. And it’s better than going back and tracking in the car, because you can track where you walked that you wouldn’t be able to in the car. For instance, the kids and I cut through the college parking lot and field at one point, and I was able to tell the Google pedometer that and get a measurement of our distance covered. Totally cool.

Filed Under: exercise, Healthy Habits

Honorary badge and getting focused!

July 16, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

Today I get one of these:It’s an honorary badge – just like colleges give out honorary degrees – I’m giving myself an honorary ‘List Complete’ badge! See, I haven’t actually completed the list in quite some time, however, I did some SERIOUS exercising last weekend! We went to Canyon River Falls and went hiking around and had a great time. And one of our hikes almost killed me! So I’d say that qualifies me for a badge! Winking 5

I am, however, concentrating on getting back on track since we’ve been back from Texas. I seem to always miss a thing or two, but, I’m working on it every day. I have a lot of friends online focusing on getting healthy and that is inspiring me and helping me out!

I am so grateful that so many of my friends are on the same wavelength, because it helps so much. There are so many days when I just completely pretend I have nothing to work on and completely ignore my health. With all my friends talking about it all the time, though, it is hard to BS myself!

Filed Under: Health, Healthy Habits, Inspiration

Healthy Habits

May 9, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

I haven’t made the list yet, but, I am getting there! I think the thing that I am having the most trouble with lately is working the exercise back into my daily routine. I got out of the habit and now squeezing it back in amongst my blogging, housework, and various ‘Mom’ duties, is kind of hard. You know how it is when you feel like you just don’t have an extra fifteen minutes, even – to add something else in.

And I feel so stuck with this ‘losing weight’ business – sometimes I get so frustrated with it. I was thinking today about jobs that I could get to help me lose weight. One time, when I was working at a drop-in daycare center, I lost ten pounds in a month without even trying! And I mean, we ate ALL the time at the daycare – we were always nibbling! It was great! Being a golf caddy would be another job that would be good for weight loss – heck, it would probably be great! I imagine carrying around someone’s Ping golf bag all day over 18 holes would be quite the workout!

But I am just not willing to work outside the home right now! Especially with school fixing to get out for the summer. And it certainly doesn’t help that I no longer have a car!

I am enjoying my online work too much to quit, anyway! And there is no way on God’s green earth that I could handle doing both!

(I used that expression the other day – ‘God’s green earth’ – and Mark said, “You know – from space, the earth really looks blue.” Well – ok then. Thank you for that information! LOL!)

Anyway, hopefully, I will get back on the exercise train SOON!

Filed Under: Healthy Habits

Healthy habits?

April 23, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

Where did my healthy habits go? Nowhere, really, I just have had a crazy life lately, so I haven’t had too many days of completing the list. I’ve had out of town visitors, my son going to Washington DC – without me, and just all kinds of craziness!!

I almost made it yesterday, and, in fact, went to bed pleased thinking that I had made the list. When I sat down here this morning, however, I realized that I forgot to read any AA-approved literature. Darn it! I remember thinking as I got into bed, too…’do I have it all? I did everything, right? yeah! I did, I did!’

Oh well. Close.

Filed Under: Healthy Habits

Healthy Habits

April 9, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

I have not been making the list, but, I am totally ok with that! Yesterday, for instance, I didn’t drink a second bottle of water, and I didn’t eat any fruits or vegetables. (Any? Oh my!) Nope, I didn’t eat any fruits or veggies, but, Puppy and I took a monster long walk – which was really fun, by the way – we took a new route. But it was also quite strenuous – so that is super mega cool. And so I am not even bothered by the fact that I didn’t make the list. I was getting to the point where if I exercised, and still didn’t make the list – I was really upset with myself and the situation – because exercising seems to be the hardest thing to do. I was even thinking of asking Loretta to make me a “I exercised!” button for those kinds of days, but, now I’m to the point where I’m really feeling good about my efforts, so, it isn’t bugging me a bit!

I think some, if not all, of the things on my list, are becoming true ‘habits’ – and that is great!

So – no flowers for me right now – but, that is quite alright!

Filed Under: Healthy Habits

Healthy Habits for Wed., March 4

April 6, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

Another good day – yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaw!!

This getting healthy stuff is fun! My house is getting cleaner, I am feeling better, my finances are getting better – it is an all-around job! How cool is it that with the littlest bit of effort, you get so much? And then you want to do more – and then things get even better, and so on, and so on….

I always liken it to that magazine advertisement where they showed what an iceberg looks like on top of the water – and what it looks like underneath the water – HUGEMONGOUS! Like my word? I try to explain to new drunks that come in how they just have to put in that little bit of effort – because often when we come in, that is all we are capable of – and how God will return the gifts to us tenfold. It really must be experienced to be fully understood, but, I always hope that I can show them by my walk….’these are the things not to do, and if you do these things, your life will improve’ ….etc, etc

Ok, but, see – that doesn’t really work, because, like I said – people need to learn from their own experiences and also, often when we get sober, things actually get worse. So that makes me a liar. Ha!

See – getting sober is a bitch! And the funny thing is, when you take away mood-altering chemicals – we get to feel things. Feel things?! Ugh… That can really suck.

And then there’s always dealing with the wreckage we’ve left behind us…and at first that crap really sucks. What eventually happens is we change. A lot of our circumstances don’t change – but we change, on the inside – and that is what makes life a whole lot better. Learning how to live, and be at peace, in a world of chaos. The ultimate gift. I just love it. I certainly don’t have it all the time. And I certainly haven’t had it much in the last few years – otherwise, I never would have started this blog. I am, however, getting back on track. And so all of this good stuff, and better way of thinking, is coming back to me.

And it feels great!

Filed Under: Healthy Habits, sobriety

Healthy Habits for Tues., April 3

April 4, 2007 by Naturally Lisa Leave a Comment

I did it again – yea! I had a really great day yesterday!

Gosh – I thought I had a whole bunch more to say today, but, I have got cleaning the bathroom on my mind, so I can’t really think to write very well.

But, hey – I’m cleaning house! That right there speaks volumes! It’s not that ‘Oh shit! Company’s coming – we gotta clean this crap up!’ – I’m just doing it. Imagine that!

So I guess I’ll go and get to it.

Filed Under: Healthy Habits