Strength training - pilates - gyrokineses

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I’ve been signing up for various exercise places around town. I’ll give a quick summary of 2 more I’ve tried.

First, for background, I have a left knee that started to give me trouble after doing my own exercises a few years ago – and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I now have to say “only low impact and watch the back” when people ask if I have any “issues.” 

So I won’t be sharing any exercises that have high-impact activities.

Doing the exercises has been really great for my general health and well-being, but so far I’ve found it really easy to keep gaining weight (not that I really know because I refuse to get on the scale until my pants aren’t quite so tight). At some point I’ll have to get serious about the eating and the cardio exercises.

All Out Fitness – good for guys and girls http://alloutfitness.org/

I got 5 personal training sessions thanks to Groupon, really cheap! The trainer there is a great guy, as I’m sure personal trainers have to be to stay in business. I do squats, planks, superman planks (like the girl did on American Idol this season), weights, and pretend pushups and pullups (I can’t do real ones, but the alternative method for doing them is great). I’ll probably sign up for some of their Boot Camp sessions and general All Out classes. I’m told I can easily replace the high impact parts with other stuff, and I need to get my heart racing (from exercise).  After the first class I couldn’t believe how sore I was! But no soreness after that first class.  And no knee or back pain at all. This place is off of State St. past Briarwood Mall, on Avis. Somewhat reasonable prices ($8/class for 10 classes), but not cheap like some places.

The Movement Center – good for girls http://www.movement-center.com/

I got one personal intro session on pilates, and 5 classes of either pilates or gyrokinesis. This is a little shop downtown, next to Grizzly Peak. The women teaching the classes are extremely warm and supportive individuals. I just did one gyrokinesis class but it was a bit too low key for me. I did pilates mat and pilates using their special machine. I liked both of these.  No knee or back pain after-yay! This place is really great, but really expensive! If they ever offer another Groupon or LivingSocial deal, check them out!

Look at that sweet face. Will you be my valentine?

Animals and Wellness

To the animal loves among us – it’s no secret that having a pet can add dramatically to your own wellness.

I had a dog growing up, and he gave me a daily walk/run. I don’t have one now, unfortunately, but when I’ve borrowed my sister-in-law’s miniature dachshund, I’ve again been taken on daily walks (though I don’t have to run so fast as when I had an exuberant golden retriever), and actually got to know my neighbors a bit better! She helped me dig up a big bush/tree that started growing in the wrong place in my yard, and she’s great company. And I know she loves me for myself, it has nothing to do with the fact that I feed her and walk her:)

Pets have been known to detect illness in their owners. Many give unconditional love and loyalty, and that leads to a decrease in stress and increased happiness. And they don’t have to be cats or dogs. Somehow taking care of any living creature is beneficial.

I know – sometimes animals will eat you up (looking forward to seeing The Grey sometime), but they’re also really cute and part of Mother Nature – so they are all perfect in their own way.

A friend of mine sent these photos recently – her little cat passed away – but thankfully she already has another to keep her company.

Don’t stress it! Breathe!

To be brief – stress is bad for you!

Here’s a tip for distressing at work from the article, Defusing the mental and emotional pressures that take a toll on cardiac health:

While seated in a desk chair, cross your left ankle over your right thigh, hand forward over your crossed legs, allowing your head to hang toward your left shin, ideally even with or below your heart (but don't force it). Hold for five slow deep breaths, and then switch legs and repeat.

"Folding forward with your head even or below your heart with the support of the chair calms your nervous system," she [Allison English, of Equinox fitness clubs] said. "Opening your hips relaxes your back and lets you walk through your day more calmly, while deep breathing is the ultimate must  for lowering your blood pressure and stress."

Amy's Diet

by Melanie Caughey

"The popular and tasty Amy's frozen foods has added their "Amy's Diet Plan" to their website.

Several of the popular fancy diet programs (Jenny-Craig, NutriSystem, Medical-Weight-Loss) feature pre-packaged weight loss meals. Numerous people have reported success with such plans, while others complain they can not eat what they want and that the food is too expensive.

The Amy's frozen food diet plan has great flexibility, since you pick it out yourself in the frozen food section of your local grocery store. The Amy's Diet Plan has a two- week menu list, with shopping list and nutrition information, and includes possible substitutions. They also have Vegan and Gluten-Free versions of the Diet Plan at their website.

You can download it, print it, or load it to your smart phone for ease of use. The different Amy's frozen meals come in a wide variety of nutritious, tasty entrees; and the fixed portions ease you into a different approach to meals. Since the busy working person might already be purchasing frozen foods to save food prep time, it is an easy start into successful weight loss results with delicious food."

Thanks for the tip Melanie!  I’ve eaten Amy’s frozen foods, and I love them! Unfortunately they seem more like a snack than a meal. But – with this website, I may try to eat what they say and see if I can lose that 2 lbs per week. At this point, 2 lbs in 2 years seems like an improvement!

I think the meals are even relatively healthy - I don't have one in my freezer right now to check it out. They have organic meals, gluten-free meals, vegan meals - yep, this looks like something I can try for 2 weeks!

Amy’s website also gives great encouragement to exercise a little bit each day – even 10 minutes. Every day.

5 Steps to Wellness - and How to Make Positive Change Stick

If you can't go to a Spa, I'm bringing the Spa to you. Here are some tips from Spa Magazine.

First - the 5 "Easy" Step to Wellness. Click on the link for the details.
1. Work out
2. Eat wholesome and healthy food
3. Drink the right beverages
4. Boost health with essential nutrients (such as multivitamins, omega-3, vitamin D3, magnesium, and a few spices)
5. Meditation [or labyrinths, yay!]

And then - How to Make a Positive Change Stick (again, click on the link for details)
1. Be Willing to change
2. Think of yourself as making adjustments, not wholesale change
3. Be prepared to be irritated that you have to change your normal routine
4. Keep a Journal [ok - there's my New Year's Resolution. I will try to keep a Journal. Supposedly it's easy to think you're doing something differently when it's really same-o, same-o]
5. You are doing this for yourself - remember - You Do Matter!

Labyrinths

On a recent walk in the local Mattaei Botanical Gardens, we followed a path to the labyrinth. I love walking labyrinths, and this day was no exception, even though the wind had started to kick up on this winter day.

Labyrinth at Mattaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI

Labyrinths offer a form of walking meditation, which is the only way I've been able to meditate. I admit I haven't really tried any other way - but since I enjoy being outside so much, and walking - a labyrinth suits me just fine.

Here are the instructions given the walker:
"A labyrinth provides an opportunity for walking meditation. Quietly traverse the winding path to the center while allowing the experience to quiet your thoughts and relieve stress. Rather than focusing on reaching the center, be mindful of each step you take. Feel free to spend some time at the center reflecting on your experience."

Labyrinth in Sedona, AZ

Labyrinths are different sizes, but size does not have to have much of an impact on their effectiveness. I walked the labyrinth above this past summer. I always look down at my feet when walking - the often tight circle of a labyrinth makes this almost necessary, and that helps put me in a meditative state. I find them to be very powerful.

Labyrinths have apparently been around since ancient times, and have become quite popular in recent times. They offer a single path to the center (they are not mazes), so the reasoning mind can be turned off.

Many cite the following quote attributed to Caroline Adams in their web pages about labyrinths. It's a wonderful statement about life:

"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… exactly where you are meant to be right now… And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love."

If you are interested in finding a labyrinth in your area, anywhere around the world, here's a site to help you: The Labyrinth Locator.

It has links to the site's creators: The Labyrinth Society, and Veriditas. Funds to build the site were provided by the Faith, Hope, and Love Foundation, which "strives to bring hope to children and youth in need." It's quite remarkable how many people are actively trying to do good in the world!