Tag: health

Love Yourself With All Your Heart

Love is in the air. It’s February, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It’s the season of love. It’s also the time of year when it’s really difficult to keep up with our health and fitness goals. I can’t speak for anyone else, but the short days, cold weather, and lack of serious holidays to look forward to kind of wears me down. I would rather hunker down on the couch with a box of chocolates and wait for the spring thaw. However, that will certainly put me far behind the eight ball when swim suit season kicks in. So, instead of hiding under the covers or throwing in the towel, here are a few simple tips to keep yourself motivated, moving, and at the top of your game: 1). Love yourself with all your heart.  Be kind to yourself. Speak softly and gently, and give yourself positive...

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Believe In Yourself, and All Things Are Possible….

What we believe is what we become. What we tell ourselves, and what we hear from others, is what we eventually believe. Even if it goes against our inherent belief system. Unfortunately, not everything we hear is positive. Nor is it always in the best interest of our health and well-being. Some messages we receive are so subtle that we might not even be aware of them. Others are blatantly shoved in our face like a cheese grater peeling away at our self-confidence.  Okay, the cheese grater analogy might be a bit extreme, but I’m sure you get the point. And, quite honestly, those are easier to deal with, because we can see them coming a mile away. And we can chose to ignore them. It’s the insidious messages that are far more dangerous to our belief system and our self-image. That’s because...

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Vitality at EVERY Stage of Life

There are many misconceptions regarding getting older, as well as a lot of confusing and misleading information. This includes the belief system that aches and pains, lack of mobility, and various diseases are a part of the “normal” aging process to be both expected and accepted. It’s simply not true. But, when we hear these messages often enough we believe and adopt them. Because what we believe is what we become, even if it goes against our inherent belief system. However, with the right mindset, it is possible to enjoy vibrant health and vitality at every stage of life. A writer friend of mine often refers to what he calls “life’s most brutal truth–we are what we think about. This is never more true than when we face becoming card carrying members of...

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Attitude is Everything: In Fitness and In Health

Attitude is everything, in everything we do. When I was a little girl, I remember watching the incredible story of Peter Pan on TV. Parts of it was magical, and parts of it was downright terrifying. But, the one scene that really impressed me was when Peter taught John, Wendy, and Michael how to fly. Peter certainly had a point when he was teaching the children how to fly. To reach their goal, all they had to do was to think lovely thoughts. Without the right mindset, they were grounded. But with the right mental attitude, the sky was the limit, so to speak. Even after all these years, I can still recall that scene in my mind. The memory of that scene and Peter Pan’s advice has helped me get through a lot of challenging times and difficult situations over the years. After all, the only thing...

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Solitude: Taking Time To Enjoy the Gift of Silence

Solitude. I was blessed with the gift of silence and solitude a few days ago when I happened to show up thirty minutes early for a dance class. Fortunately, another class had just ended so the studio was open. However, when the dancers left the studio, I was alone. Really alone. There wasn’t another human being in the entire building. I began to feel a little anxious and upset. Where was everyone? Why weren’t people arriving for the ten o’clock dance class? Did I drive the forty-five miles from my home in Denver to Boulder for nothing? My anxiety escalated as I watched the dancers from the previous class get in their cars and drive away and I realized I was alone in an empty building. That was not a comfortable feeling. It was even a little bit creepy. Maybe I should just get back in my...

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Sleep Your Way to Better Health

Ahhh, sleep. Nothing rejuvenates your body, mind, and spirit like a good night’s sleep. But for many of us, sleep can be an elusive dream, so to speak. Even worse, a lot of people wake up in the morning with pain because they “slept wrong.” Yikes! Because I truly appreciate the value of a good night’s sleep, I don’t believe that there is a “wrong” way to sleep. However, here are a few tips that can help you wake up to a pain-free morning. After all, I want you to be able to face the day feeling fit, fabulous, and ready for anything. 1) If you sleep on your back. Use a pillow under your knees to support your low back in a neutral position. Play with different sizes until you find the one that is the most comfortable for you. Be sure that the pillow you use under your head is the correct...

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More Fit Tips For a Healthy New Year

Here we are, already in the second week of the New Year. Hopefully, you’re still on track with your resolution to get fit and healthy, exercise more, or eat healthier. However, it’s easy to lose our motivation once we return to our daily routine after the holidays. The pressure of work and family obligations, combined with the cold, dark days sometimes get in the way of our good intentions. You might even be tempted to give up. But before you get discouraged or throw in the towel, keep these tips in mind to help you stay on track. 1). Visualize success. Imagine yourself achieving your goals. Close your eyes and see yourself as the fit and healthy person you want to be. If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. The practice of visualization is a powerful tool to help you accomplish...

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Fit Tips to Step Up Your Walking Program

October is a great time to step up your walking program. The fantastic bright blue October skies, crisp air, and incredible colors make it an ideal month to get outdoors and get moving. Here are a few tips to keep you moving through October and beyond.   1). Invest in hiking poles or walking sticks. No, it’s not cheating, it’s smart. There are many great benefits from using hiking poles or walking sticks, regardless of whether you are enjoying a hike on a mountain trail or a long loop around your favorite city park. Here are just a few of the benefits.     a). Posture.          Using hiking poles (or walking sticks) put you in better postural alignment. They help keep you in a more upright position with your chest up and your shoulders back. So, as you are working on your fitness...

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