A love-hate relationship with sitting

There's nothing more I love doing after a busy day than sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea (or sometimes wine!) and indulging in some reality TV.  It's my "reward" for spending a long day at work, fitting in a workout, preparing healthy meals, and completing errands and chores.

But, during the day, I work at a computer and sit in meetings.  I do my best to get up from my desk often and try to fit in short walks during the day because I know how unhealthy it is to sit for such an extended time period.  I have this article hanging up at my desk so I remember to keep moving throughout the day.

I would like to do more during the day to keep moving and de-stress.  So, I made up the chart below with stretches I can do at my desk.  I'm going to do my best to go through the routine every morning and afternoon.

If you are stuck at a desk all day like me, give this a try.

• Stretch often
• Stand when you talk on the phone
• Get up at least once per hour
• Plan walking meetings if you can
• Move move move!

Touch the sky	Reach your arms up to the sky and as far back as you can safely go.
Side stretch	While standing reach your one arm overhead and to the opposite side.  Keep the other hand on your hip.
Toe touch	Bend at the hip and reach for your toes.
Wrist/ankle circles	Make circles with your wrists and ankles. Rotate in both directions. Also with each hand alternate making fists and opening your hand wide. Do this back and forth a few times.
Neck circles	Slowly stretch forward and back, side to side, round in circles, and twist to look over each shoulder.
Arm stretch	Extend one arm out straight in front of you. With the other hand, grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles.
Arm circles	While standing, rotate each arm around in big circles both forward and backward.
Seated twist	First sit up straight. Twist in your chair keeping your hips stationary. Twist all the way from lower back all the way up to your head looking over your shoulder.
Quad stretch	Stand on one leg and stretch out your quadricep muscle.  Bend your knee and pull your foot toward you.
Hip stretch	Sitting in your chair cross one leg over the other so that ankle rests just above the knee. Lean forward to feel a stretch in your hips.
Shoulder shrugs	1.      Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders, lifting them high up to your ears. Hold. Release and drop. Repeat three times. 2.      Shake your head slowly, yes and no.
Leg extensions	Grab the seat of your chair to brace yourself and extend your legs straight out in front of you so they are parallel to the floor.  Flex and point your toes five times.
Leg hug	Sit on the edge of your chair (if it has wheels, wedge the chair against the desk or wall to make sure it does not roll). Put your feet together, flat on the floor.  Lean over, chest to knees, letting your arms dangle loosely to the floor. Release your neck. Bring your hands behind your legs, right hand grasping left wrist, forearm, left hand grasping the right.  Release your hands to the floor again and repeat three times.

Don't Give Up...Don't Look Back

It seems like weight comes on quickly, but takes forever to get off.  It's even tougher for me than it used to be when I first started my weight loss "project" in 2005.  I'm not getting any younger!  ;)  The things that used to work to get the weight off don't work as well anymore.

Most of the time, I'm very motivated to eat healthy and keep working out, but as you know, some days are tougher than others.  Some days you feel like you are missing out on things.  Some days you get tired of calorie counting.  Some days you don't feel like worrying about health or weight anymore.

Then, there are excuses, like the fact that I'm living in this miserable climate...

...and after I spent the last month food journaling religiously, eating clean the majority of the time, working out regularly, and giving up alcohol, I GAINED four pounds.  Really?!

My goals seem more and more difficult to reach every day - and even when I do reach them, I'm not going to look like I did when I was 18, right?  So, what keeps you going during these bad plateaus and blue times?

I can't give up.  Yesterday, I really wanted to give up.  I wanted to eat a junk food lunch, skip the gym, then grab a pizza and a bottle of wine for dinner.  But, I didn't.  We ordered food for a lunch meeting at work, where I could've easily eaten something terrible, but I ate a clean 294 calorie lunch and fruit later.  I went to the gym, not the liquor store.  We made scallops and mashed cauliflower for dinner, not pizza.  

I pushed through a tough day because I'm looking forward.  This is backwards and I'm not going there again!

• I used my support system: I vented my weight gain to two of my friends who are also trying to lose weight.  Then, my husband encouraged me to go to the gym and pushed me HARD when I was there.
• I re-visited my goals:  This is what I want.  I'm not sure when I will get it all, but I have to keep working toward it.
• I remembered: Every day is a new day!  

Friend Makin’ Mon…er Tuesday

Copied from Renee's blog at http://www.lowfatpie.com/blog/2013/03/26/friend-makin-mon-er-tuesday/  You should also follow her blog {run} {laugh} {eat pie} because it's good!

Here's how the game goes: Copy the questions below into your own blog and respond, then link back here.  Make some friends and learn a little ;)  Here are my answers!

Ten Questions:

1. Describe the kind of home you would live in if money were no object. On the ocean, lots of outdoor space, tons of floor-to-ceiling windows and my kitchen/dining would be built like a coffee house.

2. Are you more conservative in your actions or more rebellious? I would prefer to be more rebellious, but responsibilities result in conservative actions.

3. Would you go to Mars even if it meant you could never return to Earth? Nope

4. Name one song that makes you want to dance every time you hear it. Right now...Titanium

5. Share one thing that you wish you could go back and do differently in your life. I would've focused more on myself and less on relationships or advice from others.  I passed up a lot of things because I was too broke, or thought I wouldn't be able to make it on my own.  I was broke at age 20 anyway, so I should've just taken the chances when I had the opportunity - specifically I would've done more traveling, lived in more cities, moved (a lot) further away for college.  The window to be completely selfish is so short and you just don't realize it at the time. 

6. Share at least one accomplishment that people wouldn’t expect you to be proud of. This is tough. I'm proud of everything I've accomplished.  Why not?

7. Describe one delicious thing that you’ve eaten lately.  Hubby and I split a burger & fries on Friday night.  I usually use my cheat meals to eat pizza.  Haven't had a burger in so long and it was SO good!

8. If you had a theme song that would play every time you entered a room, which song would you choose? "Nothin' But A Good Time" - Poison

9. Had technology enhanced your life, or has it over complicated your life? Close call, but enhanced.  That said, I still think I was born in the wrong time.  Definitely should've been born in the first part of the 1900s.

10. If you could get paid to do any job, which job would you choose? If I could choose ANYTHING, I'd like to get paid to shop with an unlimited budget LOL.  More realistically, wellness coaching/fitness training/nutrition guru...I'm working on that ;)

Get Fit Where You Sit

I sit at a desk all day - and I can’t stand sitting all day – because sitting is the new smoking (read more about that here). I’m always looking for ways to move throughout the day without causing too much of a disruption.

Give this chair yoga routine a try at work at least three times per week and you should notice increased circulation, strength and flexibility over time. This workout is also great for seniors who might have a more difficult time staying mobile.

Important: push your body to a point where you feel the stretch – not pain! Check with your doctor if you are new to exercise.

Forward Bend

Targets: upper back and neck tension release

How-to: Breathe in and out as you bend forward. Let your head and arms hang over your knees. Relax into the position and hold for a few seconds. Breathe in as you slowly come back up to seated position.

Spinal Twist

Targets: spine circulation/flexibility

How-to: Face forward and place your left hand on the outside of your right knee. Put your right arm over the back of the chair and turn your head. Breathe in and out as you twist to the right, and then push against your right knee and hold. Release slowly, face forward and repeat on the opposite side.

Side Stretch

Targets: spinal column flexibility
How-to: Face forward with feet slightly apart, breathe in, and raise your arms out to the sides. Breathe out and bend to the left, reaching toward the floor with your left hand and your right hand pointing toward the ceiling. Breathe in come back to starting position. Repeat with your right side.






Knee Squeeze

Targets: lower back
How-to: Breathe in and out, and then put both hands around the front of your knee pull your left knee to your chest while holding your breath. Lower your head to your knee, hold for a few seconds and release slowly while breathing out. Repeat on your right side.





Leg Lifts

Targets: lower back, improves circulation to legs and feet
How-to: Sit and hold each side of the chair for balance. Breathe in and out as you lift your straightened left leg and flex your foot. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly breathe out while lowering your leg. Repeat the same with your right leg.







Sun Pose

Targets: spine and hips, improves circulation to your head
How-to: Sit back in the chair with legs apart and arms by your side. Breathe out completely then breathe in and with a sweeping motion bring your arms up over your head. Look up and stretch. Breathe out while bending forward between your legs and if you can put your palms on the floor. Slowly breathe in while coming back to the starting position.

Namaste!

New Video Blog!

Happy Spring, everyone!  I haven't done a video blog since 2011, but I have a new one to share with you!  I hope this helps get you motivated to set some goals and I hope the guest speaker is inspiring ;)  Check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfiMwsF9dPo

Vitameatavegamin

I've been going to a certain vitamin store for quite some time - mostly out of convenience.  The location is good and I have a lot of rewards built up.  But, the service is so annoying.  I feel like I'm entering a den of hungry wolves going into that store.  The sales people hover and try to sell you everything in the store the entire time.  It's so annoying!

Yesterday we went to the grand opening at my new gym and The Vitamin Shoppe (also brand new in my 'hood) had a booth there.  After our workout, we went over to check out the new store and it was great!  I loved the products they had (even vitamins for your pets!)  Plus, the service was great - the staff was knowledgeable when we asked about products, but didn't follow us around the store the entire time pushing this month's spiff product.

The best thing I bought was a month's worth of vitamins in a single pack for only $37.  I spend so much time and money getting together my daily intake of fish oil, a multivitamin, vitamin D, etc.  Now, I just have to grab one pack and I don't have to deal with the organization any longer.  Check it out:

4 Easy Yoga Poses (a.k.a. my favorites)

For those of us following the March Madness challenge I posted on my Facebook page, today’s challenge is to do some yoga.  Personally, I’m not a huge fan of attending yoga classes.  I much prefer Pilates to yoga.  I know it’s wonderful for you, so I wish I liked it better, but I just don’t.  Perhaps I’m too intimidated by some of the poses?  I like the restful ones!

While I wouldn’t take a yoga class regularly, I still do yoga poses a few times a week because I enjoy the stretching aspect of it.  Posting my favorite poses for you below (really, the only poses I do!).  Give them a shot and let me know what you think.  Also, if you are a yoga-lover, I would love to hear your perspective about it!

1. Cobra -  I have lower back pain from time to time, and this pose really helps after a weightlifting workout where I’m focusing on my back. 

 






2. Hero - This one is great post-run or after working your legs doing squats and lunges.

3. Plank - In my opinion, this is the best core strengthener around.

4. Child's Pose - I think this is such a peaceful pose.  I end every post-workout stretching session with this pose.  It gives me 30 seconds to reflect on my workout, take some pride, and be happy it’s done!