It’s the week after Thanksgiving and I don’t know about you but I indulged in everything! I know I need to move but I have a crazy month and some deadlines that I’m trying to meet by the end of the year.
My goal is to be active at least an hour a day and since it’s raining this morning, (who says it never rains in SoCal?) my morning walk with my crazy Cleo might not work out…
But before I come up with another excuse, I look at my computer’s Favorite Bookmark Bar and realize that all I have to do is press a button and voila!...my workout awaits me.
Home workout are the best…it has made my exercise a daily routine and a “recess” that I look forward to. Plus, I can do them anytime I want without having to pack up for the gym or deal with traffic and the sweaty exerciser who thought dousing themselves with cologne would be a great idea (said no one ever….)
Here are my favorite sites…
OMMMM - To DE-Stress, Get Going & Relax
If you ever thought about yoga or you’re an experienced Yogi, this site has it all! I started my Yoga journey with them back in 2010 and probably work out with this site almost every day…sometimes, twice a day. (I’ll start my day with a Vinyasa Flow and end with a Restorative or Meditative session.)
What I love the most about this site is the Search filters that helps you find classes based on how much time you want to work out (fast 10 minutes to a luxurious 90 minute classes) , what type of yoga (they have 13 types), what teacher (over 40+ to choose from), and what body part I need to work on (sometimes it’s my shoulder…sometimes it’s my lower back…)
You can subscribe for under $20/month, and stream it from most of your electronic devices. There’s even a trial period offered.
LET’S GO!....A Variety of Fun Workouts
I’m a very fickle exerciser. One day I want to kickbox, another day I want to channel GI Jane with a Bootcamp class and some days, especially when I’m not in the exercising mood, I want to DANCE!
This site has over 600+ workouts that you can access and I dare you to not find something that will get you moving! You’ll find some familiar fitness personalities on board…Shaun T (so fun!)…Chalene Johnson (from the Turbo series)…Tony Horton (I have yet to make it through a PX90 without getting bored)…and many more!
This site is also very cost effective. You can get a year’s subscription for under $160 or pay a quarterly fee (note, not monthly) for under $40.
My teenager feels the need to chime in…
“Well that sounds like a "fabulous idea," but I have NO money! After all, it’s the Holiday Season…could you pass me the cookies?”
Ahhhh, my lazy grasshopper…my last recommendation is a site that you’ve been looking on for most of the afternoon while you’ve been eating the cookies!
Free, Fun & Fabulous – A Free Variety of Workouts…
In the Search Bar, type workouts. You will find a plethora of workouts and they’re absolutely free. My Econ class taught me that there is no such thing as a free lunch and this holds true with workouts on YouTube.
You might have to watch a intro video or get a great video right in the middle of a push up…I take it as a sign from the Universe to rest… but that is the small price you pay for dancing with the Fitness Marshall (hilarious and you actually break a sweat ), doing plies (there’s lots of Ballet & Barre workouts) and keeping up with Anna and all her trendy PopSugar Celebrity Trainer workouts.
I recommend that you create playlists for each type of exercise that you do. I have great Playlists for Ballet, Dance and Kickboxing that I’m happy to share…just let me know in the comments or send me a private message.
Ready? Set? Go! No more excuses …get moving and let me know your favorite online workouts!
Today is Halloween but some may also know that it’s also Dia de Los Muertos…aka Day of The Dead. This holiday honors and remembers friends and family members who have passed.
My mom passed away over 3 years ago and there isn’t a day that goes by that I wish I could talk to her.
Which is really ironic…when she was alive, it was always such an effort to make time to see her. Between being a busy single mom and a traveling consultant, I would often have to reschedule our time together. Many times, I’d want to cancel but she ‘d always accommodate me and move her schedule around so we could meet up. We'd often have coffee in her back patio where she would point out each butterfly. She’d always know when I was struggling and say the right words to get me back on track.
What I would give to have that time back.
I’d tell her about how overwhelming it was to change careers and start on a new path.
I’d compliment her on how she ran a household and a preschool all at the same time and still manage to always be stylish and put together.
I’d ask her how she dealt with a snarky teenager who mood swings are like our SoCal weather…beautiful, one day…foggy and grim the next.
Last week, as I was recovering from a bad head cold and contemplating “chucking it all” and going back to my comfortable corporate life, I got little signs of encouragement from my mother.
A butterfly outside the window.
A necklace that she ceremoniously gave me when I adopted my little one suddenly appeared.
A picture of the two of us on Halloween dropped out of the bookshelf. 
Even Facebook got involved…in my memories, it highlighted the time we celebrated a milestone at her favorite restaurant.
Despite my mom passing, her presence is always felt.
Several things to take away from this:
-What goes around, comes around… I now always accommodate my busy daughter’s schedule so we can have that quality time
-You can never outrun your mother…she’ll always find you!
-In times of need, your loved one will always be there…
Happy Dia de Los Muertos, Mom
I’ve hit a slump!
Which is a bummer because I was doing so well. I spent most of my summer rehabbing my torn meniscus and spent every day “moving.”
But lately, I’ve found myself doing everything else except putting on my workout shoes.
So here’s my challenge to you all.. Let’s try and “move” at least 20 minutes each day for the rest of the month.
I’m planning on walking, doing yoga, going to the gym and of course, putting on my tutu and pretending that I’m a ballerina…
I know my pup, Cleo, is in…What about you?
Looking forward to hearing how you did!
So, now that I’m in my mid 50’s, I’m experiencing that sudden onset of the feeling of being on fire! I once had a hot flash so intense that I started doing a striptease in a Chicago cab when it was 30 degrees and raining. (Rest assured…I didn’t go all the way)
I’m always a little hesitant to go the “chemical” way before trying out natural remedies so I started doing some research. I started hearing a lot about Ashwagandha, one of the most powerful herbs in Ayurvedic healing. It’s frequently referred to as the Indian “ginseng” because of its rejuvenating properties
Ashwagandha also helps manage menopause symptoms by directly stimulating the central nervous system. Since it is an adaptogen, it works in your brain to reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is one of the stress hormones in your body, which in high levels causes a person to become increasingly anxious or depressed.
Not only with Ashwagandha help you with hot flashes, it will also help you with stress, inflammation, thyroid dysfunction and allergies.
I take this herb in powder form. I mix it in with my coffee/smoothie. I have to warn you that it doesn’t taste great but I’ve found it more convenient than taking yet another pill. I get mine thru Amazon – here’s the link…
http://tinyurl.com/yc2aryo3
You do have to use it for at least a month before you feel the results. But once you do, you won’t want to skip it! Mine got misplaced in the remodel and I felt “off” until I got my replacement.
Trust me, this works…
I love Facebook.
Since I work at home and on my own, I usually feel a little isolated at times and consistently take breaks. So, while I sip on my coffee, I go over and check out to see what my FB friends are doing.
It’s fun to check in on friends to see what they’re eating, what they’re doing and how they’re feeling. And the vacation pictures help remind me why I’m working so hard. (You work to go on vacation too, right?)
But lately, I’ve been hesitant to log on…
We’re living in such a different time now…
I don’t know about you, but my heart sinks when I read my Facebook Feeds these days. There seems to be a lot of anger & confusion. I understand the passion behind the different opinions but I don’t understand how it’s turned into threads of personal attacks and name-calling. Lately, I’ve shut my computer in disgust.
My teenager has the perfect solution for me.
“Look at this, Mom…you can just delete that person and never have to hear from them again.”
That is an easy solution, right?
But, I’m torn.
I’ve always been pretty selective about who I’m Facebook Friends with and I’ve made it a point to only connect with people that I really like and when there's a nice connection.
I never felt that I always had to agree with all my friends. In fact, I’m attracted to people who are NOT like me because it helps me grow as a person.
And, I believe this is reciprocal. I am lucky… despite my irritating and quirky ways, my Facebook friends have always shown their support whether they agree with me or not.
Friends do that for each other. We’re in each other’s corners and support each other as much as we can. Even when we don’t understand or agree with a differing opinion.
So, I will be not taking my daughter’s advice...I won’t be “unfriending” anyone just because they don't share my views.
However, there is a caveat...
If I see personal insults and name calling when there’s disagreement on my threads, I will directly reach out to that person and call them on it…not on their opinion but the way they’re expressing their opinion. If it’s in the heat of the moment and there’s an apology, then we both will move past it.
Because that’s what true friends do. We accept each other for who we are and work through disagreements.
What if that person is insistent on expressing their views with disrespect to the opposing side on my page? Then my decision becomes very clear and easy. I'm pressing the Unfriend and Block button.
After all, who needs that negativity in their lives?
Life is way too short…especially when there are puppies involved…
I'd love to know what you think...
I feel like Allie “Van Winkel…”
Do you know how to make my God laugh? …
Tell Her your plans…
I had so much "planned" for over the summer. My very-doable TO DO List had very simple and easy things to check off while giving me plenty of time to enjoy the lazy hazy days of Summer…
Alas…it is now September and NOTHING got checked off in addition to being completely behind in publishing this Newsletter...
Of course, I beat myself up for being such a slacker but then again, I might have had some unexpected things going on…
· A torn meniscus and the realization that I may have to slow down!
· Nursing my 14-old cat who survived a cold but the prognosis isn’t good…
· A “little” house remodeling project that went way too long…Note: NEVER work on your kitchen & bathrooms at the same time!
· My daughter deciding that she wanted to make the Varsity Tennis Team as well as take a part time job to earn her trip to Europe…guess who got to drive her everywhere?
This was all in addition to my other regular obligations…
It felt that Summer was going to be a complete #Fail.
But again, my God has a great sense of humor.
Despite my many challenges, I managed to make a complete breakthrough.
In a strange way, the limited time helped me prioritize and clarify what I really wanted to do.
While recovering, I finally had the time to take a free workshop in Functional Medicine. I happened to mention this to my doctor (who happened to be a certified Functional Medicine Practitioner) and he got very excited. He’s been looking for Coaches that he can partner up with. In this day and age, doctors have the challenge of directing their patients to create a healthier lifestyle but they don’t have the time and breadth to show them how. That’s where Coaches come in.
Long story short…I might have found myself a niche. I was accepted and enrolled in a Functional Medicine Certification program with the intent to work with my doctor and his patients in the future, helping them adapt a healthier lifestyle!
And, it gets even better…
My meniscus tear required me to change up my exercise program. Instead of cardio cardio cardio...I had to build up my strength and increase my flexibility. I needed to be consistent and move every day as well as change my diet.
Now, I’ve been active for years and eat pretty healthy but my scale never moved and I was getting heavier as I aged. I accepted this as part of “middle age.” While I wasn’t “unhealthy,” I wasn’t where I wanted to be.
Within the last three months, I’ve lost weight and decreased my blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Best of all, I feel fabulous!
These two things happened because I had to change up my usual routine and find different paths to where I wanted to go.
My BIG TAKE AWAY for this Summer:
If you find that you’re goals are getting "blurry," don’t get discouraged!
Life has a funny way of working out. Embrace what looks like obstacles and be open to different paths.
Who knows...it may lead you to your happiness faster...
Anyone else experienced this? I'd love to hear your story...
“Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.”
My mom loved to quote Maurice Chevalier…And she’s right…given the alternative, getting older is not bad at all.
I’m trying not to freak out too much when things go awry. I’m reminding myself constantly to enjoy the Present. I’m understanding the wisdom of not sweating the Small Stuff...
“So, does this mean you’re going to stop telling me how to drive?”
See? I’m not going to even respond because I’m past that...Ommmmm....
With that said, I got a wake up call in the midst of all this peace. It all started with me going down stairs. Craaaaaaaaack went the knee!
Seriously?
I’ve been active all my life! Rock Climbing, Running, Tennis and Zumba have all been my passions without ONE injury. I even took up Ballet this last year because I wanted to "challenge" my body.
I spent most of June, with my knee propped up, feeling terrible and coming to the realization that I might not be "Petra Pan" after all.
“Mom, you’re in your 50’s…things like this happen when you’re MIDDLE AGED.”
Definitely need to think of new legal ways to torture my child.
But, I digress…
I’ve been blessed and lucky enough to follow in my mother’s footsteps. She learned how to ski when she was 60 and only reluctantly quit when she was in her mid 80’s. I’d like to think that I share her zest for life.
"Who's aging? If I live like I'm 30, I WILL be just 30!"
In hindsight, this seems a little silly and a bit delusional. Of course, I’m aging. I’m dealing with osteoarthritis, a high A1C and I’m definitely not running my 10 minute mile anymore.
And that is the reality.
I have to pay attention to taking care of myself differently.
Adaption is the key.
I have to eat less of my favorite foods, walk instead of run and put myself to bed instead of pushing myself harder. And most of all, I had to stop looking at the “new” me negatively.
Trust me, this is a work-in-progress.
But, I think I’m on the right path. I was describing to my daughter how I was finally able to do a pirouette without knocking anyone down. I happily described myself as the Hippo with the Tutu in Fantasia. And, I focused on the action, not what it looked like.
“Wow…Hippos can dance…who knew…”
“Who knew indeed? BTW…posted your baby picture on Facebook…it was completely “adorbs!” I know I'm gonna get A LOT of likes”
The best revenge is hearing a teenage anguished scream and knowing that every parent is LOL'ing with me right now.
I’ll work on “letting go” my grievances next month...
I’m sure you’ve heard of Functional Medicine…
I have but I really had NO idea what it’s all about. If you look it up on the Internet (which is my “Go To” source for everything), Functional Medicine’s definitions usually have the words “alternative” and “holistic”in it.
“Woah…wait a minute…I don’t want to get involved in any of that New Age stuff…you know, doctors go to medical school for a reason….”
Normally, I’d agree with My Guy. I’m a firm believer in science and really do try to avoid any “woo woo” concepts. And it doesn’t help that “alternate” and “holistic” methods had a bad rap up until a couple of years ago.
However, two years ago, I was introduced to Functional Medicine firsthand…
I’m a former fan of the “quick fix.” Whenever my colds would get serious and refuse to leave, I’d automatically ask for the miracle, Z-Pack. In fact, my Ex and I affectionately called our Family Doctor, the “Drug Dealer,” because he’d allow us to skip the visit to him and just directly call the script in to the Pharmacy.
Getting rid of that pesky infection was completely worth the nausea and the stomach pain I’d get from using that Z Pack. And, my doctor would just prescribe a stronger one when the old one didn’t work. Unfortunately, for me, the cure was worse than the actual cold but I didn't care because I didn't know better.
Due to insurance reasons, I had to switch doctors. Naturally, right after that, I caught the cold that would never leave. I went to visit my new assigned doctor and we started playing the 20 Questions Game when I requested the Z Pack. What was I eating? What was my environment? Was I stressed? Was I getting enough sleep?
I was annoyed at first but then he explained that he was a certified Functional Medicine Practioner and it was his job to see the complete picture. This totally made sense for me.
Functional Medicine changed my life and the way I take care of myself…
This approach focuses on the underlying root causes of what may be happening within your body. The body is viewed as ONE integrated system, not a collection of independent organs divided up by medical specialties. It’s a Big Picture, Long Term focus, not applying just the short term cure. And best of all, the customized patient-centered approach addresses & supports each unique individual. Bio Individuality rules!
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR YOU?
· There is a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness and autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis
· For chronic illnesses, our current medical system addresses the symptoms not the cause…this is like putting a Band-Aid on the wound but not understanding why we keep getting the wound.
· Other elements like environmental exposures, unhealthy lifestyles and genetic factors are not taken in account when considering diagnosis and strategies to get better. We all know we’re different…why wouldn’t we have customized unique solution for each individual person?
· Functional Medicine will be the evolution of the practice of medicine to better address the healthcare needs of the 21st Century. It will integrate traditional Western Medical practices and create a focus of prevention through nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes.
By working with my new doctor, I realized that eating too much Dairy and Sugar created congestion and wrecked havoc on my immune system. I also needed to move every day to “work everything” out. My happy ending is that within the last 2 years, I only got one sinus infection. And that was self-inflicted because I knowingly overdosed on ice cream while comforting Patient Zero. (I’m waiting for the day when they find out why loved ones always want to share their germs)
I want to know more! Helping my clients develop natural and long term strategies to feel better and be healthier is what makes me spring out of bed each day.
I was recently accepted into the IFM’s (Institute of Functional Medicine) Coaching Program so stay tuned for more interesting ideas and approaches!
I would have written this article sooner but I was busy doing everything else. I had to reorganize my closet, brush out a continually moving poodle and check Facebook a million times to make sure all 400 of my friends were doing okay.
Does this sound familiar?
It is all too familiar to me!
So, I decided to hire myself as a coach.
“Hi Client Allie, I’m Coach Allie…great name, by the way…”
“Hi Coach Allie…thanks!”
“So, what would you like to discuss today?”
“I’d like to find out why I’m such a bad procrastinator…I know I need to get certain things done but I keep putting it off.”
“Hmmm…what things do you keep putting off? Why aren’t they on your list of priorities?”
And, that is the first step. Understanding the What and Why of the Things You Keep Putting Off…mine fall in two categories.
The first category is THE THINGS I JUST DON’T WANT TO DO. For example, Cleaning the Litter Box…Getting Groceries…Doing Laundry. Yet these things still need to get done and eventually I do them because my cat’s judgmental stare, my family’s complaints about nothing to eat and the fact that I can’t go and buy a new workout outfit every day are facts that compel me to fulfill these responsibilities.
I’m mostly at peace with this.
The second category are THINGS I REALLY WANT TO DO BUT DON’T. Some examples here are Losing Ten Pounds…Finishing Up My Book…Working On My Business.
I don’t get it.
I’m EXCITED to DO these things. I look forward to doing these things. Motivation isn’t the issue.
“So, Allie, what do you think is holding you back? These things are important to you…why are you finishing up everything else but not these things?”
“Hmmm…I’m not sure. I’m known in my professional world for always meeting my deadlines, sometimes even getting it done before the deadline.”…Under promise and Over deliver has always been my mantra.
“What are your deadlines for these?”
BINGO!
Although I work hard on my goals, I don’t have hard deadlines. I’m easily distracted or something comes up in the week and I get off track. Which is normal, I know, but for some reason, I lose momentum and then spend most of the time anxiously fretting that I’m not moving forward.
So, the obvious solution is to place a deadline on these goals, right?
Been there…done that…and let me tell you, by this time, I should have been able to fit in my old wedding dress (over 15 years ago), started on my second book and hiring employees to meet the high demand of my business .
“Ummm, Allie…didn’t you just start your business last September? From where I sit, eight months is an awfully short time to complete all those goals?”
My coach is very very wise…
I constantly have to remind myself that I am a product of a Tiger Mom and sometimes my unrealistic deadlines and overwhelming expectations are not always positive motivating assets.
My deadlines did me in this time.
They overwhelmed me and made me more anxious. They didn’t account for “every day life” and the unexpected events. Like Writer’s Block. Or, when my Teen was anxious about taking her AP exams and needed her Mom (a extremely rare occurrence) to help her study and be the cheerleader. Or, when your guy wants to take you to Tuscany. I do have my priorities in order…Teen and A Romantic Trip to Italy win EVERY time.
So, the first step for me this time around was placing realistic deadlines of when I want to complete these goals.
“Very good, Allie! Now what’s the downside of not meeting your goal within your deadlines?”
“If I don’t lose the weight, I’ll be unhealthy which is a real turn-off for future clients since I’m a Health Coach…If I don’t complete the book, I’ll have these ideas bursting internally inside me and I won’t be able to share information that I think would be helpful to others. And, if I don’t keep working on my business, then I will lose my sense of purpose.”
Step One of Placing Realistic Deadlines and Understanding the Real Consequences of Not Getting It Done is completed.
My deadlines are much more realistic now and I know what will happen if I don’t get it done.
“Thank you, Coach Allie! I think I’m good to go….”
“Not so fast, my little grasshopper…we still have to figure out a plan for when you meet some resistance or experience a setback. What will you do then?”
Hmmmm…
The Coach is right. I may have planned more realistically but nothing guarantees that this attempt will be any different. I might hit a wall again and go back to my old patterns. Planning better may not be the one solution because life happens and unplanned things will get in my way. Like that stupid Writer’s Block…
“So, Allie...you’ve just told me what happen the last time you hit Writer’s Block. And it’s great that you’ve designed a new workspace as well as redecorated your daughter’s room, but aren’t you running out of home projects to do? And, I don’t recall those being on your List of Goals?”
Ahhhh…the light bulb finally switched “on.” Realistically planning is not only essential in the beginning, it also helps in the middle.
Back to the drawing board…
Now, I have an Action Plan for when I get blocked or something else comes up.
First thing is to be more cognizant of what is going on inside of me when the unexpected comes up.
Do, I just want the Distraction (usually, The Teen) to go away so I spend more time “putting out that fire” instead of determining the urgency level?
Am I feeling overwhelmed?
Is Anxiety overwhelming me?
More importantly, what is the root cause behind these feelings?
Once I’ve identified the What and Why, I need to confront my feelings and keep moving forward!
I need to teach myself (and the Teen) what is urgent and how to prioritize what needs attention and how much time it will take.
If I’m overwhelmed, I need to be a little nicer to myself and remember that I have a weakness for unrealistic deadlines and overwhelming expectations. I need to adjust my daily schedule and timelines with some breaks and room to breathe.
And finally, if I’m anxious and afraid to fail,
I need to get over that.
Am I really that arrogant to think that everything I attempt should work out the first time? Of course not! I’m going to learn by my mistakes and this experience is why I’m going down this adventurous path. I want to learn how to be comfortable in taking risks. I know I will fall flat on my face sometimes and I need to make myself get up, tend to my bruises, learn my lessons, make the necessary adjustments and get right back to it.
And when I’m really blocked, I need to think of potential ways to work through that block. If I keep it on my mind, I can think of creative approaches and I really won’t be procrastinating at all…just doing the work mentally in my head.
Step Two: Creating a Plan of What To Do When The Unexpected Comes Up and then Doing It…check!
So, have I completely conquered my Procrastination tendencies?
Of course not…I just started.
But, I can tell you that I have hit those blocks already and this time, instead of taking on another house project or berating myself for not producing anything, I’ve broken my usual Procrastination cycle. Now, I let myself have a Pity Party or take care of the interruption and set a time limit of an hour.
Then, I go back to what I set out to do.
And, I'm beginning to see the progress.
The key to this success was to break my Procrastination Cycle. No more working without realistic deadlines. No more of allowing myself to take extended breaks because I’m discouraged or disengaged when I hit resistance. No more of unexpected distractions that take priority over my daily goals…
I must remember to buy my Coach a glass of champagne…
Now, if only she could help me figure out how to get the laundry to do itself…
Till next time!
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