I did walk yesterday and the day before! Woohoo! Got rained out tonight though. =(
But overall, things are rocking and rolling! So motivated, so hopeful, so expecting good!
Listening to the rain as I type, my dog is chewing on his rawhide, my hubby has our favorite bible teacher on the tube and I am thinking of how much I have to be thankful for...It is a very, very long list. AN UNEXPECTED LESSON ON THANKFULNESS
I recently was selling some things on Craigslist and a beautiful woman came to my home. She was deaf. She had a 3 1/2 year old son with her. He was ADORABLE! We had the most marvelous exchange for about an hour and a half. I was amazed at her. She was so full of joy and she was a great and loving mom! She has worked for The Gap for 14 years. Wow! She and her husband are both deaf. They have a beautiful boy who can hear. My mind was like racing.
I asked her a million questions. How did you teach your son to speak? How does it work for you, being deaf and working in retail? And my questions went on and on. We had the best time, she bought a table from me, and I felt like I had a glimpse at living life from a whole new perspective. Again, it really made me stop and think of how much each of us has to be thankful for and the choice we each make to make the most of what we have been given. This lady was living her life to the fullest. She so inspired me. I am SO GLAD that I met her.
I hope you guys are feeling hopeful. I hope you realize how much you have to be thankful for. I hope you are enjoying your lives and your loved ones. I hope you are living inspired!
Gonna go get some sleep and listen some more to the rain....ahhhh, so thankful!
I walked 30 minutes today. Yay me! =) As I walked in my neighborhood, I detoured a bit. Decided to walk up to the area where we have all sorts of restaurants, shops, etc. I walked past a ballet and dance studio. I thought to my self, "I should so take up ballet again!" I have been thinking of taking ballet in an adult for years. I REALLY LOVE it and find myself flitting around my house from time to time doing the old ballet steps I learned as a small girl. It makes me feel so girly and happy and beautiful... Gonna look into that....would be a very fun way to get my body back, too!
Gonna leave you with some pics tonight that inspire me. By the way, if anyone's reading out there, you sure are quiet. ;) It's okay. But, I would really love to hear from you sometime.
Toodles!
Seriously going to look into an adult ballet class!(source)
Nothing feels better than stretching after a good workout! (source)
I SO want my body back! I especially miss my killer legs!
This might be a fun and good way to incorporate some ballet work at home via video! (source)
As I sit here recording my walk for the day, I have sweat rolling down my back and I have to say that it feels great. Tonight was a really big victory for me. I had been super busy all day around the house. By the end of my day, I had to get out to run errands, etc. When I finally got home, it was almost pitch black dark. Opps! I now had a choice to make. Stick with my commitment to walk 30 minutes and walk in the dark or wait until tomorrow.
I told my self, I am going to walk in the dark. I had already had my one day off and needed to get in my 6 days of walking before taking off another. Fortunately for me, I live in a FANTASTIC neighborhood that is really, really safe and pretty well lit. Or, at least that's what I thought anyway. As I began walking I felt so invigorated that I had made a choice to follow through, in spite of the great excuse to blow off my walk tonight. I started walking and as I got to a spot in my walk I thought to myself, "Geez, it's really dark right here." I ended up picking up my pace a bit, carried my large bottle full of "Smart Water" like a weapon (if necessary) and even jogged near a really dark bridge and a couple of other dark spots.
I admit that I had to be a little more aware and kept looking back over my shoulder more than I would have liked, but all in all it was a great 30 minute walk! The added benefit of my mishap was that I really kicked it up a notch and probably burned a few more calories and I learned to be more aware of my time as it relates to the sun going down. Ha!
I'm encouraged by my commitment. Not bragging, just sharing and encouraging myself once again. I going to keep working toward my goal of taking my body back. I am going to take it back one day at a time. One pound at a time. One thought at a time. How about you?
If I can do it, you can too. Come on, make a commitment to yourself. You are so worth it!
I'm telling you, I really, really, really didn't want to walk today. When I heard my thoughts thinking that thought, I heard another thought, "You are going to do it anyway." So, I did. I'm really glad that I didn't give into the first thought. Just proves how much the battle of the bulge is really more of a battle of the mind! Ha!
Today is Wednesday and I weighed on the scale after putting in 7 days of 30 minute walks. Guess what? I GAINED 3/4 of a pound. Bummer, I know! :( Of course I would have LOVED to have lost a pound. But, you know what? It was really a victory for me. I told myself (and I believed it) it doesn't matter. I flipping walked for 7 days and I was doing zilch the 7 days before. So, I celebrate (and hope that I may have built a little muscle that weighs a little more) and I am going to keep on keeping on!
I also got my 30 minute walk in today along with my new anti-bat wings exercises for my arms. Man, I can feel my arms and my chest muscles after only 3 days! I'm that much closer to getting my toned arms back baby! I continue to feel all the muscles in my legs and butt today and I really, really am lovin' it! It is truly cheering me on for the fact that I am DOING SOMETHING! That is my greatest celebration right now. Each day is a day to celebrate that fact alone....the results are going to follow.
Yesterday was my 7th day of being back on track for taking my body back and I walked another 30 minutes. Yay me! ;) As I walked, I took in the beauty of the walking paths that I have in my neighborhood. Man, it is so beautiful; gorgeous trees, amazing birds, lovely gardens in different front yards, just a whole lot to enjoy and take in. I am including a pic of part of my view for you to share the joy.
Beautiful Views: I get to enjoy this on my daily walks!
Hope you guys are getting motivated to take some action towards getting that body back of yours, too. You can do it!
Man, I don't know about you but, I want my beautiful, toned, athletic arms back!!! Where'd they go anyway? This has been one of the biggest "yuck-a-do" things for me about giving into the "getting older" mindset! I have watched weight creep up on me slowly but somewhere, out of the blue, the arms just went into flabbyville almost overnight! I don't want to just accept this and just learn to live with it! Somebody....HELP!!!
Well, I have great news! Here's the article I told you about yesterday that addresses this "flabby arms syndrome" or as myfacebook buddy, Barbara Hannah Grufferman calls them, "bat wings!" Ha! Barbara is the author of "The Best of Everything After 50" and she gave me persmission to share her post on "How To Get The Arms You've Always Wanted" that she wrote for the Huffington Post a couple of days ago. What I love most (and I love a lot about Barbara!) is how she discusses not only her own weight loss challenge and her personal victories, but she actually gives genuine hope that we don't have to accept our arms becoming flabby as we get older. She gives simple and proven exercises that she has put into action herself. She even demonstrates some of the exercises in a brief video that you can check out in this article. But LET ME WARN YOU, Barbara is not only GORGEOUS, but she has a great body, too! Don't be jealous though...be inspired! ;)
Seriously, Barbara is not only a modern day female lifestyle advocate but an evangelist of sorts as she disproves the myths of it being inevitable for women to let themselves go as we get older. Below is her article and you can also go to the Huffington Post and read more articles by Barbara HERE. I would also highly recommend you check out her own site at http://bestofeverythingafter50.comwhere you can learn more about her book, her TV appearances and follow her on facebook.
Again, you will love this article! I have just started the 4 week challenge that Barbara raises and I can't wait to see and share the results with you. You should consider trying it too. Read on and say along with me, "goodbye to flabby arms!"
Author, 'The Best of Everything After 50' and Chief Pundit, FOF
The Post50 Body: How To Get The Arms You've Always Wanted by Barabara Hannah Grufferman
"A few years ago I turned 50 and realized that I had been letting myself go: Packing on the post-menopausal pounds and not doing any regular exercise, it was all really starting to show.
Unsure of what steps to take, I did what so many of us do under these circumstances: nothing. When the weight gain started to go past 15 pounds and my arms took on the look of bat wings, I decided that drastic measures were required.
I started eating all the right things (and stopped eating the ones that were wreaking havoc on my health and weight) and embarked on a run/walk program developed by Olympian runner Jeff Galloway, eventually losing all 15 lbs and going down an entire pant size.
But even though I was fitter (and a lot healthier), my upper arms were still as mushy as ever (my daughters would say "squishy"). It's true that as we get older, firming up certain parts of our bodies isn't as easy as it once was. But I soon found out it is far from impossible.
For many years I had heard about the NYC-based celebrity trainer David Kirsch, who regularly works with Heidi Klum, Anne Hathaway, Ellen Barkin and many others. In the name of research (I was just starting to write "The Best of Everything After 50", I called David and told him that I wanted to get stronger and firmer -- with a special focus on my upper arms -- so he graciously invited me to come to his world-famous gym for a little assessment. When he asked me to get down and "do 10" (push-ups), he didn't laugh or smirk or roll his eyes when I couldn't even do one. Instead, David gave me a challenge I couldn't refuse:
Barbara, do these two exercises -- which I will show you -- every day for four weeks. When you come back to see me again, your body -- especially your upper arms -- will be transformed. I guarantee it.
Result? My arms developed curves I never thought I would ever have, and I can now do 20 or more push-ups (yes, at the same time, smarty pants). I am stronger, feel more powerful and I know I'm doing everything right to fight osteoporosis. (I'm proud to report that the National Osteoporosis Foundation will be honoring me at an awards luncheon on September 24th in NYC because of my articles about creating a sustainable approach to healthy and positive aging.)
That was three years ago, and I still do them every day. Just as David challenged me, here's my challenge to you: Do these two exercises every day for four weeks, exactly as I outlined below (correct form is key: check out the short video showing me doing push-ups below) and then look in the mirror and let me know what you see. (Or better yet, have someone take a "before" and "after" photo of you wearing a spaghetti strap dress.) Of course, you'll look even better if you follow the healthy eating plan designed specifically for post-50 women and burn some calories by running and/or walking -- see the chapter on fitness for exact details. But even if you do nothing else, you will see a change. And keep it going! These exercises are not a quick fix, although they do work remarkably fast. They are for life. Here's what you'll need:
yoga mat
sneakers
form fitting workout clothes (so you can check on your form)
timer
Here are the rules:
Get the green light from your doctor.
Do these every day.
Do one set in the very beginning, but work up to three sets.
Do these moves as a "circuit" (move very quickly from one exercise to the other so you're getting a cardio workout, too).
Follow the exact directions for each move (details below).
Remember to breathe.
Take a 10 second "breather" between each set.
Other things you can do to help with your overall fitness program:
Try to do some kind of cardio exercise every day for at least 30 minutes: Walk, run, elliptical, swim, bike, Zumba... Whatever you enjoy doing.
Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day (every two to three hours) that include whole grains, dark leafy greens and no processed foods or sugar.
Drink lots of water and green tea
And here are the two exercises that will transform your upper arms (and other parts, too!): The Push-Up:
Nothing symbolizes fitness quite like the simple push-up. It tests your entire body by engaging every part of it -- arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. Doing them is the easiest, fastest and most effective way to get fit. They are the gold standard. You may need to start with a modified push-up (on your knees), but eventually, you'll build up to the full push-up. How to do a full push-up: Make your entire body straight, like a plank, with your toes and the balls of your feet on the mat, and hands directly under your chest. Using your arms, go down to the count of four, and back up to the count of four. Do 12 to 15 reps. (Watch this YouTube video of me demonstrating how to do a push-up, below. David taught me that how low you go is not the most important thing. Keeping the proper form is.)"
"The Plank: This is an incredibly hard, but Zen-like position that is one of the most effective exercises you can do because it works your entire body, including your upper arms.How to do The Plank: Hold your body in a "plank" position, simulating the "up" part of a push-up (see YouTube video above), but stay there, holding perfectly still, for 30 to 60 seconds. Keep your abs tight and your back flat the entire time. Try to lengthen your whole body, reaching back through your heels and forward through the top of your head. Your heart will be pounding, your arms will be shaking, but try to make it to 60 seconds (or more).
You can do it!"
* * *
Barbara Hannah Grufferman is the President of Best of Everything Media, Inc., author of "The Best of Everything After 50", a guide to positive aging, and is at work on her second book, "Fifty Rules: What Every Woman Needs to Know Before Turning 50," which will be published in late 2012. Barbara is the Chief Pundit at Fab Over Fifty, one of the largest websites for women over 45. She can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
