The Importance of Sleep and Rest

As I am writing this, I am basking in the fact that last night I got almost 8 hours of sleep. This is a big deal for me because it doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it’s because of my own foolishness in staying up later than I should and other times it’s just a matter of dealing with menopausal symptoms. So what does any of this have to do with fitness? Believe it or not, sleep is a vital component to a fit lifestyle. A lack of sleep can mess with your mind, your physical motivation and even you’re eating habits. … Continue reading →

Emotional Fitness

I discovered something new and very fulfilling to do while I am walking on my treadmill. I pray. Even if prayer isn’t your thing, you might find meditation or just thinking to be great ways to spend time walking on your treadmill. Here’s why I like to pray while walking on my treadmill. I find that when I am walking my mind is less cluttered. I’m not keeping busy with a million activities. I’m just walking and so that requires my mind to settle somewhere. When I walk and pray, I think of all kinds of situations that are weighing … Continue reading →

Have You Ever Gotten a Sports Massage?

You don’t need to be a pro athlete to get one, but you do need to have the tolerance of one to appreciate the vigorous kneading, pummeling, poking and forceful pushing that comes with a traditional sports massage. I got my first sports massage a few weeks after completing my first marathon. I would have loved to get one directly after running 26.2 miles, but the line for the massage tent was longer than the race route itself (at least it looked that way), so I opted for a warm shower instead. If you’ve ever had a sports massage, then … Continue reading →

5 Quick Ways To Relieve Stress

There are good stresses such as the stress of preparing for a new baby or a graduation and negative stress such as illness, financial worry or fear of failure. A by-product of stress can be a suppressed immune system. A person’s stress increases, as they become ill at the most inopportune times: during exams, when a final project’s presentation arrives, during the move from one house to another. Finding a way to cope with daily stress works towards your health maintenance as regular services for your car. Employing a few of the following techniques allows a body to relieve stress … Continue reading →

How To … Meditate

I’ve talked about meditation here before – but I wanted to discuss more about how to meditate and why I meditate. When I was in junior high, I participated in the drama club and the speech club. We had a great teacher, her name was Mrs. Garza. She was a brilliant woman and she was excellent at coaching us through speeches, dramatic presentations and learning impromptu. One of the things she also taught was guided meditation – in part it was to help cope with stage fright and anxiety. To understand, first of all, the meditations she used were not … Continue reading →

I Hate Migraines

For most of my life I have suffered from migraines. They were particularly bad when I was a teenager. Throughout my early 20s, I suffered maybe 1 or 2 at most. I thought I was in the clear – perhaps in some small way I had actually managed to outgrow this annoying and painful affliction. During my pregnancy, I had the first migraine in over 7 years. It was brutal and exhausting. In the six and a half years since my daughter was born, I get a migraine or two a year. Migraine Pain Unless you’ve ever had a migraine, … Continue reading →

Weeding Away the Pounds

It’s summer here, I know officially that summer hasn’t started yet, but it definitely feels like summer is here with soaring temperatures, hot sun and steamy air. We’ve been very fortunate this spring because we’ve had lots and lots of rain (compared to last year when we had almost no rain and our lake dropped to 16 feet below the normal water level). So what do hot sun, warm temperatures and lots of rain give you? If you answered weeds, then go to the front of the class! Weeds, Weeds, Weeds I spend nearly an hour every other day pulling … Continue reading →

Why Should You Treat Yourself to a Massage?

We’re counting it down towards the end of the school year and Mother’s Day. For the former, it’s just 2 weeks from today and my daughter graduates kindergarten. For the latter, we have just three days left and if you haven’t already figured out what you’re doing for Mom or for yourself for this Mother’s Day – let me offer you a suggestion: treat yourself or your mom to a massage. Massage A massage may not be for everyone and I’ve known plenty of people who are uncomfortable with the idea of a body massage. There are many types of … Continue reading →

As I Live & Breathe

Have you ever said that? It’s an old exclamation, often made when something or someone startles you or catches you off-guard. But there is a deeper truth in the statement of As I Live And Breathe. Breathing is an essential part of your life and your living. From the moment you take your first breath following birth and you scream as that cold air strikes your lungs, it is the vital part of your overall survival. Human Life Needs To Breathe We have to be able to breathe in order to live. We require an oxygen rich atmosphere. We inhale … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Day – Give Yourself a Day Off

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all and while I shared a number of my thankful thoughts yesterday, I wanted to give everyone who wants to take a day off from their workout a free pass today. Seriously, it’s a day to spend with family and friends. Whether you play games, throw around a football, kick back and watch the game on television or something else – taking a day off can be great for you mentally, physically and emotionally. Turkey Day Shuffle Some of you are traveling today, driving a few miles to spend the day with family. Some of … Continue reading →